Under House Arrest

Leukopenia. Ever heard of the word?

I certainly hadn't. But like rhinovirus is to the common cold, leukopenia is to low white blood cell count. For those of you who remember, white blood cells are made in bone marrow, which the chemo attacks because it divides quickly, so my white blood cell count goes down.

This might be a bit technical, but for those who are interested the normal range for WBC count is4.3 to 10.8 x 109 cells per liter.
So normal is 4.3-10.8.

I got tested last Tuesday and my WBC was at 3.8. I had mild leukopenia, so they gave me a shot of Neulasta, which boosts by WBC production.

It gives you mild bone pain, which makes your back ache like you have been on a 14 hour flight, but without the cool exotic vacation payoff at the end. But hey, any excuse to take a Vicodin, right?

When I came retested this Tuesday I had a WBC of 12. Booya! So I went back again today, all confident that my WBC would still be elevated, getting ready for an Oscar Par-tay this weekend . . . . .and man, I completely failed my test!

I scored a 0.8, which basically means I completely bottomed out and have to wear a SARS mask.

Pista, my cat, has been sneezing so he has to wear one as well.

So I am under house arrest. I have a bit of a sore throat, no WBCs to fight it, and I have to Purell my hands every two minutes.

No one can come near me, lest they infect me with not even a cold(rhinovirus;), but just normal bacteria on their hands which will lead to my spleen shutting down or something.

I even have to boil my toothbrush each night, but that could also be my mom being OC.

So, now that I have illegally or legally watched all Oscar nominated flicks besides Frozen River (you are all thinking to yourself, what movie was that?) and Changling (watching it tonight on a legal rental from blockbuster). I have settled back today and just watched other movies on my "to-see" list. I would normally watch TiVoed TV shows, but fricking Jon Stewart has been on vacation, no idea why my TiVo didn't record The Office, and my TiVo fizzed out on Monday night my for 24 and House. so I have to wait 8 days until those episodes appear online.

So I watched Towelhead. Has anyone seen this movie? Aaron Eckhart (who is one of the only blonds I think is just adorable), Toni Collette, and bunch of other people I sort of recognized. Great acting, but it made me so uncomfortable I almost fast forwarded scenes.

The actress is 19, but plays a 13 year old, and she looks like a 13 year old, and Aaron Eckhart plays, a man, who well, hits on her, and she flirts back, and things lead to things, and, well it really makes you squirm. A lot. It is obvious that the writer and director is the same of American Beauty.

I also have season 1&2 of the Tudors, which looks pretty hot. It is going to be hard to do better than Rome, but I am looking forward to it!

Back to the doctor tomorrow. Hope this shot works. If my WBC doesn't get back up, the my chemo dose will be modified or postponed, and I really need this baby to SHRINK!

Okay, back is killing. Where is my Vicodin?