So I had my usual Monday appointments yesterday. First Doctor, then Pharmacist, then up to Ambicare to get things sorted. I had my bloods taken on Friday so that meant I didn’t have to have it done on Monday morning this week.
I had a different doctor this time – sarcomas are usually treated in teams. So I have a team of 4 doctors. Three of which I have now met. She seemed nice.
She looked at my blood results and said my haemoglobin was low. It was at 85, and 80 is the level for needing a blood transfusion. She said that if I wasn’t too tired then it should be fine and they wouldn’t give me one now. ‘I’m not tired, I’m not tired’ I said quickly.
Ok, I’m pretty tired. But surely not that bad! So I asked if there was anything I could do myself? Eat steak? Iron supplements?
She said yeah I could try and eat some more green vegetables, it all helps but chemo just tends to knock down your haemoglobin and blood transfusions are common.
Uhhhh… what? Why are you so blasé about giving blood transfusions!!! So I inevitably went out and bought some iron supplements. Fingers crossed they help! My pharmacist said he wanted me to have another blood test today (Tuesday) just to make sure I don’t need one.
I mean… I know blood transfusions are fine, and obviously they’re only going to give me one if I really need one. But… if there’s anything at all I can do to prevent that then I’m going to do it! Blood transfusions sound scary! Seems like it might be inevitable at some point though, even if not now. Eek.
Anyway, I also had a check-in with the doctor about how everything was going after having finished two rounds of the meanie that is Cisplatin, and she said everything sounded pretty correct. Yay. I have scans again over the next few weeks so they should give an idea of progress. Although my sarcoma isn’t going to get any smaller from the chemo, they should at least be able to tell if the chemo is working. And that will be good to know!
I’m currently sitting on the phone trying to change the time of my MRI though because they managed to schedule it for the afternoon once I’ve already been hooked up to chemo… useless. I’ve been on hold for about 15 minutes so far…
Apart from that… I got hooked up to my water this morning and I go back for my methotrexate this afternoon. So that’s exciting!!!
The Cancer Chronicles 
Hi Jen. Re blood, I can probably spare a couple of pints of pretty good stuff. Painless too. Ha ha.good to know your spirits are up. Love.
LikeLike
Hehe thanks! Hopefully can avoid it this time at least!
Spirits are always high! You can count on that 🙂
LikeLike
Researching iron rich foods… I’m sure you will too. How about Indian on your treatment days/evenings? eg Lamb dishes, Saag dishes (for veg)?
Working on my special recipe book.
Iron supplement sounds like a good idea. But if you need a transfusion then sobeit. Sounds like they are pretty standard.
LikeLike
Yeah exactly. That’s my attitude. There’s nothing wrong with transfusions, people get them all the time. I just would have liked to have know earlier than ‘dangerously close’ that there might have been something I could have done.
Lots of red meat meals for dinners and on the weekend!!
LikeLike