Updates on treatment and my blogging...

This is Day Three of Week One. No reactions or complications. So far, so good. John is doing well. His platelets did not fall today as we were told they might. In fact, they went up and all of his counts remained normal. The study nurse told us it can take up to ten days for the counts to react to the chemo. I know they will eventually fall, but today they are great. His neutrophils are strong, too. When neutrophils drop, you are much more prone to infection.

We didn't get home last night until about 6:30. It was really a long day. Today and tomorrow will also be long days. But tomorrow I will drop John off and go back home for the delivery of our new refrigerator, then come right back to keep him company for the afternoon. Neither of us wanted to delay this delivery and the person who scheduled us said it wouldn't be a problem to set delivery between 10:00 and noon.

There really isn't much to report today. We are just cruising along and doing fine.

There is one thing I was thinking about this morning that I wanted to say something about on my blog. It's about my blog.

When numerous friends have asked that I keep them updated on John, I have almost felt like I might have hurt a few feelings by reminding close friends that they can check my blog to see how he's doing. I want you to know that I am not suggesting you check my blog in place of any personal contact. It's not that I am trying to avoid a conversation. It's just that we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern since I have been sharing John's diagnosis and treatment openly and I know that I can't possibly make calls and send personal emails to every single person who asks me to keep them updated - especially during treatment weeks. When we got home last night at 6:30 PM (after leaving the house at 7:30 AM), I was worn out. All I did was eat a few peanut butter crackers, drink some milk to take my vitamins, fax some signed contract forms to my online publisher, exercise, shower and go to bed.

It's hard to have a phone conversation from the treatment room because there are other patients, family members and staff around me. I try to talk softly, but my voice carries. So I feel like everyone is listening to every word. In this setting, I can even sound like I'm not okay or I'm exhausted (even though I'm fine) simply because I'm not speaking in my normal voice.

I have bouts of carpal tunnel as a result of spending this whole year at the keyboard, writing my book, too. So I don't type as many long emails as I once did.

All that to say, I sincerely hope I have not offended any of you by asking you to check my blog. It's just that I can post all the details some of you WANT to know once and it can be read by everyone at your individual convenience any time you feel like checking. And if all are not interested in every detail, they can skim and just see that we're doing fine. Then when we do talk, it doesn't have to be primarily medical conversation. We can talk about things I may not have shared on my blog.

One of the things you will discover quickly if you ever go through something like this (and I know that many of you already know this from experience) is that you find yourself repeating the same information over and over and over, answering the same exact questions, etc. Sometimes I get tired of hearing myself say the same things. I am so "into the details." But not everyone is. I realize that. By sharing the details on my blog, I don't have to worry that I'm boring you with too much information and you're being kind to listen. I know you would not be reading if you didn't want the information. And I never have to know if you choose to skim over it (unless you enjoy telling me - ha ha).

I'm not much of a phone person. With only a few exceptions, it rarely ever crosses my mind to pick up the phone and call someone. Some of you may have noticed that when we talk on the phone, at least 70% of the time, it's because you called me. I tend to prefer talking face to face or writing. I'm really not sure why. That's just how I am put together for some reason.

I just wanted to share these thoughts in the event that I might possibly have made anyone feel bad when I asked you to check my blog for updates on John. I welcome your phone calls and I never intended to imply otherwise (in case I did).

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