Platelets are normal. 1 count to go.

I went to the clinic yesterday and the blood work results were just fantastic.  Platelets 153.  That's normal.  Over 150 is normal.  wow.  My platelets haven't been normal for 4-5 years; they were hovering in the 130s for a long while before I got sick.

Hemoglobin 10.2.  I was hoping for a big jump and I got it.  Normal is 12-15.  I'm going to get there.  Because red blood cells have such a long life (6 months) this count takes the longest to climb and recover.

White cells 7.8.  White cells have been normal for a while but it's nice to see the confirmation on that printout every time.

I saw Dr. Aljitawi and he talked to me about the graft vs. host symptoms that I'm having now.  I feel more positive about it--I do not have as much pain as I did but I'll talk about that later.  First he said it's good to have this chronic GVHD because it means the graft is really taking hold in my body.  So the best omens for a long term graft [with no relapse] are acute GVHD, which I had plenty of, and chronic GVHD, which I have plenty of.  He ordered half a dozen tests to quantify the symptoms before my next visit.  Then we will take more action at my next visit, or not.  More action is likely to be prednisone....sigh.  A small dose, but still significant.  The goal is to keep the inflammation currently in my joints from becoming scar tissue and more permanent.  It's another of those conundrums "the risks of not taking it outweigh the side effects of taking it."

In the meantime I have been nicer to myself, giving my legs plenty of time to heft my body up and down stairs; not being in a hurry to stand up; reaching for things slowly.  I really have not had a bad day for almost two weeks now.

Last weekend I rode in the car 10 hours or so to Cincinnati for a lovely Easter with my cousin.  I appreciated help getting out of the car when we stopped but I did not have any thoughts of "oh I can't do this anymore," or "I shouldn't have come on this trip."  The four of us in the car (my cousin and her husband and son and I) had a fine time.  We had lots to talk about and worked crossword puzzles and thought up questions for Jason to look up on the computer with his aircard.  We stopped in Vandalia, IL where Lincoln got his political start.  We toured the state house, and a small museum that is filled with interesting stuff.  I wanted to find the museum more money and space so its collections could be curated better.  There were many items from an 1840s-1870s era home, letters from a Civil War soldier home, underground railroad bits.  It was all piled in there with its provenance labeled carefully, but it was overwhelming.

My cousin in Cincinnati, Liz, was baptized Saturday evening and I served as her godmother which tickled me pink.  She has a wonderful, big house, well set up for company and she and her beau are fantastic cooks.  I did get tired by the end of the day, but I woke up in the mornings rested.  It was a just a marvelous time.  Gratifying that my body withstood the rigors of the road and entertaining to spend time with folks I don't see often enough.

Another count that was a bit better yesterday was the liver enzymes.  One of the four has been very high for quite a while--over 500 when 50 is normal.  Yesterday it had dropped to 325.  I was hoping for that because my legs have not been swelling so much which I first noticed on the road trip.  Nevertheless I will visit a lizard specialist next Friday. 

Janet is here this weekend from the UK.  We're planning some power shopping for wedding wear and "WOW" jeans.  And we'll be looking at the map of Italy along with a guidebook or two.

Ciao!  bella Italia.
~Cathi