My Birthday Is On!!!

Jen & Grace went with me for my weekly Dr. Miller appointment. I was a little agitated. On Monday my mother had told me that considering my low white blood cell count last Thursday (it had dropped to 1,700), unless I was in better shape, she wouldn't let me have a party.

Sunday I am turning 50. Long time readers of the blog will know that I am ridiculously childish about my birthday. I don't share it like some others. My mother celebrates with Genevieve because they are two days apart. Grace celebrates with my nephew Frankie, they are two days apart. Jen and Tom are 8 days apart. There are other examples.

I don't care.

My birthday is a stand alone event. When I turned 40 there were 3 separate parties. When I was 46 I had a party with three cakes from Cold Stone Creamery. That's how I feel about my birthday. My sisters know this and I know that they had plans for me turning 50.

It's not like I don't understand my present situation. I have adjusted my expectations. I knew there would be no giant party. But I need at least the standard year family birthday party.

My father was teasing my yesterday, asking if I felt better than last week. I said that I didn't think so. I was feeling bad for myself and whining about Mum cancelling my birthday. I can't get my father to sympathize. He says "And we'll take away the computer too."

But my birthday is saved.

Kate my nurse practitioner was very happy for me. I was very happy for me too. I am back up to 2,400 - not as high as the 2,800 from two weeks ago, but this was without neupogen. So I was making my own. Some of my blood work was actually in the normal range and next week we will get and IgA number to measure the success of the transplant.

What a great way to celebrate the High Holy Day. Good news and ........ When we got back to my parents house, my father had a fabulous boiled dinner waiting for us. We were a little late, my father was at the gate, pretending to be mad. He yelled for us to run..........if he was on fire I couldn't have run! LOL! He had brisket and nasty, smelly cabbage and icky turnip, but there was also green beans and potatoes and carrots and bread and Irish soda bread that Grace made. My Dad was all excited that the brand of brisket was "O'Donnnell's" because that was his mother's maiden name.

Finally, I had to go upstairs and nap. Three and half hours of being upright..........