Well, as it turns out, my white blood count is wayyyyy too low for me to get more chemo today. The low end of the acceptable range of white blood cells is 1000, mine are around 800 today. Compare that to a week ago, just to get an idea, it was 5000 last Friday.

I must say it was kind of scary when they told me that and had to check with Nurse Skippy to decide if I could get chemo or not today. I cried a little bit because they were freaking me out, all telling me things like I already knew all about what they meant. But I didn’t. So I asked. I asked everyone to just slow down and tell me what it all means.

The chemo knocks out the white blood cells in my system, which is why, previously, I was given 2 weeks in between each infusion in order to build it back up (white blood cells = immunity to bacterial and viral infections). Now that I’m getting one of the chemo drugs weekly (gemcitabine) whilst on another pill form at home (xeloda) which I take daily for three weeks (21 days), I guess my system wasn’t ready to keep up with the WBC production.

So what to we do now? They injected me with a medicine (starts with an N, I forgot the name off hand but I’ll get the paper work from Honey in a little while) that helps jumpstart the bone marrow in my body to produce more white blood cells. I got one shot today and will return both Saturday and again on Sunday to the hospital to receive two more shots over the weekend. Then Monday, they’ll do a blood count and see where it’s at. In the meantime, I am to stop taking Xeloda (YAY!) and get lots of rest (the shots they give me can make my bones and joints sore as they work overtime to create healthy cells). I am also supposed to limit my restaurant-eating since I can’t control what kinds of germs come in contact with my food before I eat it. Also, stay away from crowded places and prevent people who are sick or people who have come in contact with sick people recently to come visit me. I’m also not supposed to scoop the litter boxes (boo hoo) or let our animals lick me on the face. Finally, I, Honey, and people who come to my house are supposed to wash wash wash hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap as soon as they come in, after using the restroom, after preparing food, playing with our critters, etc.

I can go ahead with the CAT scan on Tuesday and they rescheduled me for chemo to happen next Friday. Since I see Dr. Kane on Tuesday after my CT scan, she’ll then give me a new plan regarding my chemo schedule, which may involve these immunity-boosting shots every time I go in for an infusion, to prevent this from happening again.

Basically, it all boils down to if I get sick while my white blood cells are so low, it will be extremely difficult for me to recover from whatever illness I contract. It’s called a “compromised immune system.” And it can definitely complicate things overall.

If I get a fever over 100.4 between now and Tuesday, I am to go to the ER where they’ll probably give me fluids, antibiotics and try to get my fever under control. However, the ER we go to is not associated with UCH so they won’t really know all about my cancer and treatment and such, other that what they have on file since the last time I was there in late January and what I tell them. I’d really prefer to stay OUT of the ER.

Soooooo…I did have some plans, as subdued as they may be, for the weekend: like have lunch with Stevo and Honey at the Rio tomorrow and seeing Sister’s play and celebrating her birthday with her and her friends tomorrow night. I have been advised not to do either of these things. Rawr. Lame.

I think this explains why I’d get out of breath just walking up or down the stairs the past couple days. Or when I’d turn around rather quickly I’d get dizzy. Or after showering last night before bed I felt faint and queasy from being upright and moving about for more than 10 minutes.

Well, I don’t want to get sick so homebound I shall remain! Fire up the Wii, pop in the Netflix, hand me the remote and some popcorn…I’m hunkering down for a couple days! I hope I don’t get cabin fever!