and then there's something else

so, just when i start thinking i've got one thing licked--platelet count is now back up to 79--something else comes up. my absolute neutrophil count has gone down--likely because of the infections i'm sporting--and i am now mildly neutropenic. hopefully this is primarily a response to the infections that i have --the cuticle is definitely better, and so is my throat, but both are still hanging on--because if it keeps dropping that's going to suck. my current count is 1.5. 1.8 is normal. below 1.0 and the risk of infections go up, below .5 and it gets scary. the lymph nodes in my throat are still quite swollen, my best guess is that this is from my tongue. i have quite a number of sores on my tongue. some that are starting to make it hard to eat--bland food is in my future. anyway, i probably have the sores because i am more susceptible to infections because of the low neutrophil count. yes, that is quite circular reasoning, i'm aware.

so to sum up, i have infections that are lowing my immune system and making me more susceptible to infections, so i get more infections, which will in turn likely lower my immune system more. come on antibiotics! do your thing.

in other news, i'm back on gleevec as of this evenings meal. :D that's good. because when i'm not on it, the leukemia is running around unchecked. i think of my leukemic cells as middle schoolers. they group up, refuse to do any work, and give me a headache--among other things. yeah. when you've got one middle schooler, more are sure to follow, they gripe, they make you feel like crap (even when you are the middle schooler) and they don't do their chores. that's leukemia.

i'm a little curious to find out if going back on gleevec will be similar to the first time around--side effects and all--or is my body used to it enough so that i won't have all that. i'll keep you posted when i find out.

i'm gearing up for a trip to Raleigh. we'll see how that goes. on the plus side i do not have to report for jury duty this week! i doubt a jury would take me next week since i'll be gone the week after.

on my way to a blood draw today i got to see this:  guess vampires are active after dawn!