Hemoglobin Update

Had an appointment with my family doctor, Dr Granger, yesterday and we had a good chat about my low hemoglobin levels. It seems I have my chemo to thank for not only killing my cancerous red cells but also my good red cells. (The same reason my hair falls out.) The poison, apparently, doesn't discriminate. This has resulted in a severe case of anemia. It seems that symptoms of anemia -- like fatigue -- occur because organs aren't getting enough oxygen. I've been having problems with my legs ranging from a sense of wobbliness or weakness to pain and difficulty walking. The weakness in my legs is explainable through this anemia - my leg muscles aren't getting the oxygen they need.

There's an excellent 2-page article on anemia on WebMD at http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-anemia-basics?page=1 I believe that my type of anemia, due to the chemo wiping out my bad and good red blood cells, can be found on page 2 of the article under the heading "Aplastic anemia".

Here's what WebMD says about treatment: Anemia caused by problems of the bone marrow and stem cells. Anemia that originates in the bone marrow and stem cells tend to be more persistent and difficult to treat. Some anemias will not require any treatment while others may require repeated transfusion and other aggressive measures. Although aplastic anemia will occasionally go into spontaneous remission, people with this disorder generally require bone marrow transplantation.

Well, I'm scheduled for my 4th transfusion this morning. And, I suppose the good thing to keep in mind - the so-called "upside" - is that this will be eradicated through my bone marrow/stem cell transplant, after which my bone marrow will resume producing only good red blood cells. Wasn't it Bing Crosby(!) who sang "You've got to accentuate the positive"?

Book: Lisey's Story by Stephen King

Music: London Calling by The Clash

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My Back Pages - October

Well, folks, I read seven (count 'em) seven books in October. One I didn't finish but even at that I hit the magic number 50 I estimated for myself by the end of the year. The six books I successfully waded through were, firstly, What Happened, Hillary Clinton's book on her bid for the Presidency. I''m a bit of a political junkie so I get off on this stuff but still it kinda struck me as one long whine over losing. Next up was the excellent Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and Music of Laurel Canyon. Laurel Canyon was the fabled area outside of Los Angeles where many musicians and artists lived. Known as a 60s enclave, the book takes a look at just who lived there over the last 80 years. A fascinating read. Next up was Lightfoot, a biography of Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot. He may have been responsible for some iconic folk songs but he was also quite the womanizer and boozer. Enough said. Then I read Dan Brown's new tome Origin, the fifth ...

The Polka Dot Door

A long time ago, when I was 22, my first child was born. That kid grew up on a little Canadian kid's show called Polka Dot Door, produced by the TV Ontario network. And Dad, more often than not, sat through those shows with his little one. Nine or so years later when a brother, and a year after that when a sister came along number one son was moving on to Knight Rider and The Dukes of Hazzard. But there was a nice overlap where his siblings picked up where he had left off with Polka Dot Door. And Dad was right there to welcome them. So you're looking at a Polka Dot Door veteran. The show began in 1971 and ran to 1993. I didn't watch the full run but I did get in my fair share. The formula was pretty simple. A young male and female host, which seemed to change every week, sang songs, told stories, made crafts and generally did their best stimulate little brains. The show opened as follows... Imagination Day! Oh boy! ...

30 Days of Photos III #4 Sour

Check out Ziva's Inferno for the rest of today's photos.

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