Friday Chatter

I've been feeling kind of crummy the past week and didn't really know what was going on. Then yesterday my labs showed that my red blood count was extremely low and I needed a transfusion. The doctor thinks it's probably from cutting back on my tacrolimus and I have a little graft vs. host disease, which he wanted because it helps to make the immune system stronger. I've had quite a bit of nausea, too. Not fun.

Dr. O said the most common symptom of graph vs. host is a skin rash. I don't have that, but have felt itchy and have some skin discoloration. He said it can manifest in the lower gut--the colon--and that causes diarrhea. Don't have that. And he said it can show up in the upper gut--the stomach and gastrointestinal tract--which causes nausea. Do have that, but eating something usually helps. My meds make me gag. I'm sure it's all in my head, but makes it hard to swallow them. And then I'm likely to throw them up. Grrr!

I got one unit of blood yesterday and another one this morning. I felt lots better after the one yesterday, and hope the additional one today will have me feeling great. I think the blood helped with the nausea, and I know it helped with the lightheadedness, dizziness and fatigue.

There is young man doing his internship in music therapy who comes to the hospital every day. He plays guitar, and I've enjoyed listening to him play (and sing sometimes), and talking to him. He can play just about any kind of music and is very good. It's amazing what listening to music can do for people. Sure makes me feel better (and happier).

I just had a good laugh. I ordered some bras from One Hanes Place online. They came today. I ordered the size I always wear, and two of them are a little too big since I've lost weight. But the third one is enormous! One cup could fit on my head as a hat. It just struck my funny bone when I pulled it out of the bag.

Kelly and I are going to take Gran to lunch tomorrow, and then shopping. I'm looking forward to it so much. I don't have to go back to the clinic until Monday. Free weekend--yay!!

Reece stayed home from school today. Poor little guy has a croupy cough and runny nose. He wipes his nose so hard and so often that it makes his upper lip all red and sore. We were outside and I asked him if he smelled the mountain laurel. He looked so sad and said, "I can't smell anything, Gramma!"

I've been telling him not to cough on me because it can make me very sick, so he has been trying not to cough on me. Last night he said, "Gramma, I didn't cough on you. I coughed on Papa." I told him I appreciated it very much. :o)

It's in the eighties here today with lots of sunshine. The grass is turning green, the leaves are budding out on the trees, and some things are blooming. Feels like summer and I love it! I'm going to go sit in the sunshine for awhile. Have a great weekend!