Another good week for Jon. He had chemo on Tuesday and has 5 more to go before the CT scan. His alkaline phosphotase is in the normal range but his red count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were all low. He feels well most of the time but finds because of the low red counts his aerobic capacity is pretty limited. He still is making good gains in his weight-lifting and we both have returned to our pre-cancer weights (he had lost 19 pounds, I lost 6)
Two weeks ago Jon's white counts were low so he tried some different combination of supplements and essential oils to raise them. This week they were solidly in the normal range. He told the Physicians Assistant at SCTWC that he was going to raise his other blood levels in the same manner and she told him that he "couldn't do it without pharmaceuticals". Poor women, she has no idea what she's started!! I'm sure he will be in the normal range within the next two weeks.
Interestingly enough, there is a drug called procrit that most patients receive after 2-3 chemos to boost their red blood cell count. Your hemoglobin (the part of your red cells that carry oxygen) has to be 32 or below to qualify for it. Jon's is still 35, even after 9 (count them, NINE) chemos. The low end of normal is 40. So guess what, no procrit for Jon. He wouldn't have it any other way.
I told him this week that I didn't want him to have 5 more chemos, that I think he's already cured. He said, "but I like chemo, I can hang out with you, eat sweet stuff, and go out to lunch." I warned him that he shouldn't like this too much. Remember when I said he was going to be incorrigible with all of this attention???
We are leaving for Staci's tomorrow night for the long weekend and are excited about our visit. Rex is taking my place with Jon at chemo on Tuesday. Keep sending all those positive thoughts and prayers. I can already see that normal CT scan in March!
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I can't wait to see y'all!!! I can't promise sunshine unfortunately :-(
You can DEFINITELY raise your red blood cell count with herbs/food. You probably already know this, but here is a sure fire way. You need to make an herbal infusion of nettles and raspberry leave (you could also through in some alfalfa). Don't take supplements - you must drink 3-4 cups of the infusion daily. Also, eat lots of green leafy vegetables (except spinach - it actually blocks the absorption of iron) broccoli, egg yolks, lots of blackstrap molasses, and, if you can handle it, liver. Of course you want all organic if possible. Also, beets contain Betaine HCL which helps absorb iron, so make juice of beets, carrots and parsely. (beet root powder will do if you are too overwhelmed with making the juices and teas all the time) You could try an iron supplement, but many are not absorbed properly and you could end up with nasty digestive problems.
When Alison was born I lost so much blood that my red blood cell count was nothing. Lorri, I remember being so weak that mom literally had to feed me in the first couple of days. I was back to normal within 3-4 weeks after drinking the infusions.
YOU CAN DO THIS, JON!!!
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