White Blood Cell Spa Treatment

Done with Daunorobucin, and I ain't going to count how many to go. Finished cyclophosphamide day one.

It occurred to me that the last time I was in this situation, there was a time when I needed all my friends to send me some of their toughest white blood cells (WBCs). Somehow we did this through the cosmic neural network - see the entry http://johnsleukemia.blogspot.com/2005/03/got-any-spare-white-blood-cells-man.html Well, things are different this time. I am trying to get unhealthy, because in spite of my bone marrow clogged up with leukemic cells, there are plenty of warrior cells raging around and kicking ass. I need a place for WBCs Kevin Garnett, my mom, Joshua Chamberlain, Tiger Woods, Paul Pierce, the guy who sawed his arm off when he got stuck in the crevasse, and Fox Fallon, to name a few.

So here is my request. I don't want to kill off the warriors, I want to send them on vacation, a hiatus, someplace where they can work off their PTSD, to healthy people with not many infections to fight. Here is how we do it. Once again, each of you that can tap that neural network that sent me your best WBC fighters 3 years ago, now retrieve my remaining best fighters and give them a nice spot on your beach, a 9' fun shape board, some sunscreen, a hot-looking WBC chick, and let them recover. They get a 2-3 week vacation before I need them back.

So please, if you think you can take in a healthy WBC for a few weeks and show it a good time, do so. Also, a lot of people are sending me good thoughts and praying for me to get healthy. This is tricky business. I need to get unhealthy first, then get healthy. Maybe I am being too micro-managing here, and God understands your request in a more overall way. Let's go with that, I shouldn't try to manage God. I was going to say pray for me to get unhealthy, but that doesn't make sense. It's 5:30 am and I am already pushing.

I had a very depressing moment yesterday when nurse Gwen came in with the HEPA mask and said it was time to start wearing it every time I leave the room. Although my blood counts are high, they shouldn't be because my marrow looks like the 405 in LA at 5:00 pm on Friday night, so therefore let's be extra precautious. Totally bummed me out as I didn't expect the mask until Monday or Tuesday. I am expecting some visitors today, and it is so much nicer to go walk around and be able to talk without the mask. So I pled my case to the doctor team, and they gave me a reprieve until Monday!

I did the first of the post meal long walks last night after dinner, just like old times. As I write this blog, I can't help but think I have said most of this before, 3 years ago. So forgive any repetitious stuff. Dana did not think 'Chips 'n Duds' was a good cookie name, so I am changing an ingredient and renaming them 'Chips 'n Buds', if that isn't already taken in the Medical Marijuana clinics. That will sell better. I could sell lots here.

One thing I have to be glad of is that I get much better anti-nausea drugs than were available in the past. I salute those of you that ever went through this shit without Zofran or Kytril or any of the other stuff they have now. The nurse came in this morning, took my vitals and said "You look pretty damn healthy for someone that just had three days of Daunorubicin and a smack of Cyclophosphamide." And that is again a bizarre thing, I look healthy, tanned, more or less fit, compared to the rest of the crew here.

When I was signing up our business for a new bank account I was dealing with this 30-year old gal, and she called me up and said she couldn't make out some numbers on the application. She asked my birthday, and after I told her she said "Oh, I thought you looked pretty good for a 72-year old!" Sheesh!

As I said I get some visitors today. My boys at home are not getting it done, didn't get my bag of goods together in time for Cyle to bring, and are living in denial. They are due for some reality.

This morning I will watch rich Republicans hit a small white ball in high winds and the announcers complain about how grueling it is for them to have some lackey carry their bags around and tell them where to hit it, while they stroll around eating power bars. I love the British Open because the pros finally look sorta like the rest of us, hacking out of the rough, the ball going twenty yards, and then they're rubbing their wrists.

Hey, that would be a good spot for some WBCs to hang out, on the golf course. Zerbes, got room? And aren't there some of you with resorts in Costa Rica and Nicaragua? Hawaiian time shares? Let's go, step up! How much room can a WBC take?