18,000 Platelet Survival Guide

I spent 3 long hours at the clinic today. Since they didn't draw my blood until well after I'd seen my doctor, I didn't feel like waiting around to get my counts to see if I needed any "products."

So we came home, figuring we could always go back if we had to. This gave me the advantage of eating lunch in comfort and taking a nap. Never underestimate the power of a nap.

It seems I wasn't in critical need of platelets or red blood cells, although I will probably haul through most of the platelets I do have by Monday, when I return to the clinic. In the past, I've been down to as low as 3,000 of these blood-clotting agents without showing any symptoms, so I feel confident I'll make it. But to make sure I do, I plan to take the following precautions:

use no knives

brush teeth cautiously with special foam brushes

avoid brawls and falls

temporarily cease exercising except for walking

no yelling (I rarely do)

This should get me through the weekend expending the fewest platelets possible. I have no white cells, but there's little I can do about that except avoid people, wash hands well and stick to my low-microbe diet. No big fat strawberries for me.