MDS: Good Blood Counts Battle Bad Stomach

Ah, yes. The good news/bad news scenario continues.

The Good

Monday's blood counts (which I forgot to ask about on Monday):

• Hemoglobin: 21.1
• Platelets: 172,000

This is a bit startling, actually. The platelets have never been that high. Not even before all this nonsense began, when I was ostensibly a healthy boy.

And, since we waited this time an extra week between Vidaza treatments, I'm wondering if an extra week wouldn't always be a good thing. Perhaps there's an interval "tipping point" after which the counts begin to descend. Logical question on that one would be, what is that tipping point? Five weeks? Six? Ten to twelve years?

Mr. Science, here, realizes that only trial-and-error can answer that question. But, first, I'll have to ask it.

The Not-So-Good

The meds combo is wrecking havoc with the digestive tract.

• Shooting gas pains are firing there as if there's WWI trench-style warfare taking place.
• The region is bloating like a zeppelin is being inflated in the belly.
• And, gas is shooting out the back like an Atlas rocket at ignition and lift off.

Good thing I'm home alone this week.

Under normal circumstances, continuing this good/bad scenario continues, would raise fears in me that I'd drift into some schizoid state. Luckily, one of those battling battalions of pharmaceuticals (Depatoke) is designed to prevent just such a personality split.

Guess I'm safe from that consequence.

But, pity the fool who wanders within smelling distance of that Atlas launch pad.