Welp, it happened. I relapsed. The Beast is back, although admittedly the abnormal cell count isn’t nearly as high as it was when I was first hospitalized over two years ago (18% as opposed to 51%). I’ve been in hospital since Saturday, when I spent nearly 10 hours in the ER while waiting for a room to open up on the eighth floor. Meanwhile, some needle-wielding barbarian made veritable hamburger out of the inside of my right arm. Good Lord, what a mess. The bruising is slowly subsiding but I really, REALLY hope I don’t have to go through that again!

I’m now on 8 North, in the blood disorder/bone marrow transplant unit. I’ve seen a few familiar faces since arriving. Gail and MaryGrace, two of my little midnight angels, came bouncing in the morning after I arrived, all grins and giggles. Then Zach popped in later that day and Raquel showed up yesterday. I haven’t yet seen Mary Ellen or Kat, as they’re still working the South side, but I hope to while I’m here. As for the rest, though… well, the height of the Covid wave took its toll and many of the old crew got out to save their sanity. Christy, the nurse I bonded with over snort-laughing, and Jasmine, one of the charge nurses in 8 South, have jumped ship and are both over at Texas Oncology, in the same location as Dr. Santiago’s office. I have no idea what happened to Trisha, the night-shift nurse who howled with laughter when I called her a bitch (I was kidding, you had to be there). And Thelma, my sweet little housekeeping lady? I haven’t yet heard a peep. The most frustrating bit? I’m not allowed to wander over to 8 South to track anyone down or even to take a walk.

So, once more into the breach. Cry havoc and loose the dogs of war. ‘Twas brillig and the slithey toves… Oh, autocorrect does NOT like that last quote!😆 Anyway, the purple chemo haze awaits. Wheeeee!!!

(Holy moly, the inmates get fed EARLY on this side of the building. It’s 4:40pm and my dinner tray just arrived! Time to tuck in.😊)

Addendum: Dr. Santiago came in LATE this evening with a print-out of my new chemo protocol. If I’m reading it correctly, and I desperately hope I’m not, it shows that I’ll be in and out of the hospital (mostly in) for the next eight months. In addition, it has listed a therapy that I’ve never undergone before and quite frankly scares the shit out of me. It’s “cranial irradiation.” They’re going to cook my brains with radiation! Honestly, what the f*ck?!??