Dracula and Halloween

*I talk about blood a lot, so if you are squeamish, maybe skip this one*

I've been feeling good, so I've been busy.

Last round, which was three weeks ago already, went pretty well.  In general, I had less side effects with this second regime of chemo.  I did, however, have to have a blood transfusion.  My red blood cell count got too low, and there is no booster then can give you, so they give you blood.  Strangely, about halfway through the transfusion I started feeling really peppy, but that is what it is supposed to do!  It was just odd that this happened right before Halloween.

Thursday was Halloween and I was Rosie the Riveter.  The whole idea was based on the fact that I've got no hair, and needed to figure out a costume that covered up my head.  Recently on the news our oldest park ranger has been getting a lot of press with the government shut down.  She is 90 years old and works at the Rosie the Riveter National Historical park in Richmond, which is right across the bay.  The combination of the news stories and my baldness inspired a pretty good costume I must say.  Red head scarf, blue coveralls, a workman's belt and a whole lot of makeup, done.  I was in those coveralls all day, and if you have ever worn a one piece outfit, you know what a pain in the butt it is to use the restroom.  Needless to say, I did not consume much to drink.  This came to haunt me on Friday.

Friday I went to go do my regular blood work.  I get this work done every three weeks, just before I start chemo to make sure I am healthy enough and as a base line for the next round.  They can't get blood out of you when you are dehydrated.  I felt fine, but after four nurses, three needles and blood that clotted as it came out, I had had it.  I asked what my options were.  They sent me home to hydrate and try again the next day.  So, Saturday morning after about 12 glasses of water, coconut water, two gatorades and a ginger ale, my blood throughly pumping from my exercise class, it took PJ about 3 minutes to draw my blood.  Yeesh! I will not make that mistake again.

Tomorrow I go back into the hospital for round three.  The medications for this round are pretty hard on me so I'm not too excited, but like I said to a friend this morning let's just get this done and move forward.