Status Update

The last round of chemo kicked my ass. I ended up in the hospital with neutropenic fever as a result of a cellulitis infection which I am still trying to recover from. I had a bad experience while in the hospital, particularly with one doctor who did not want to listen to me and tried to treat me for pneumonia when no pneumonia was present. By the time I was able to get some help with the infection, I ended up with a large sore, about 2 inches long and nearly an inch deep. I've got to maintain some sort of humor about it, but it was down right terrible. 

It has taken me a while to process the whole thing- the sore itself, the treatment I received in the hospital, the time it is taking to heal. This experience was an eye opener in regards to advocating for myself to get the care I need. I hate to be that person, but I realize now that sometimes it's necessary to kick and scream until you get what you really need. 

Although the sore is relatively painless now and much smaller, it's still there and that means that I can't start the next round of chemo until it's healed. It would be a major potential source for infection if I was to do the chemo now. I feel like I've put most of this last round behind me, but it definitely concerns me to have to prolong the time in between rounds, as it's best to do the chemo, let my counts recover, and zap it again with about 2-3 weeks rest in between. I was also hoping to be finished by July, but with the delay in starting this next round, I think it'll end up being into August before I'm finished. 

I'm going to try to do my next round of chemo in Missoula. I plan on going to Seattle to see my doctor, get test results, and do bone marrow biopsies, but I just feel like I need to be home for this round. It is getting increasingly difficult for me to be away from the Krutzpack for 3 weeks or more at a time. I also feel better physically and mentally when I'm home, so I'm really hoping that helps with this next round of treatment. 

Going into each round with a positive attitude definitely makes a difference, and I think being at home will help me out with that. When things aren't going right and I'm alone, it becomes too easy for me to get into a rut and get down. This is something that I have really struggled with in the past few weeks with my hospital experience and also my uncle passing away while I was in there. 

Toby, Remi, and I went fishing in Craig, MT on the Missouri River for Mother's Day. I didn't get a bite, but the location was beautiful and calming. I finally felt reconnected to myself in a way that I hadn't been in several weeks, so I'm hoping that carries forward into the next few weeks and months as I start what I consider the "downhill" side of treatment- 3 rounds down, 3 more to go.