On Tuesday, December 31st, (New Year's Eve) I had my next appointment for what was supposed to be treatment #5 but, what I had been anticipating was finally going to happen. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when. My blood counts, specifically my red blood cell counts, were too low and I was not going to be able to get a treatment. Instead, my doctor wanted me to have a blood transfusion because of how low the counts were. The Siteman Center has been so good to us and this day was no exception. They made some pretty fast changes in plans and were able to arrange for me to have the transfusion that day so we didn't have to come back a different day. We just had to go to their other location at the hospital.
So, what's it like to get a transfusion? This was a first for me. It really didn't seem much different than getting my usual chemo treatment. They just hooked me up with an IV drip through my port, and I just sat there (slept a little!). I had to get 2 units of blood. One thing that I learned was that they can separate the different kinds of blood cells and give me just the red blood cells. Interesting. We are learning a lot as we go. Another thing that I learned was that it takes a lot less time to give blood than to receive it. Each unit of blood took about an hour and a half to go through the IV drip. They also gave me Tylenol and Benedryl about 30 minutes before they could start the transfusion in case there was any kind of reaction or possible fever....neither happened thank goodness! That night we got home by about 9:30 pm and just rested and watched the ball drop in New York. I did stay up until midnight to wish my girls a Happy New Year!
The next day, New Year's Day, I was already feeling a difference in a good way! I then realized just how low energy and tired I had been the previous week. And...I was already feeling less of that tingling feeling in my legs and arms which is a very good thing!
Thursday started out good but by late afternoon I started feeling sick. For the first time since everything has begun, I got sick. Not to be too graphic....but I could have given the Pitch Perfect girl a run for her money as far as volume was concerned. Sorry!! Too far? Haha! (The bad thing is I had that thought while I was getting sick!). Perhaps I have watched the movie too many times! Anyway...back to being serious...at first I thought it might have been because of a migraine headache that had developed but now I think it was a bug of some kind. The good news is it didn't last long. I went to bed early, slept all night, and woke up feeling really good (which would have been yesterday). So yesterday and today have been really good!! Last night I even told Mike that I was feeling as close to 'normal' as I could and hadn't felt that way in a really long time. Thank you blood transfusion!
I am hoping that each day continues to be better and better and that this coming Tuesday (7th) I am able to get a treatment. I am also interested to see how all of my counts are by then. I am not sure if the treatment I missed will be made up or just skipped altogether. I think it will depend on how the rest of the scheduled treatments go...if I have to miss anymore, or get anymore transfusions.
As I said in my facebook post, I am really thankful for those who give blood. It makes a difference and it definitely helped me!
Thank you again for all of the support and prayers!
I know that God is with me every second of every day! He gives me strength!!
On our way to St. Louis on New Year's Eve, I heard a song by Kari Jobe that I absolutely love called "Steady My Heart" and I tweeted the following part of her song:
"I'm not gonna worry. I know that You've got me right inside the palm of Your hand.
You steady my heart!"
Little did I know just how much peace and steadiness He was going give me that day!
But God knew :)
God is so Good!! All the Time!!
The ring from my beautiful girls! :)
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