Friday, December 6, 2019
Cancer is working my last nerve this week. My biggest complaint about my cancer (other than the whole planning to kill me thing) has always been the time commitment. This week I had a pre-chemo appointment with Candice the PA and a blood draw scheduled for Wednesday morning and chemotherapy treatment scheduled for this morning. I should be home by 1:00 p.m. both days. Not too bad of a schedule.
The cancer gods laughed at me. I guess the cancer gods decided that 11 hours was not a big enough time commitment on my part for the week. Never mind I had a lot of client work to do this week. On Tuesday, I received a phone call from the infusion clinic scheduler. I was told my hemoglobin level was low and I would need a blood transfusion.
My hemoglobin has been low for more than 20 years; ever since I recovered from the flesh-eating disease. I have read recently that at my current age 8 is considered a normal hemoglobin level, but for most of the past 20+ years I never hit the 9 that was considered the bottom end of normal unless I had just had a blood transfusion. I dutifully made the three-hour, round-trip trek (including blood draw) to the hospital.
When the nurse was drawing my blood, I asked what my hemoglobin level was from the past week’s draw. Imagine my surprise when I was told it had been an eight. An eight is a good number for me, I do not usually get blood unless it drops lower than 7. Wednesday, I went in for my pre-chemo appointment with Candice the PA and found out my hemoglobin was now 8.6. That is a great number for me even when I am not taking chemotherapy. I asked Candice the PA why I was getting blood. She told me she thought my number would drop from the previous week and I did not need to do the transfusion.
I should have run right then and there, but no, I was a good patient. I decided since the blood bank in Denver made sure they got my special blood to the hospital by 10:30 a.m., I would not let their effort be in vain. I rolled over to the infusion clinic for my two units of unneeded blood. I, of course, got a high fever while they were infusing the second unit, so they stopped it and had to call the doctor. Fortunately, Dr. Doom and Gloom let me go home instead of admitting me for observation at the hospital; however, I did not get home until 6:30.
Thursday, I received a phone call from the infusion clinic scheduler. The chemo labs were run Tuesday afternoon, not Wednesday morning and they wanted me to come in for a blood draw. I was not a good patient. I said no. I was asked if I could come in early today for labs. I said no. I went in at my scheduled time for today and they pulled labs this morning. Labs added an extra hour on today and I did not need to make a three-hour trip for a blood draw yesterday.
I got home at 2:00 today swimming in work I still need to get done. I was sick Monday, so that day was shot. Tuesday, I had to leave at 1:30, so I got half a day for client work. Wednesday I was at the hospital all day. Thursday I was able to work, but Mika was also home sick. Today I get two hours to work, so I will be working this weekend; a task I am trying to avoid.
My piece of advice to you is to stand your ground. Next time I will need to know my hemoglobin level BEFORE I leave my house. If the level is not less than 7, I will simply say no. I have a life that does not revolve around cancer and that is the one I choose to live.
Until next time,
Susanne
Please check out my GoFundMe page.
Cancer is working my last nerve this week. My biggest complaint about my cancer (other than the whole planning to kill me thing) has always been the time commitment. This week I had a pre-chemo appointment with Candice the PA and a blood draw scheduled for Wednesday morning and chemotherapy treatment scheduled for this morning. I should be home by 1:00 p.m. both days. Not too bad of a schedule.
The cancer gods laughed at me. I guess the cancer gods decided that 11 hours was not a big enough time commitment on my part for the week. Never mind I had a lot of client work to do this week. On Tuesday, I received a phone call from the infusion clinic scheduler. I was told my hemoglobin level was low and I would need a blood transfusion.
My hemoglobin has been low for more than 20 years; ever since I recovered from the flesh-eating disease. I have read recently that at my current age 8 is considered a normal hemoglobin level, but for most of the past 20+ years I never hit the 9 that was considered the bottom end of normal unless I had just had a blood transfusion. I dutifully made the three-hour, round-trip trek (including blood draw) to the hospital.
When the nurse was drawing my blood, I asked what my hemoglobin level was from the past week’s draw. Imagine my surprise when I was told it had been an eight. An eight is a good number for me, I do not usually get blood unless it drops lower than 7. Wednesday, I went in for my pre-chemo appointment with Candice the PA and found out my hemoglobin was now 8.6. That is a great number for me even when I am not taking chemotherapy. I asked Candice the PA why I was getting blood. She told me she thought my number would drop from the previous week and I did not need to do the transfusion.
I should have run right then and there, but no, I was a good patient. I decided since the blood bank in Denver made sure they got my special blood to the hospital by 10:30 a.m., I would not let their effort be in vain. I rolled over to the infusion clinic for my two units of unneeded blood. I, of course, got a high fever while they were infusing the second unit, so they stopped it and had to call the doctor. Fortunately, Dr. Doom and Gloom let me go home instead of admitting me for observation at the hospital; however, I did not get home until 6:30.
Thursday, I received a phone call from the infusion clinic scheduler. The chemo labs were run Tuesday afternoon, not Wednesday morning and they wanted me to come in for a blood draw. I was not a good patient. I said no. I was asked if I could come in early today for labs. I said no. I went in at my scheduled time for today and they pulled labs this morning. Labs added an extra hour on today and I did not need to make a three-hour trip for a blood draw yesterday.
I got home at 2:00 today swimming in work I still need to get done. I was sick Monday, so that day was shot. Tuesday, I had to leave at 1:30, so I got half a day for client work. Wednesday I was at the hospital all day. Thursday I was able to work, but Mika was also home sick. Today I get two hours to work, so I will be working this weekend; a task I am trying to avoid.
My piece of advice to you is to stand your ground. Next time I will need to know my hemoglobin level BEFORE I leave my house. If the level is not less than 7, I will simply say no. I have a life that does not revolve around cancer and that is the one I choose to live.
Until next time,
Susanne
Please check out my GoFundMe page.