Lucky Number Seven

This is round seven.
I'm in room 21.
If I wasn't on chemo, this would be a great excuse to go to Las Vegas.

My platelets went up over the weekend and I was able to start the round on time Monday morning.  After my conversation with the nurse manager last round about timing of chemo, I am very happy to report that chemo started earlier in the day and I got a good nights sleep.  This round has been pretty normal, yesterday I was very tired but this morning I woke up with plenty of energy.  

This is what a port looks like under the skin

I may end up staying an extra night in the hospital because I will again be getting a blood transfusion.   All of my medication, blood draws and infusions happen through a port that was surgically implanted in my chest before I began chemo.  Chemo started so quickly back in September, that I didn't do much research on a single port versus a double port.  A double port would allow for me to receive infusions at once.  Regularly I receive chemo and fluids through my port together, but blood products and chemo cannot mix.   Because I have a single port, we have to wait for my chemo to finish before giving me the blood transfusion.  It is not a problem to me, and as I previously stated, I'd rather stay an extra night in the hospital than take up next week with an out patient blood transfusion.

Many people have been asking what I do with my time in the hospital.  I sleep a lot, my body is basically fighting with the chemo the whole time it is in my body and that makes me quite tired.  As I've spent so much time here, I've gotten to know my nurses well, so I visit with them when I my blood pressure, lungs and temperature checked.  From the time I check in on Monday until I am discharged I must remain on the fourth floor.  Some of the staff refers to me as 'Speed Racer,' as I do an average of ten laps a day around the entire floor.  I spend a lot of time watching TV, surfing the web, and playing games on the iPad.  Though many people have given me books, my brain is just so fuzzy that I have trouble concentrating on reading them, blogging and sewing.  Those are the things I'd like to be doing though.

I'm in good spirits today.  Hopefully, I'll stay this way.  TEN ROUNDS TO GO!