Getting Sick with CML

So last week, much to my chagrin and dismay, I felt the familiar tingling of a cold sore starting.  Sure enough in about 6 hours, a small fever blister appeared on my upper lip.  Four days later, I got the cold that my boyfriend has been trying (not) to give me (and I've been artfully dodging) for the past two weeks.  I spent the majority of my weekend in bed, trying to stave off the worst of it by getting as much rest as possible.  To no avail, unfortunately, as what started as a scratchy throat and an irritatingly runny nose, has manifested into a heaviness in my chest and a disgusting, unproductive cough.

This is the first time that I've been "sick" since I was diagnosed with leukemia.  My first reaction is worry that my immune system is down - that my white count is either too low  (can be a side effect of the Gleevec) or too high (from lack of response to the Gleevec.)  Then I have to take a step back, and realize that everyone gets sick.  Keith has had the cold for a good 10 days, so it was almost inevitable that I would get it too.  My oncologist said that "I'm just like a normal person now."  And normal people occasionally get sick.  Not time to hit the panic button yet.

I did call my PP, however, to see if I am "allowed" to take cold medication.  After a telephone consultation with his nurse, I was told, "You can go ahead and take whatever cold medication that you need.  You don't have any health complications...besides your LEUKEMIA which seems to be well under control."  Well okay, then.  Besides that pesky leukemia, I'm a normal human being.  With a nasty cold.  The cold sore is slowly exiting, but has been sticking around for going on 9 days now.  Day five of my cold is in the predictable chest cough phase.  I have a tentative appointment with my PP on Friday afternoon, which I will keep if I don't feel better on Thursday morning, but I'm hoping that things will resolve themselves, my immune system will kick in and fight this end of summer cold on it's own, and I will be able to cancel.  Until then, it's a strict regimen of fluids, Vitamin C, and NyQuil for me.