Blood Counts Normal

This photo was taken this afternoon, before dinner.

Today a kind friend took me to JHH for my weekly blood test and it showed that my counts are normal. In fact, my white blood cells are slightly elevated because of the steroids I've been taking (stopped a couple days ago) to prevent nausea. The chemo nurse was impressed by this, to the point of saying "Chemo doesn't touch you." My arm, which is hurting a lot at the point of transfusion, could be hurting because of low-level phlebitis or because of an undiagnosed allergy to lidocaine. She said it is difficult to identify a lidocaine allergy, so next time I go in for an IV we have agreed that I will try nubbing cream instead of a lidocaine injection. Until then I am to take ibuprophen or Tylenol for the pain and to just continue with the warm/heat pad to make myself comfortable. It was nice to have a friend there today since we did not get to leave till almost 1:00! Ugh! So much tiiiiiime spent in the hospital, waiting waiting waiting.

Anyhow, this afternoon I met the person whom I hired as a mother's helper. She will come next week on Tuesday for the first time. I think Captain Adorable is going to really enjoy having her to play with! Ms. Resourceful has (finally) sold her mobile home and is moving into an apartment, so we are hosting her outside toys for the summer. This means that on Sunday we are getting a bigger slide (we have a little one), a couple of cars that are big enough for Captain Adorable to ride in, a basketball hoop, and I do not know what else to play with! Between the warming of the weather, the new play mate, and the loaner outside toys, I think I may indeed get to nap during one or two afternoons next week.