I'm getting good at this.

Not the "posting regularly" part, but the "making platelets" gig.

Why do I have to explain my jokes? I blame Cyclosporine -- not only for the gorilla arms and the cookie-duster but also for the flatness. Or redundancy. Or over-explanation? Or total awareness of my over-explanation and the inability to edit myself any better than I ever did...?

See? Who Cares and What's New...

Anyway, the best excuse yet for not posting more: there's not much but consistency to report.

Good!

I just go in for check-ups every three weeks for now. Between doctor's visits, I've been making and stock-piling even more beaded, sculpted things to sell online eventually, already selling books for divinely-donated-platelets money. Or even better, for fun.


Except for the daily, earth-shattering fact taken for granted that I am making all of my own Trinity (white blood cells, red blood cells, and most important platelets), there's nothing more serious to report except the persistent anemia.

Well, that, and my eye-watering gas oven won't light up for some reason, and the drains in the bathroom have gotten just clogged enough to be really irritating. But other than that, there's nothing but literal and figurative blue skies.

Today's doctor's appointment still showed that I have a lower red blood cell count than normal which is okay as long as I am still making platelets. Which by the grace of God and Cyclosporine, I am. My platelet counts are steady and growing slowly (which is good) at 186k.

My long-term goal is to get back to 315k, but that's just to show off.

For now, my new experimentations will be turning toward increasing the absorption of my iron. So if you know anything about that subject, I'd love to hear what you've got. Currently I take 325mg three times a day and added Calcium Citrate. Apparently, taking calcium supplements along with iron supposedly helps you absorb more iron. I've also read that white wine increases the absorption of iron. Good enough for me!

Also, my B12 levels were low. Bumping that level up just might help to sped away this on-going anemia. Even though I've never had the pleasure of taking a Hawaiian vacation, my mom says that's what a shot of B12 feel like. And just one shot into it, I do feel better but just a little ripped off without the sandy, warm beaches of Maui.

Next appointment is Tuesday, July 3rd.

Until then, I will update more, but hopefully it won't be anything more than, "Crud. I just broke my last pair of decent glasses." Which I did the other week already.

Still haven't gotten that follow-up bone-marrow aspiration corkscrewed out of my buttbone yet, but I'm not going to think about that until it happens. I'm off to buy those sparklers and firecrackers for the Fourth. It's going to be a good one.