Radiation will begin on Monday, and I'm feeling ready.  Of course the plan has changed slightly.  I wasn't overly surprised because it always seems to change at least once before everyone gets on the same page.  The new game plan is the full 20 treatments Monday through Friday now instead of 17, and the area being radiated will be my chest and upper abdomen where the cancer was originally present vs. just the chest.  The chest will be radiated all 4 weeks while the abdomen only the first 2.

I completed all my work up yesterday at Hubert Humphrey which consisted of having an arm rest mold made for me that'll help keep my arms in place everyday.  I also received 4 teeny tiny permanent tattoos the size of a freckle (one on the side of each rib cage, one on my sternum, and one in the center of my upper abdomen) that's meant to help ensure I'm lined up exactly the same way each day.  It's quite the process including a lot of measurements and pictures, but the long part is over.  Each appointment from here on out shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.  I scheduled my appointments for early afternoon so that I can work most of the day in the office, and finish out the last hour or 2 from home after the appointment.  It should work out nicely.

Today marks day +60 since my stem cell transplant, and for the most part I've been feeling pretty good.  I still have issues with shortness of breath, and have been dealing with some pains/pressure under my left rib cage where the spleen is located. I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. McClune today (BMT doctor) and he poked around good to see if he could tell if my spleen was enlarged.  I had a follow-up CT scan yesterday as well at Hubert Humphrey so if it's enlarged, he'll be able to see that on the scan.  He couldn't really tell just by feeling around.  I'm such a worrier, and hoping everything checks out alright with it along with the blood clot situation which is why the follow-up CT scan was scheduled in the first place.

 I had lab work done today and everything checked out good except for the platelet count which was low for some reason.  It had been in the 140's at my 30 day follow-up, and should have continued going up, not down as they were in the 80's today.  Dr. McClune said that he doesn't normally see the platelet numbers go down, and isn't sure what could be causing it but just said it'll be something to keep an eye on.  On the plus side, he did take me off one of my daily medications and also lowered the dosage of a couple others which is always music to my ears.  I've got a handful of maintenance pills I take daily to help prevent/fight off infections, and it gets hard to remember to take them all sometimes, especially on busy days.  I wish I could say they'll be going away soon but at least a couple will be with me for a good year after the transplant until I'm able to start getting my vaccinations and immunizations again.  Soon enough...