Have Now Completed 33.3333...% of the Chemo Journey (Still A Rational Number)

Just FYI from a mathematics nerd, a rational number is one which can be expressed as a ratio of two integers. If one actually converts the ratio to a decimal number, it will eventually end with an infinitely repeating pattern. Often, this pattern is an infinite string of zeroes, so for example, when I was 25% through the regimen, that meant 1/4 of the infusions (3/12) were finished. Dividing 1 by 4 gets you 0.25000000... with an infinitely repeating zero. We all feel more comfortable writing that at .25 or 25%. However, with 4/12 or 1/3 finished, the conversion ends with an infinitely repeating 3. So, it is impossible to write a concise decimal version of that. Hence, we usually cheat and stop at some point, such as .333 or we write 33.33%, which isn't really accurate. Using an ellipsis as in 33.33...% is meant to show that the number repeats indefinitely.

Isn't that fun? Just in case you wanted to know, irrational numbers also continue indefinitely but not with a repeating pattern, and they cannot be expressed as a ratio of two integers. Maybe the most famous irrational number is 𝝅 (pi). Why did I bother with all this explanation? Who knows? It crossed my mind as I chose a title for this posting. Maybe I just felt good about all my mileposts being rational, rather than irrational, ones. Although recent events are making some of them feel a little irrational.

To bring you up to date, regarding the leg pain and blood clot, the injections of blood thinner appear to be having a positive effect. I have less pain today than a week ago. Sitting up is more comfortable. Walking has been OK and even helpful at times. Often I just keep it elevated, but it is definitely getting better I think. Evidently, we'll be switching to an ongoing blood thinner after the injection Rx is completed in another week.

Yesterday, April 4th, was my rescheduled chemo infusion. Alas, the blood samples resulted again in clumped platelets. All other measures were good. The doctor accepted a microscopic evaluation of the platelets that said they appeared to be normal, so the chemo was allowed to proceed--four concluded of a planned twelve. I'll be moving back to a "Wednesdays cycle" with the next one, now planned for April 20th. I also have an interim meeting with my oncologist's assistant to review these pending leg pain and clumping problems.

In the meantime, the rest of my life has been OK. I say only OK, because the leg pain has kept me out of the shop. I'm eager to get back to the construction of a bench we intend to use at the foot of our bed. I'm making it from some cherry I salvaged from the woods at a friend's home. There will be photos to share eventually.

I finished reading Lies My Teacher Told Me which I highly recommend. I also read a fun new novel by Harlan Coben called The Match which was essentially a thriller/mystery that involved lots of DNA tracing and services like 23andMe. Another book just completed was The Vanishing Half about twin African American girls, their daughters, and the very different lives that the lead. I also recommend this one. Now I'm reading the second book in the "Broken Earth Trilogy" by N. K. Jemison, a gifted black science fiction writer, who won the Hugo Award three consecutive years for the three novels in this trilogy. This is a very different sort of science fiction but utterly fascinating and intricate.

Of course, I may have watched a fair number of basketball games recently. Alas, my two Hawkeye teams bowed out way too early. I'll probably watch some of the Masters Golf Tournament this coming weekend. Tiger Woods indicates he may try to play! That would add an interesting element to the tournament.

Well, I may be rambling a bit here. Am doing OK. Part way to the end!