This has been a trying week. Between the allergies which are STILL bothering me, despite trying just about every combination of OTC medications you can imagine, to my Thursday blood tests which, once again, indicated a dangerously low white cell count and sent me back to “house arrest”, to insomnia which led to several days of general pissyness on my part, the final week of February is not one I want to remember.

The white count thing was a shock. After all, I had been given that high-tech, high-cost Neulasta patch that was supposed to help regenerate the white cells killed by the chemo cocktail. So I went into my appointment filled with confidence…but no. My white cells registered 300 whatevers when 1,200 whatevers is considered the minimum.

So once more I am confined to the house, except for trips to the GHS Cancer Center or the CVS drive-through.

But thank god for mom. She could see that I was down and verging on stir-crazy. So on Saturday AM she packed a picnic lunch, bundled me into the car and took me to Lake Greenwood State Park, about a hour south of us, so I could sit out in the fresh air at a picnic table far away from other people, and enjoy the beautiful view. She truly is the best.

I honestly didn’t realize how down I was until I was watching the boats on the lake, under a gorgeous Carolina blue sky and chatting about everything except cancer.

Thanks mom. I’m so lucky to have you.

I go back on Tuesday for another round of blood tests. If the white cell count isn’t high enough, I guess we go back to plan A and the Zarxio shots for three days (and stay in isolation until the end of the week.) It sucks, but I do know that the shots work, so I take comfort in that.

Now if I could just get rid of this damn cough…