I nearly spoke too soon!

After a week of pleasing haemoglobin counts Sunday night was a near fatal disaster.
I had been taking antibiotics prophylactically due to my concern about a possible chest infection that I felt might be building. It didn't eventuate even though my breathing still feels awful, like a bad case of asthma.

What did occur is a very bad case of antibiotic induced diarrhea. This really puts my whole gastrointestinal system to the test and I wasn't too surprised to discover I was bleeding internally as well.
I didn't worry too much because it usually only bleeds while you are actually sitting on the toilet. However this time it must have continued for some time afterwards because by morning I was so fatigued that I could not get out of bed or dress myself. I was incredibly weak.

We went to the Day Ward as scheduled and a blood count revealed my hemoglobin count to be just 78, the lowest I have ever been. Two units of platelets and two of red blood cells helped.
I've been told that I would be highly unlikely to survive a significant internal bleed. It must have been just a small slow one. What puzzles me is how a spontaneous bleed could start but stop when I have no platelets to make it clot? I'm just glad it did! Another bullet dodged.

It's now Wednesday and I've just returned home from another day of transfusions, again two of each of platelets and red blood. I've been feeling really good all day, I've mustered up some energy from somewhere. Certainly not my blood as the counts were again very low today. It could take a week to build up to my usual baseline count. The nurses joked that I must have received some Superman blood on Monday, I suggested more likely Lance Armstrong's !

I start GCSF today and if my neutrophils and white cell counts return to normal I will have more chemo on either Friday or Monday. I'm guessing Monday.

Update later..  Ron