Labs Today and Regalia Thoughts

This morning Jackson and I bundled up and headed to the cancer center for my scheduled lab work. Mom and Tonya met us there to watch Jackson boy in the lobby while I went back for the draw. I didn't put my numbing cream on early enough this morning so I had to deal with the pain from accessing my port. It needs flushed every month so I had him go ahead and do the draw from there. It took a few pumps of the syringe to get things flowing from the port. I don't think the hospital put heparin in it the last time I was there. Heparin is a blood clot inhibitor and keeps the port from getting clogged up. He finally got it flowing though and we made sure to put the heparin in this time.

Jackson was concerned when I went back to get my blood drawn. He wasn't as upset this time, but he was concerned. When we walked up to the doors of the cancer center he turned around and ran to me and said "mommy carry you?" So I carried him in. He wanted to be attached to me so I couldn't leave him, I guess. When I came out after the draw he was very relieved. He didn't cry this time, so that is an improvement.

We stuck around for a few minutes to see how my cbc looks and everything looked good except for my platelet count. That was really low. Mom was a little concerned about that, but since all the other numbers looked good we decided to go ahead and leave, sure that Dr. George would call us with the results of the LDH protein test and everything else. We had hardly sat down in the restaurant before Dr. George called. He was concerned that my low platelet count was a mistake and wanted to re-run the test. He said that the tube they used for the test sometimes isn't the best for platelet counting as it sometimes lets blood 'clump' together which inhibits counting. So your platelets look low when they are not.

So after lunch we headed back to the cancer center and I got another blood draw, this time in my arm and a few minutes later we had the results. My first test was wrong. My platelets were not 50, they were 280, well in the normal range. Yay. My blood work looks good, we just have to wait to see what the other tests say when they come back. Hopefully tomorrow.


So I am thinking about the Chemo Queen and debating whether I should get a new crown. The tiara I have is cute, but I kind of want an actual crown, like this Miss America crown or something. They aren't expensive, you can get these things online for between $30 and $80 depending on what you want. Of course there are the more expensive ones, but don't need that. So is it silly to want a new crown when I already have a tiara that my best friend gave me a few years ago? I like the one I have, but don't like the way it fits. It is big for my head and stands a little too high.


I could get a Breakfast at Tiffany's replica. That would be sweet.


Or this one is nice too. Thoughts anyone?

And while we are at it, what about my dress? Andrea and I were talking about whether or not I should change the dress. I originally chose the cream dress because it was comfortable enough to sit through chemo in and was low cut enough so they could access my port. I am of two minds here. I think wearing the dress I took my last chemo in is symbolic somehow, or maybe just more genuine. This is the dress that saw me through it. On the other hand, I don't need access to my port to be a guest speaker and cream really isn't the best color for me. Even my husband said so and I trust his judgement. Also the cream dress is stained in many spots with a light pink something, like the dress was washed with a tube of lip gloss or something. Not incredibly noticeable while getting chemo, but possibly an issue when speaking in front of people who you want to take you seriously. Of course, stains or not, a ball gown and tiara don't exactly scream "Take me seriously" even if the dress isn't stained, so I don't know how much it matters.

If I choose a different gown it can't just be a pretty dress, it has to be kitchy; pageanty. A beaded number or something equally somewhat ridiculous. It can't be a dress a normal woman my age would actually wear. It has to have a costume feel to it.

Hmmm, a thought just occurred to me - what if we dye the current dress? Is that possible? How would one dye a satiny gown to more flatter the wearer and to cover pink staining? Hmmm.