Claritin and bone marrow

This week I received two shots - on Thursday and Friday - that play a specific role. They are designed to make my bone marrow produce white blood cells. Each time I receive a shot the well-trained nurses say, "Now take a Claritin because we have learned Claritin relieves the bone ache from this shot."

When the shots first started way back in November, I forgot to take Claritin and had no problem. There were no bone aches. I decided the shot did not affect me that way. I was fortunate. I was immune. That was not a side affect from the shot that touched me. Never assume anything.

The last time I had two shots in a row, I did feel some strange body aches, and I did take Claritin, and miraculously, the aches disappeared. Hmmm, I thought. That was easy. I took the Claritin for three or four days as the nurses had indicated and was fine.

Well...and we know that's a deep subject...for anyone who believes they are immune, never take anything for granted. This week after receiving my two shots, I was levelled, and that was with the added help of Claritin. 

You have heard the cliché about being pulled through a knothole. On Friday afternoon it was as if someone was literally pulling me through a knothole and I wouldn't fit so they just kept on pulling until I finally did. And that's no kidding.

The inside of my bones hurt. The inside of my bones ached. The inside of my bones pained me until the outside of my bones were sore and they throbbed and pulsed worse than any aches I ever felt from a flu. For three or four hours, I was flat out and for the first time in my life understood what people mean when they talk about pain. I kept wishing the knothole was bigger so I could fit through it faster.

And then as quickly as it started, it stopped. The aching, throbbing pain was done, and I was depleted. I wondered for a moment if this is the way one feels when experiencing a time warp. Hmm. Not sure I want to try that now.

Yesterday - Saturday - was a do nothing day. I literally could not do anything save manage the bathroom and sleep off and on in my trusty recliner. My husband was a gem. He seemed to understand my physical exhaustion and so we watched movies, three or four of them, and I slept off and on, and he filled me in on the gaps in each movie's story. How blessed I am.

Here we are at Sunday and at breakfast I announced that I was feeling much better so my husband could go about his normal day. Sometimes I just have to do that. I can move around better today even as I realize that too much standing weakens me. So I am doing my devotions, attending church online, and then trying a bit of sewing to keep up my strength. Praise God for my sewing.

Tomorrow - Monday - is a treatment day. I sure do hope my lab tests reveal a proper white blood count because I fear a third shot. I literally do not want to scare my bone marrow or me a third time. Yikes! Meanwhile, with my focus on staying upbeat for the day, I will pop another Claritin and go to church virtually. The sun is coming out!

Steadfastly, The quilting cancer girl