Chemo Deferred Again...

Unfortunately my platelet count on Friday was 89, still too low to receive chemo.  Good news is, I think they are on the way back up.  So the plan is to re-draw labs on Monday and hopefully get chemo then.  On Thursday, I spoke with my Radiation Oncologist and asked about the impact of not receiving chemo for a week.  She explained that these things happen and that 5 treatments is optimal but 4 is still okay.  I have had 3 chemo treatments so far so I am hoping that my counts are recovered on Monday and I can receive the 4th treatment (and a 5th the following week).  Friday's appointment was not a total loss though - I got to enjoy some tastiness from Amy's Donuts.  Thanks Sage!!

Word on the street (and by street I mean the 5James Pharmacy, the satellite pharmacy that makes my chemo and is where some AWESOME outpatient pharmacists work:) is that pickle juice is the solution to getting your platelets up!  Apparently, there was a patient that believed that drinking pickle juice was what kept her platelets up and she swore by it.  I know this sounds crazy but I've always liked pickles and pickle juice (reminds me of my time in Baltimore and those picklebacks at Pickles Pub:)  I think I might just drink a little pickle juice this weekend.  I mean, other than the high sodium content, what's the risk?  I did do a quick literature search to see if any foods can increase platelets but didn't find anything substantial.

Up Next:  Week 5 and it's gonna be a busy one!!

• Monday will be external radiation, chemo (come on platelets!!) , and an MRI that evening that will be used for brachytherapy planning.
• Tuesday will be my first brachytherapy treatment.  It will be long one (about 8 hours) that starts in pre-op so that I can be sedated.  Then I will undergo the Smit sleeve placement procedure (a device that is surgically placed and used for all brachytherapy treatments) and a CT to confirm placement.  Then I will have another shorter MRI.  Next I will have some down time while my team reads the MRI and does some treatment planning.  After that I will have my 1st brachytherapy treatment (only lasts 10-15 minutes) and then it's back to the post-op area to officially be discharged once I meet the criteria.
• Wednesday and Thursday are just external radiation.
• Friday is my 2nd brachytherapy treatment (shorter time frame of 5 hours since no sedation or sleeve placement is needed).

Thank you everyone for all the prayer, positive vibes, and support!!  I could not do this without you all!!!!