A Difficult Friday Afternoon

I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon for my routine blood test and shot. I have been feeling really good this week, so I expected all my levels to be normal. Ok, maybe not normal, but at least up, closer to normal than they were on Tuesday. Well, they weren't. My WBC is still low, which means I am getting shots over the weekend. My RBC is low, but that has to come up on its own. My hemoglobin is also low, very low, almost to the point of needing a transfusion. But the most shocking level of all was my platelets. They were so low that I needed to get a transfusion.

I completely broke down in the office. I actually had one of the nurses in tears as well. That shows how much those women care about their patients!

As the nurse was walking me out of the office Dr. Sharma walked in. As soon as he saw me crying he got a very concerned look on his face and asked what was wrong. I gave him my sheet with my lab results on it and I told him I was on my way to get platelets. He gave me a big hug and said, "that's it?! You know that isn't a big deal. Stop crying. You are done! You are finished! This is nothing. You need to stop crying because people are going to wonder what we did to this pretty girl. You are going to give me a bad name." I started laughing and he gave me a squeeze and sent me on my way.

Dr. Sharma is such a wonderful doctor and he takes such good care of his patients! I feel like we have a special relationship. I feel like he looks out a little more for me. His eyes are always filled with smiles as he tells me to "stay out of trouble!" I have been blessed with him as a doctor.

Ok, on to the platelet experience. As you might remember with my first experience with getting platelets, I had an allergic reaction to them and developed hives. Well, this time was no different, even though the nurses gave me a huge coctail of medicines before I even received the platelets. I started itching even before I had finished receiving all the platelets. I think this time was a little worse. I had a hive on my eyelid and a couple in my throat. That was a weird feeling, almost scary. Thankfully Jen was there with me cracking jokes about me and keeping me smiling.

Peg, the head nurse from Dr. Sharma's office, came over to check on me. She looked really concerned and told me that they couldn't send me home with new hives still appearing. I was getting nervous because it was almost six 0'clock. I was starting to think that they were going to have to admit me to the hospital. That is the LAST place I want to spend anymore time! After Peg left, the nurse who gave me the platelets came back and said she had talked to Dr. Sharma and he told her to give me more medicines to combat the hives, so she did. They started working and my hives went down. I had to stay for an additional thirty minutes to make sure they didn't come back, and then I was able to go home. Thank God!

My dad had come and he drove me home, since I couldn't do it myself after all those medicines. It was nice spending time with him. We picked up dinner on the way and had some really good conversation. When he left I headed to bed because the medicines were still making me drowsy.

I feel good this morning and I am so thankful for an other day! When I checked my email there was one there from a friend giving me a link to a blog that a woman named Becca writes. I was amazed when I checked it out. Becca, I am guessing she is in her 30's, has stomach cancer. After reading many of her entries I was in tears. She has fought and continues to fight a very tough battle with her cancer. It made me realize that my battle, although it has been very tough at times, is nothing compared to what she is fighting. One astounding thing I noticed about her blog is that throughout it all she has beeen so positive and thankful. She is definately a fighter! Here is the link to her blog if you want to check it out. beccascancer.blogspot.com Please add Becca to your prayers.

Throughout life it is so easy to get down and feel sorry for yourself. I started to do that yesterday. Picking up the pieces and keeping a positive attitude about situations is much harder to do, but if you can do it, it is so rewarding. Dr. Sharma was right. Instead of feeling sorry for myself that I had to get a platelet transfusion, I needed to focus on the fact that I AM DONE! My six rounds of chemotherapy are over! My test results have come back with good results! I am going back to school on Monday! Life is going to get back to normal! God is so good! It has been evident that He is constantly with me, no matter what I am doing or going through!

Psalm 100: "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Have a wonderful weekend! I love you all!