HAZ Today - HI Next Wednesday!

I'm here at the Infusion Center, waiting to get my chemo. Turns out that they're not getting a good blood return on the P.A.S. port in my arm, so they put in some "TPA", which will break up the blood clot which can sometimes form on the catheter.

Today is my last HAZ treatment - yay! I may go back on it, but for now, I won't have Abraxane until sometime after surgery, if at all. I'm excited about the prospect of my hair growing back.

My blood work does show that I'm slightly anemic. My RBC (red blood cell) count is 3.19 x 10 to the 6/uL (normal is 3.9 to 5.1); my hemoglobin is 9.8 g/dL (normal is 11.5 to 15.4); and my hematocrit is 28.2% (normal is 36 to 46).

Also last week and through last weekend, I was taking 10 mg of melatonin at night. My normal dose is 8 mg. I hoped it would help me sleep better, but in the end, I think it was causing me to feel that dead-dog tired fatigue. I've had more energy this week since I went back down to 8mg; it probably also has to do with having two weeks to recover from the HA treatment on Jan 14.

I spent some time yesterday organizing all the reservation numbers for our flights to HI and for the car rentals. I also looked up the map and directions to the place we're staying on Kailua Beach on Oahu. I started getting excited. I found out that we won't be too far from another beach where we can kayak out to some rocks, so I think we will definitely rent kayaks one day. I also saw a satellite image of the beach - it was a sunny day, the water was blue, and the beach was light-colored sand. Heaven.

I'm worried about getting too much water while kayaking, though, because of the wound. It's about 6" x 4" (at least) large, which means that microbes could have a field day in the wound and I'd end up with a nasty infection. I need to think about the best way to protect that area . . . a friend suggested a dry suit, so I might see if it's possible to rent one.

I was also contacted by someone (S.) that I went to high school with who now lives in Honolulu, so we'll probably at least get together for coffee or something. I may also try to have lunch or something with my friend's parents, who live north of Honolulu. I might meet up with the editor of an anthropology book series. We will go to Sea Life park. I would also like to go to the swap meet/flea market at Aloha Stadium, if it still exists.

Mostly though, I expect to hang out on the beach, read a book, watch Eddie play in the water, wade in the water myself. Plenty of sunscreen for my neck and other exposed areas of my bald head, too.

I'm excited!