Sometimes it rains, but maybe there will be a rainbow?

Well unfortunately today brought the first bit of slightly disappointing news for a while. (Though mind you it wasn't that bad!). I went for my normal two week blood tests and found out that my WBC's had dipped again back down to 2.7 (from 3.4) and my neutrophils (the super important disease fighting parts of your WBC's) slipped down to the "critical" level of 1.00 (the lowest they've ever been!). Needless to say I am a bit dismayed by the recent rebelling of my blood cells - how dare they plot against me! :) I guess in part I feel responsible as I've been a little less anal and precise about my diet these days and this is serving as a kick in the butt to get back on the hard core raw bandwagon. I was hoping that the magical sauna would do the trick again and so went last night to my Dr.'s for one, but apparently to no real avail -- although like my mom said perhaps my levels would have been even more supressed had I not gone! Touche mom.

So what's next you ask? (as I know you're all dying to know about my white blood cells) Closer followup is the next step, I have to return for another blood test on Monday morning and have set up an appt for a shot of Neulasta (a white blood cell superhero that helps regenerate your disease fighting cells during chemo) in the case that my levels drop anymore. However, in the meanwhile (between today and Monday) the plan is to try and do everything I can to get my immune system to kick it up a notch --- i.e. lots of raw food, no red wine ( booo ) and plenty of rest (something I am notoriously bad at getting!!!!). I'm hoping if I do that that my levels will at least remain stable so that I do not have to get the injection or take a break from the chemo. I'm also thinking that maybe I should start going to sleep by counting white blood cells instead of sheep...hmm :)

So the first set back in a while, and in all honesty not even really a set back yet, just was hoping that the good times would keep rolling (in regards to my blood) and they took a little pit stop. The real bummer is that I have probably the most crazy insanely busy next like 2 months coming up with very little free time for resting, which I really need to do! So I'm going to try and take it easy today and maybe actually get 8 hours of sleep!

On the sunnier side of things life outside cancer stuff is going pretty well. I moved into my new place and am fairly settled now. I bought my first real couch! yay! :) Next up -- all the other furniture needed for a living room, but one thing at a time I suppose. Love life is going extremely well too, met a guy...not sharing details yet..but he makes me very happy and I've laughed more since I met him than I have in a long while. I also finally set up my team for the Lance Armstrong Livestrong Challenge (5k run/walk) I will be running in on August 27th in Philly. I welcome anyone who lives nearby, or even those who don't, to come join my team if they're interested, the more the merrier! I might make t-shirts, so you could at least get some swag out of the whole thing :). Regardless even if you don't want to run in the race you should check out my page that I set up at:

http://philly08.livestrong.org/carissa_caulfield

or you can check out my team page (Team = Eye Believe in a Cure) hehe... at:

http://philly08.livestrong.org/eyebelieve

Don't feel obligated to donate, cuz you're not, but I do really appreciate the services the LAF provides, and am constantly impressed by the amount of advocacy he does himself.

I'm going to try and post more pictures up here as I'd like you to all see my new place and my favorite little kitty Sammy :)

Cross your fingers, pray, send positive vibes, whatever it is you do to evoke positivity that my tests on Monday go well and that I can keep on keeping on (without having to take even more medicine!).

Be well everyone. Love,
Carissa