That blows, Ginger. Well, less than the alternative I'm sure, and at least you're feeling better now, but, still, suckage.

Mmmmmm, red blood cells. That's the good stuff there. Or, ya know, better than being short on them.

Mmmmmm, red blood cells. That's the good stuff there.

Mmmmm, hemoglobin-y.

Over the last two weeks, I set a personal record of 11 medical appointments, procedures or tests in 13 days. My life, let me show it to you.

Oh, lord, yes, the weeks taht make you want to put "Medical Patient" in the line for occupation. My calendar for January of this year is a solid mass of tests and treatments.

Stop for a moment and thank your red blood cells.

Because the cancer has hijacked my bone marrow, I'm not making any blood cells to speak of, so I need a transfusion every two to three weeks. At some point, my hemoglobin got so low that the transfusions were never taking me back up to 10+, the land of getting things done. Below 9, I lose higher brain functions. At around 7, I can't walk to the mailbox and back. Then I developed the ulcer, so I was losing additional blood. (Taking many Prilosec seems to have healed the ulcer, at least.) Last week, the oncologist decided to give me an additional transfusion, so I was more caught up. I must remember this and insist on more blooood.

To add insult to injury, my last two transfusions were on Saturdays, which meant that college football was blasting.

Yay BLOOD!

Ugh Ginger, that sounds like a rough road. You are such a hero!

Definitely sounds like more blood is a good plan, Ginger! Eek.

In terribly petty but it makes me feel better news--there's this woman I have only met a few times. She's a dance instructor locally, and I remember thinking of her as definitely plus-sized--because it made me happy that she was not one of the skinny minnie "I'm a ballet dancer and see all my lean Pilates muscles" types but was still really good. But then I saw her again a few weeks ago, and while she wasn't skinny, she was not plus-size. Possibly thinner than me. And I thought "OMG, am I misremembering her as larger just because she's got boobs??"....but then I just found out (because of a Facebook group we're both on) that actually she's lost 50 pounds in the past several months! So I was remembering her as larger because she was. (And now she's highly recommending her diet on the FB group)

What diet, meara?

ION grabbed a Coke out of the case when I went to get my lunch - decided to have a Coke with beth.

Looks like basically Medifast? I mean, she's done really well on it, but I feel like just as any other diet, willpower is really what it all comes down to, no?

Pretty much - that and maintenance. Which I think is the real test.