Blood on Hold

Today at my office there is a blood drive. I have been giving blood for several years and the local blood donor location LOVES me! I have O- blood meaning that anyone on the planet can benefit from my blood. It is an easy thing for me to do that helps others.

Because I have a history of blood donation, I get emails and phone calls pretty regularly telling me that the supply of O- blood is low. I finally responded back telling them that I had been diagnosed with cancer and undergone chemotherapy and had been told that I couldn't donate blood.

A very nice man responded and told me that with the particular type of cancer that I had and the treatment that I received, I will be eligible to donate blood again after one year. I am happy to think that after a year, my blood count and quality of blood will be considered healthy again. So I can't donate blood in the office blood drive today, but sign me up in September. I'll be the first in line with nice clean blood to donate in the hopes that something that costs me nothing can make the difference in saving a life.

Metamorphosis

Yesterday I felt like just a shell and today I turned back into a real person! Today was the first time that I got out of bed willingly without having to judge if I had the energy to make it into the next room. I took a shower and didn't have to lay down afterwards. I ate 3 full meals today. These are my new measurements for a good day.

I had two appointments today. The first one was to have my white blood cell counts checked. I was concerned because yesterday I had two unexplained nosebleeds. I am happy to report that my counts came back spectacular. My doctor was very pleased and said that I must have good bone marrow :). I'm not sure what that means, but I was happy that something in my body was finally working correctly as it seems that it had turned on me over the last week.

The second appointment was to pick up my wig. This is the human hair wig that I bought with the very generous donations from my very generous friends and family. I am really happy with it. The texture is good, the cap is great, the color is close to perfect and I am having it styled by the same person who provided me with the cut I have now. I have asked him to give it a slightly edgier style than I have currently. He is the person who will be shaving my head on Saturday so I am excited to see the finished product.

I came home and picked up my kids, visited with my sister, saw my beautiful nieces and had a very normal evening without having to lay down to make it through. I am transformed, not into a butterfly, but just into me-regular, normal me. Thank God.