Chemo + Blood Transfusion Days

Chemo hit hard yesterday.  Whew!  The lovely Nurses suspect it was because my hemoglobin is pretty low for this body to be taking in chemo.  Everyone is happy for me to get blood today. 

The "hit hard" felt like a slow blurring of my eyes (which has happened before) and then me sinking into grey and a weird brain-pressure, then the room getting a bit more grey and tears springing to my eyes in a moment of sheer body exhaustion and then a flick of panic-y "oh crap, what's THIS new side effect" and then my eyes not staying open but my mind not falling to sleep.  My body was shaking so bad, three or four warmed blankets seemed to help with that.  My Nurse checked my blood pressure which was fairly high, and then I sort of just gave up trying to open my eyes and let my body do its thing for the next thirty minutes.  And then I could open my eyes and by the time we were done chemo I was pretty steady on my feet and was able to walk to the car.   Thank you, Mom, for staying with me at home, and helping get the kids settled in after school.  The apple sure helped perk me up... yes, you are onto something with that apple-at-the-ready thing though I'm still not quite ready to eat purse-apple yet!  [wink]

I ended up not napping after school, which is dumb, I know, but I just like to be awake and present and able to listen to the kids come in the door.  The chattering and rushing in and dropping backpacks where they shouldn't and stumbling through the door like calves through a shoot, it makes me happy.  I hate to miss it and there are enough days where missing it can't be helped.

Today is blood transfusion day.  I'll admit to having about 3 or 5 seconds of "I should have asked her this" and "I hope there aren't any hiccups" but those passed quickly.   I am still just amused that shortness of breath can be fixed by taking in some fresh/extra blood.  And I am so grateful for the 8 people who donated so that I can received this medical miracle!   Did you know that it takes 4 people donating to make 1 little bag of blood?!?!   Truth.   Thank you to my friends who have been inspired by my story and the story of others' needs and have started being Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic Donors!   Blood, it's in you to give!  [smile]   What I find neat is that when I was in grade 5 to maybe 8 or 9, my Mom was a Red Cross Phoning Lady.  Prior to each Blood Donor Clinic Mom would get a huge pile of spreadsheets with the names and phone numbers of Donors and she would call to remind them up the where and when of the upcoming clinic.  I was super thrilled when Mom, knowing how much I love to talk and to be on the phone and to meet new people, let me do some of her calling!   And now to think that the phone calls Mom and I did then are part of the stepping stones God lined up in my life in order for me to receive blood today... awesome!   I love how God lines stuff up and we just wander along not knowing... and then you just see it and you KNOW that God was already loving you through THIS way back THEN!  God is bigger.  It's just super-cool!

So, today I go in at 10:00 breathing like a tired, old soul.... and this evening I'll come out all perked up and ready to walk miles!  [Roll On Floor LAUGHING]   Well, it takes about three days to really kick in, but that doesn't matter.  I am trusting that all will go smoothly, that there will be no side effects or weird detours and I rest in knowing that God's got this.  

Thank you for your prayers... it's going to be a looooooong day!   Thankful for Mom coming with me, for Grandma E. taking care of the kids after school, and for my Dad for taking the 3/4 kids to swimming.   It takes a village and I am super-greatful for every single one of you who are my village!

May your day be great!  
Kristin