For those following the saga, Cycle 6 was a 5-day inpatient. It’s most important features were:

• Officially 1/3 of the way through treatment,
• My sister arrive mid-treatment (sister #1 in the birth order), and
• We had two family birthdays take place during the 5 days

The treatment – the 5 days of fluids and toxic chemicals – went swimmingly well. I walked three miles a day the first three days, but only 1.5 miles the last two. Why the drop?  Socializing!!!!  This particular hospital stay will forever go down as “That time we got shushed.”  But, hey, family birthday parties must go on. One day turned into a wonderful parade of visitors with no breaks from about 11am – 9pm.  I was delighted and entertained.
After I was released from my captivity, I came home to a blissfully quiet home and lots of time with Sister #1. We worked side-by-side at the breakfast bar during the days doing our own work things and had patio time in the evenings.  I did have one very down day on my second day home. This is normal as the steroids (part of the anti-nausea drugs) wear off, I end up with a serious crash. Very little productive happened, but we did watch Sense and Sensibility. A couple hours with Emma, Hugh, and Alan make for a good day.
Late in the week we had visitors for dinner where my energy was spent sitting on the patio, playing with 4-year-old Miss A, and just visiting with friends. So, yeah, who can argue with that, right?
Friday night the fevers started. Over the whole weekend, I had low-grade fevers (under 100.5) bobble up and down. I was adamant we would not call in to MSTI (treatment clinic) on the weekend because doing so would mean hours in the ER and a likely 48 hours stay with antibiotics and fluids. Not how I was spending my sister’s last weekend in town. Luckily, we were able to actually DO STUFF (fused glass project, shopping, new purse, church) and just basically Clorox’d everyplace we went. Happy the fevers stayed low-grade. Over 100.5 is the cut-off — if it stays there, you’re admitted.  So Monday morning I called in to see if we could move up blood tests by a day.  I wanted to know where we are in case something bad is happening, and make sure we can fit in an it’s-all-better blood test before Thursday when I want to leave for the Oregon Coast.  Truly, though, the priorities:

• Don’t let sister leave town while admitted at hospital — it’s just a rotten way to end a visit and I only have her until Wednesday.
• Go to Oregon Coast on Thursday
• Health…yeah, that.  I maintain that the coast heals me. Time in my trailer heals me. It’s my healing happy place.  But Kathy appreciates when I am vigilant about taking temps and staying healthy. Since I like her so much, I try my best.

So today’s blood tests where a little surprising:

• Reds are still okay, lower than Friday, but not worrisome. I’m tired enough I thought they’d be lower — I guess fevers can tire you,
• Whites…. hahaha … laughably low. My immune system has abandoned me.  They grow back, usually a couple days. In the meantime, I’m the Clorox Queen and we’ll be staying home until the next test.
• Platelets (the clotting stuff). Low, but not so low as to need a transfusion. I should avoid bleeding and getting bruises these next couple days, but that is generally my goal every day.
• Everything else okay…they worry (always, but especially w/ fevers) about kidneys and bladder and mouth sores and pains and dehydration, but I’m generally okay. Just some annoying fever stuff.

So what’s the point here?  All the energy goes to inviting deep healing and recovery of my immune system.  Some preventive antibiotics are going to help me stay healthy, but I take help from all the Universe.