After being weighed, temp, blood pressure taken. It was the usual finger stick. The tiny vial was put into the machine. And, soon

the day's platelet count was talleyed.  The little miracles workers were up from several weeks ago when I had made the mad dash to my rheumatologist for the cortisone knee injection. I'm now up to 39,000 per micro liter.    God only knows what they were that morning at 4am.

Promacta  has only a five hour effectiveness time before it starts to wear off and platelets begin to fall. And, platelets are at their highest in the morning hours because they are fresh and haven't yet been used or in my case quickly destroyed.  This is true for folks who have a normal autoimmune system and don't have platelets destroyed as soon as they are released into the body from the bone marrow where they are made.

Doc did say that my next visit would be a veinal blood draw for a CBC to check on my liver function since Promatca can stress the liver a bit. In my case it takes up where the spleen leaves off. And, I don't have a spleen anymore.

Anyway, I told Doc that it pays to take a break. He grinned and chuckled. We chatted about the cervical spine surgery I had underwent just two months ago. Swallowing  pills was the topic. I told him I had weaned myself off the applesauce on all but one caplet. And, that one will have to be crushed and mixed with apple sauce for as long as I take it. Which could be life long. All the others I seem to manage. Even the larger capsules. The Tylenol caplets are cut in half and I swallow them. They are hard and a bit uncomfortable  to swallow due to the titanium plate screwed into my vertebrae . The 'pipes' as I call them are flexible and ribbed but the metal plate inhibits that in the area it is near. So, I drink lots of water and try to relax. Praying that this will continue to be successful. It's more convenient to swallow the pills. I did find a chewable adult  multi vitamin from the makers of what we take. It's tasty and fun. 

Star was busy when I left . So, I don't have the schedule of my August appointment. She said she would mail that to me.

So until next time...