Whew--that was close!

Almost ended up spending the night at MassGeneral, friends. Seems my kidneys are not happy--even less happy than they were when I was first diagnosed, as far as creatinine (SP?) and other substances go, in fact.

My dear doctor is not entirely sure why this is happening, because it could be any number of things--all because I am still very early in treatment and, as you know, I have had a lot of (mis)adventures since this odyssey began.

But he was clear that this does not mean the treatment isn't working--it is just too soon to say.

Until my kidneys are happier, though, I will be going to the local hospital (yes, the one nicknamed Cooley Dick, Scott) and getting extra fluids tomorrow and Friday, most likely. Seems I need to be taking in about four litres of water each day (and that's a LOT O' WATER). Am also drinking as much as I can to aid and abet my dear little filters, so if you hear a loud sloshing sound, odds are it's yours truly, Ann Podolske.

On other fronts, there is also some concern that my backache may not be due to "just" bad posture and hospital beds. Alas, it is a concern I've begun to have myself. So, to investigate further, I will have my first MRI tomorrow morning. I am having it in an "open" MRI, as I confessed to being a bit claustrophobic. I think it has something to do with being asthmatic, and maybe also to do with getting stuck on a very small elevator with a lot of people once in Manhattan. Shudder!

Either way, I am glad they are humoring me and putting me in a less constricted space. Here's hoping it all goes well and my aching back is just that.

But, it's good to know no matter what the cause, this I know. With this stuff, ignorance certainly isn't bliss.

At least that's what I keep telling myself.

The good news today? My platelets are up even more--176, I think (the results are with my friend Sky for review). And one of the staff at the hospital had a scarf on her head that suggested she was Muslim, so I greeted her with the "salaam-mah-lay-koom" I learned 20+ years ago in Morocco. Turns out she moved to Boston from Morocco, and lived not far from where I did in the Old Country. Small world!

The other upbeat bit is that the steroids are doing their usual excellent job on my usually aching back, which means I barely know it's there.

Of course, I'm also eating as though I am the entire U.S. Olympic Team, and hope you'll all forgive me my girth until this preposterous business is over.

As I may have noted (forgive me any repeats), a frequent question in hospitals is, "Have you had any unplanned-for weight loss?"

Surely you jest! I have a ridiculously difficult time with planned-for weight loss. For pity's sake, I can't even lose weight with cancer!

On that note, I think it's time for this crankypants to go to bed. Thanks to Karen for sticking with me through today's extra-long MassGeneral trip and to you for checking in, friend. Love, Ann and her shadow (aka Shwea)