Chemo #2? Not So Much...

Well, I guess I should get back to the cancer stuff, since that is what this blog is supposed to be about.  So here you go...

things don't always work out the way they are scheduled.  Today was supposed to be the second round of chemotherapy for me.  Not that I can say I was excited to get it, but it was just on the schedule and so I was geared up for it.  Anyway, things began as normal, with the check in and blood work and preliminary tests.

Then Dr. Lee came in and broke the news.  There are things called neutrafills in your white blood cells that help fight infection, disease, and all that bad stuff.  A normal count of neutrafill for someone is about 4,500.  Dr. Lee said that in order for him to even consider giving someone chemo, their neutrafills need to be at least 900.  The reason for that is because with chemotherapy, you need to be as strong as you can so your body can help fight the cancer.  What happens is that when you first go in there, you are at 100%.  You get chemo, and your ability to fight infection and disease is decreased dramatically (let's just say 50%).  I "sit out" for two weeks, then go back for another round of chemo.  However, my body hasn't fully recuperated from the first chemo, and so I am only at about 85% of capacity.  My immune system gets shocked again with the drugs, kills good and bad cells, and I leave there at about 40% of capacity.  I recover for two weeks, go back for chemo, and the cycle continues.  So I am NEVER at 100% again.
Well, getting back to the numbers and neutrafills and all that, Dr. Lee likes people to be up at least in the 900-1000 range.  I was at 350.  It's nothing to be super alarmed about, but I couldn't get my treatment today because I was so low.  It would just make me more susceptible to infection and bacteria that my body would then have to fight, along with the cancer, and he just didn't want to put me through that.  So I will need to get some extra blood work done this week and see what the next round will bring me!
Miranda and I just enjoyed the day together in place of the chemo.  It will be nice to feel way for another week, but I dread what the next week will bring.  If it's anything like taking off two consecutive weeks from the gym, and then going back hard, this is really going to stink!