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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Thursday January 20th, 2011 ~ Oncologist Appointment

This morning is my oncologist appointment. I was diagnosed with Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in July 2007 and have been under doctor supervision since. I have chronically low fluctuating platelets and an enlarged displaced spleen as well as the occasional white cell fluctuation. While I have been down as low as 35,000 per microlitre, I have had readings as high as 70,000. Over the last year the count has gone down about 1,000 per month. I can feel that something is not right, but I can't tell if it's my platelet count. Maybe I feel out of sorts because of my weight. Nonetheless, I get pretty nervous around my oncologist/hematologist appointments.  



A normal platelet count in a healthy individual is between 150,000 and 450,000 per μl (microlitre) of blood (150–450 x 109/L).[15]  Ninety-five percent of healthy people will have platelet counts in this range.  Some will have statistically abnormal platelet counts while having no demonstrable abnormality.  However, if it is either very low or very high, the likelihood of an abnormality being present is higher.
Both thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis may present with coagulation problems.  In general, low platelet counts increase bleeding risks; however there are exceptions. For example, immune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis (high counts) may lead to thrombosis, although this is mainly when the elevated count is due to myeloproliferative disorder. Mine is, of course, extremely low, but I have been cancer free up to this point.
For some time I thought that God had made me fat so I could withstand the riggers of chemotherapy and a prolonged fight with cancer. Even though I have CLL, I still find such excuses to be without merit and downright silly.
No, in fact, I have the new psychological tools to fight obesity. Along with the therapy and hypno-therapy and the Gabriel Method my daily routine includes:
  • Daily prayer / spiritual meditation
  • Mental visualizations/affirmations 
  • Nutrition / health - Watching calories, but not really dieting. It's more about eating healthy things like fruits and vegetables and lean meats or fish.
  • Physical activity - Daily walks or shoveling snow for 20 mins or more. Plus working out at the gym for 45 minutes at least three times per week.
The beauty of this routine is that it is very good for my mental health as well. It is generally accepted that some sunshine and exercise is good for relieving mental stress and prayer and visualization is good for both weight and bipolar disorder.
If have not followed this routine everyday for I don't know what reason, but I need too. As of today, I will follow through with these activities. I do consider writing this blog to be part of my meditation / visualization.
Thus, writing blogs are indeed therapeutic. 

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