One year

On this day, one year ago, I learned my leukemia was not in remission anymore. The disease I think about every day anyway, was back on active duty.

But you know what? The numbers from blood tests the docs look at to determine when it’s time to start chemotherapy haven’t changed since then. The disease remains better than the cure, so I continue to wait.

My red blood cell count, along with my hemoglobin has been a little low – but not drastically. One kind of white blood cell, my lymphocytes (those B cells and T cells everyone talks about) remain low, but the doctors told me early on they would probably remain low for the rest of my life (part of the reason my immune system isn’t as robust as it once was).

I’m happy to be where I am though. I’m not clamoring for another round of chemotherapy, or another few weeks in isolation at the hospital.
That was not cool. I was never on death’s doorstep, it just felt like it at times.

Maybe I’ll be telling you the same thing next year.