The End of MDS Treatment Week One

We've reached the end of MDS Treatment Week One.

And?

Yesterday, the blood counts were higher:

• platelets 18,000
• heoglobin 11.3

This is good. Except that 18,000 isn't so high compared to a normal reading of 165,000 or more.

Must keep that in perspective. Must also try not to react much either way when these counts go up or down. When they go into the 100,000 range, then there might be something to crow about.

So, after the first round of shots, how do I feel?

About the same.

• Prednisone high in the morning
• Vidaza low in the afternoon
• Prednisone hungry all day
• Zofran (anti-nausea) bowel-blocked most of the time
• And, by day's end, bored

I wanna to go running
I wanna to play golf
I wanna to get outside and do something that requires energy
I'm too tired

Daughter Laina, the science person and survivor of mononucleosis and gall bladder removal reminds me that I must

• be patient
• accept the fatigue and just "go with it"
• relax in the boredom and amuse myself how best I can
• take a walk around the park
  

Jeez—that's all the same advice given to her by guess who when she was recovering from mono and gall bladder surgery.

Father, heed thyself?

I've great tolerance for pain. But patience for inactivity? That's tougher.

Still, there's hope: Verizon is coming to install FIOS tv/phone/Internet.

Suddenly I'll have access to 200-plus tv channels.
Suddenly I'll have access to Turner Classic Movies, the best offering in tv-land, which has no commercials.
Suddenly, I'll have a new pastime: working on a whole new set of TV remote-handling skills.

Now that's something to look forward to.