Torture

What is torture to a cancer parent?  Going to a routine blood count check only to be told that the blood counts are not perfect and to come back in two weeks to get them checked again.  Waiting.  That is torture.

Maggie went in for her routine check up (we are now going every 2 months).  Her blood counts came back with a low ANC (ability to fight infection) of 940.  Her lymphocytes were high at 80% (normal cut off is 74%). Dr. French ended up writing in her chart a viral suppression (meaning her ANC is being suppressed due to a virus).  We do have a virus running through our house.  Colin is fighting his first cold and while Maggie does not have a runny or stuffed nose, sore throat, or cough, last week her voice sounded a bit nasally.  We are hoping and praying that this virus has indeed affected Maggie's counts and it is not the other (cancer).

I spoke with my hem/onc nurse who normally calms me down during moments like these.  While she did affirm what Dr. French said as a likely virus response, she said "she doesn't have a crystal ball" and does not know for sure what it might be.  For some reason, this time around, while she didn't say anything too scary, it just wasn't as comforting as it should have been.  She also said it is standard protocol to have counts redrawn if the ANC is below 1000.

So, we wait until September 23 to see what Maggie's counts will do.  We pray that they recover and that she continues to prove to us that she is cancer free.  If you would please pray for Maggie that she is indeed healed of cancer and for peace of mind for us.

Thanks to A Kid Again, we were able to attend a Dayton Dragons game.  The photos are from the game.