(no subject)

[labellementeuse]

I mentioned, I think, that in order to avert a probable splenectomy I was going to try a treatment for my ITP while I was up here called rituximab or mabthera. The idea behind rituximab (which is usually used in post-chemo lymphoma patients, ironically enough) is that it targets the B cells which produce the antibodies that attack platelets, causing low platelet count blah blah boring blah. Anyway, I had four IV treatments, one a week for four weeks, and saw my platelet count come way up - like, 253, which is the highest it has ever been, as far as I know. Certainly the highest since last January. I didn't say anything here at the time because I'm paranoid and in some studies, although nearly all patients saw a dramatic increase, for about a third of them their count came right down again. However, I halved my prednisone intake and yesterday I had another test and my count... is still 253 (basically a fluke, being the same number, but hey.) So I halved it again, I'm now on 15mg every two days and I am just so relieved, guys. No splenectomy for me, nuh-uh! :)

The other health thing that I've been explicitly avoiding mentioning is that I've been on a sort-of diet, if you can call cutting all the crap out of my diet and going to the gym twice a week a diet. Whatever since mid-November I've lost 11 kilos and made my short-term goal (80 kilos. Yeah, I was 91 kilos, no, I don't really want to talk about it.) So, basically... I feel really great and totally capable of meeting my long-term goal (~65kgs) by May, June at the latest.

To top it all off? I got given six pairs of socks for Christmas and I still have five matching pairs. \o/



Now I have to find a final flatmate. Yeah, one of my flatmates dropped out. Yeah, I am kinda getting deja vu from last year. *rips out hair gently*

Comments

[kitsunerei88]

It's all the snacking on chocolate and chips while studying. . . and all the eating of your favourite foods like ALL THE TIME. . . and all the NOT EATING YOUR VEGETABLES. . . and for some people, the beer xD. *eats more chocolate*

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

I ate my vegetables. I just ate everything else, too. :P part of the problem for us was that the meals were all the same size, and because they had to feed 18 year old guys, that meant the meals were HUGE. So you ate heaps even if you didn't need it. And then there's the 2 minute noodles...

[kitsunerei88]

Ohhhh you had THAT kind of meal plan! I had that kind when I was in Riviere-du-Loup doing french immersion on goverment money - suffice it to say, I gained about 5lbs (which I think it something like 2kg) in five WEEKS.

The meal plans at my university work on a declining balance thing, ie you have X dollars on your meal plan card (also your student card) and it's very much buffet style, and you get what you want and pay only for what you get. And you're allowed to do this as much as you want, providing you still a) have money on your card and b) the caf is open. So, like me, you can eat a salad at lunch, feel hungry an hour later, and go back down for some chicken fingers or something.