“Dear MSK Patients and Visitors,
To respond to the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, we have updated our visitor policy. Effective Friday, March 20, at 12:01 am, we will no longer allow patients to have visitors.”
Now, if you’ve followed my extensive cancer journey, (6 months TODAY from diagnosis. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!) you know, THIS is just what life loves to do to me. I’m here, making the best of things, only to have my “fun” sizzle. But? Attitude is everything here at the Cancer Gangster headquarters…so? No negativity here. Maybe a little short tinge of disappointment, but the show must go on!
Plus? I was prepared. Books, magazines, laptop, notebook, my iPhone…I was set.
And? I’m happy to report the day was perfection, starting with my name on the wall. Can’t not love a place where your name is splashed upon the initial waiting area.
Patch on! Time to go home!!! The Neulasta patch helps with the drop in my white blood cell count by stimulating the bones to produce marrow, which produces our red and white blood cells and our platelets. This drug is usually given by injection around 24 hours after your chemo. Instead of having patients return to the hospital for their injection, this little doohickey is timed and begins to slowly release the drug 27 hours after activation for 45mins. PRETTY NEAT huh? What’s not so neat? A 6 mg Neulasta injection cost between $5,000 to $7000! I better not knock this thing off!
HOME! And finally time to mangia! Well, about 2 hours after returning from the hospital to prolong the fast. I “cheated” today because I didn’t know if my treatment was going to happen, so wasn’t mentally prepared to fast for the total 24 hours extra after treatment. I did do the 36 hour prior though. I kept REALLY busy as food was still going on all around me. I asked to have the melon saved for me, ESPECIALLY, cuz everyone kept ranting and raving on how it was THE BEST MELON EVER! I’ve lost 6lbs since this journey began, and no, I didn’t clean the plate! But I sure did a mighty fine job! More on fasting in a later post. Mixing the conventional with the alternative for the best possible outcomes.
