On going chemo June 25th 2010

Wow it is time for an update.
I did start chemo again June 4th, had more June 11th, 25th and July 2nd if my counts are high enough.
Today the June 25th, Labs reveal the my counts have gone down despite all the good things I've eaten. Hemoglobin down to 27.7 from 33.7 and WBC 2.2 from 4.0.
The nurse practitioner said it would happen with this drug no matter what I did.. Gemzar also whacks the clotting factors too.
So anytime I feel bad next week I'll get my labs checked and if I've dropped too low like I did the first time around we'll cancel the last dose of Gemzar ( suppose to get it next Friday) and get some packed RBC's instead. I sure liked the bounce back I got with that transfusion.
Gemzar goes to the areas I had radiated and tends to irritate them. Swallowing is somewhat painful again but I am able to keep my weight at the same level.
My skin all the way around my chest and back feels like I have a VERY painful sunburn.
Wearing a bra hurts so I don't and get relief if I apply acupressure to the painful areas.
Leaning back on a wall actually works so does sitting on the couch.
The neurosurgeon I worked with said that the nerves that got zapped with radiation
were waking up and combined with the chemo drugs that this might come and go for awhile.
So I have another pill to take which does help with this creepy sensation.

Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers