Kay's Not One to Let a Little Anemia Get Her Down

Yesterday Kay went to step aerobics class at the YMCA, and felt like the instructor kept looking at her to get her to "keep up" and when she got home she felt she needed a little nap. Today at her chemo session when she got her blood count results she understood why. Her red blood cell counts, measured typically by the hematocrit, or percentage of the blood made up of red blood cells, was 25%. Normal is 38-44% in women, and Kay's has been dropping recently. Last week it was down to 30%, and she was a bit more tired. 25% is getting pretty low, and Rob McCroskey offered her a transfusion today. The nurse quickly interrupted, reminding Rob that Kay had been at step class the day before, and she obviously was doing well enough to avoid a transfusion. Still, being so fit that she can do step aerobics with only 2/3 of the oxygen carrying capacity of normal is one more extraordianry thing about this wife of mine. Kay is one strong woman.

This said, I am trying to convince her that maybe walking is a better option right now for her exercise. I think she is taking this under consideration.

Overall except for the blood counts (her neutrophil count is low also, but not dangerously low, and we start Nupogen again tomorrow) all is going well. No problems again today with chemo. Next week is Kay's off week, meaning no chemo infusions, and she is leaving Saturday for southern CA and a nice weeklong visit with her family. Jean is going with her for the whole week, and Brett and I join later in the week.

Pray for red blood cells and bone marrow function, for sunshine in So. Cal., and join us next week in giving thanks for all that is good. Happy Thanksgiving.

Ed