Yuck-o-rama

I have a lovely stitched-up hole on my left arm, and another one on my right arm. This picture shows my left arm.

The nurse practicioner who stitched me up left this one sort of gaping open, huh?  Totally gross. I don't even want to look at it. I'm not sure if she just didn't do a great job, or if there's a medical reason to leave it gaping open. 

The rash is caused by all the sticky bandages.

They are harvesting these skin samples for research for the clinical trial, to measure how well I heal in a week, before and after chemo. I am happy to do this, in the hope that it aids their research so they can make the chemo more effective in the future.

First, they take a small sample skin sample -- that is, they make a 4mm hole in my arm. For the next week, I have to keep that hole covered up and lubricated, so it does not scab over.  (That is super gross.) Then, they take a larger skin sample -- that is, they make a 5mm hole around the original hole and immediately stitch the whole thing up.

It doesn't hurt, which is amazing. They really numb me up while they are doing it. Even when the numbness wears off, it doesn't hurt unles I whack it by accident. Of course, it hurts my brain to have to change the bandages and lubrication twice a day.

I have only one more set of holes to get through, starting with a small hole next Thursday.

Yesterday, I had my checkup, and I am fine.  My platelets dropped from 130 to 51, but that is not terrible. My blood pressure was a little high.