Day 10 of the chemo cycle

It is now late on day 10 of the first chemo cycle and things continue to go well. Day 10 means that that my blood counts should be about to increase. I am almost past the neutropenic period that occurs between day 7 and day 12 (this is the period in which my white blood cell count is at it lowest due to the chemo, and my immune system at its weakest). So fingers crossed that I have got through the this cycle infection free.

The reason that chemo damages blood counts is because most chemo significantly suppresses the activity of the bone marrow, and it is in the bone marrow that many key blood components are produced (such as platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells).
Therefore, reduced bone marrow activity means:

•  low platelet count (platelets are responsible for blood clotting)
•   low red blood cell count (red blood cells carry oxygen though the body, low red blood cell count, or anaemia, is a part of the reason chemo patients have a constant battle with fatigue)
• low white blood cells (white blood cells are responsible for fighting infection). 

The cycle length for my first two rounds is 14 days this time around, whereas for the previous treatments the cycles were 21 days, so it's a bit more compressed than what I have had before. This will mean my blood counts have less time to recover between cycles. The Docs will keep a close eye on my blood counts to make sure that the next cycle can begin on Friday.
Cheers, Pete.