My weekly visit to the Vanderbilt Clinic started with drawing blood. The area around my IV port is still a bit sore, but it’s much easier way to give blood than searching for a vein in my arm. As we were waiting to see Dr. Barbara, my oncologist, Mary and I were guessing at what my white blood cell count (WBC) would be today. Before the first chemo treatment, my WBC was only 3.5, last week it had dropped to 0.8, which was not unexpected but certainly required that I be careful about not being exposed to people with coughs and colds.

Anyway, Mary guessed the the WBC would be back to 3.5 and my guess was 3.2. We were both pleasantly surprised to learn that my WBC was 10.5 😉 Wow! That Newlasta shot really worked!

Weight – I had lost 5 pounds the week following chemo and I wanted to gain that back plus a few extra pounds. The results – I gained 9 pounds ! All those 850 calorie shakes and Haagen Dasz ice cream really worked.

Since I have volunteered to take part in a research study for a mouth rinse to treat oral mucosititis (irritation and ulcers in the mouth), my next chemotherapy is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5, instead of Monday. A required follow-up appointment is scheduled for seven days later on May 11.

All-in-all, it was a great weekly checkup!

Feeling much better today. My tongue is still swollen and coated white, but I’m able to swallow okay if I eat and drink slowly. That’s a new experience for me – eating slowly. Plus, it does not take much food to get that full feeling in my stomach.

It’s Monday, so that means I have my blood tested and I see my oncologist, Dr. Barbara. That will be the routine during my 9 weeks of chemotherapy. And probably a similar routine during the radiation treatments. I’ve lost 5 pounds over the past few weeks, so Dr. Barbara is concerned. I need to maintain my weight, or even put on a few pounds, during this phase of the treatment. So how’s this for a great prescription from your doctor – eat Hagen-Das ice cream every day 🙂 Not only that, we spoke with the nutritionist and she has me on a 2100 calorie diet. My goal for this week is to gain back the 5 pounds I lost plus and addition 3 pounds for good measure.

Also, my white blood cell count is low, which is to be expected after a week of chemo. On Saturday, Mary gave me a shot of Newlasta which will accelerate the white blood cell production. However, I need to stay away from crowds and people with colds. It’s a good thing I work from my home office. I can remain isolated from face-to-face contact with my colleagues, but continue to do my job.