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Each week of chemo the cancer center took a blood sample. They usually ran a CBC and at the start of each cycle they checked tumor markers. Towards the end of each cycle weeks three my white blood count would tank. The count would return to a more normal level the next week.
White blood count is the ability to fight infection. With the immune system being almost gone, I was super careful about going out and who and what I came in contact with.
[quote=SD4020;24223764]Each week of chemo the cancer center took a blood sample. They usually ran a CBC and at the start of each cycle they checked tumor markers. Towards the end of each cycle weeks three my white blood count would tank. The count would return to a more normal level the next week.
White blood count is the ability to fight infection. With the immune system being almost gone, I was super careful about going out and who and what I came in contact with.[/quote]
Absolutely. Matter of fact, a very young girl (high school age, I cry for her)at my oncologist's center always wore a face-mask during the winter months when I was there. If the WBC is low, I would adhere to the face-mask. And always have hand sanitizer in pocket or purse. No such thing as "too careful".
Each week of chemo the cancer center took a blood sample. They usually ran a CBC and at the start of each cycle they checked tumor markers. Towards the end of each cycle weeks three my white blood count would tank. The count would return to a more normal level the next week.
White blood count is the ability to fight infection. With the immune system being almost gone, I was super careful about going out and who and what I came in contact with.
Yes, I'm being careful, too; I have someone else clean house. I have labs on the alternative two Tuesdays (with chemo every three weeks), but they wanted another one yesterday morning, due to my low white cell count.
I do go out and go shopping. Should I have someone else do that, also?? Walmart groceries.
I do go out and go shopping. Should I have someone else do that, also?? Walmart groceries.
Many people are literally afraid to leave the house when their counts are down. My girlfriend sometimes has a really hard time with this. She's afraid to go out anywhere so she sits at home and is incredibly bored all day. Fortunately her counts were low enough from chemo that she got a Neulasta shot the day after chemo every infusion, which means her worries were unfounded and she managed to avoid infection. Even though it can be a little risky, I say go out and do your shopping anyway. Bring a little Purell bottle with you and use it as often as you need to allay any fears of getting sick. Getting out does wonders for your morale.
How low were your counts? Some chemo regimens only affect them enough to put you on the low side of "normal" but some absolutely decimate your immune system.
I'm going to call the doc and get my blood cell count and my cancer markers. Stay tuned, as they say.
They getting back to me, today or tomorrow.
Now, you're talking! Proactive is the way to go. Actually, you can ask for those results the day they're done. The nurse/tech will print you out copies of your test results. That way, you'll be able to see the normal ranges and where your results fall.
Gargunkels advice is good. Don't be afraid to go out and about. Just don't hang around when you know someone is ill. And suggest to your students that if they get sick, they should skip the lesson until they're better.
Hand sanitizer after you load your groceries into the car. Hand washing when you get home. Just the usual hygiene with an up-tick.
Thank you. Yeah, I have a huge bottle of hand sanitizer at home and use it after everything; bathroom visit, kitty box, cooking. This maybe why I never got an infection after surgery, which the doc was worried out.
I wish I understood what cancer markers are, better. Mine, he says, have always been low.
I think what happened is that in my initial interview with the doc after the CT scan, he brought a book of photographs and I told him I was very impressionable and I didn't want to see any pictures. I'm an art student, as well as music, and I didn't want those images in my head permanently. So he may have garnered from that, that I didn't want to know anything, but that's an error.
Not every type of cancer has tumor markers either. Mine was completely undetectable by bloodwork (ironic, since it's a blood cancer!).
As I have mentioned before, I worked full time through 6 months of chemo. One week of work was Reunion, where I came in contacts with literally hundreds of people during month 4 of chemo - even with lower blood counts. I Purelled religiously and (as an extra precaution), got my CBC checked the day before the weekend events started. Even though they were low, I was given the OK by my onc.
I always had them print off a copy of my lab results for my own record.
Good idea; I'll ask her to print out a copy and send to me. Proably freak me out but oh well. Your (I believe it was you) notebook idea was good, too; I did that, so I'm pretty organized.
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