Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Chemo #3 Doesn't Happen

Today my white blood count (1.3) was too low. As I understand it they won't do treatment if it's anywhere below 1.5 and sometimes not even if it's near that. They gave me the first of a series of shots (Neupogen); I will have these on three consecutive days. This medication stimulates the blood system (bone marrow) to make white blood cells, helping you fight infections.

We sat next to a nice Christian couple from Monet in the treatment area, Ken and Marianne. He had had the shots before and said the pain can make you uncomfortable. When we left we had two new prayer partners. Marianne was knitting dishcloths and I mentioned having tried to learn to knit them but being unsuccessful! She said they were prayer dishcloths. She prays as she knits and then gives them to someone needing prayer. Needless to say I ended up with the one she finished during her husband's treatment today.

After arriving home I began experiencing severe back pain. It is bone pain these shots cause. Pain medicine does seem to help. We will try again next Wednesday for another chemo treatment. Thanks, all, for the many prayers. I am including here a scripture Ken posted in his blog:

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair...." (2 Cor. 4:8, NKJV).

No comments: