"Just the Facts"-- Felt good,clearer in the head, was able to walk a bit faster. Platelets and biopsy with little drugs.
The feeling good is most likely the result of getting 2bags of blood yesterday. But still
A blessing to feel closer to normal for once. We had to go a bit earlier to the center to get that second bag of platelets. You see, if you are low on platelets the last thing you want to do is have a couple holes punched into your backside! The other hurdle for B was having this biopsy done at the UCSD facility. They won't put him out with major drugs, a little daunting if you think about it. But he went ahead with just the pre meds from the platelets. That would have been fine, except the first punch hit some of the old marrow and a second punch was necessary. On top of that he could listen to the doctors narrative of the procedure during the process. He could feel it! Oh well, guess they think you are pretty tough if you have gone through a transplant. When you perform 5 biopsies a day, 5 times a week, you get a bit desensitized to what the patient is going through.
B was once again glad to have that behind him. Now we will wait for results to see how those little super cells are doing. I am suppose to inspect him every day for any new developments. I think I have slipped on this a bit. Today I noticed a slight rash, so we will have to report that tomorrow when we go in again for a draw. This time it is training session for my mom. But B has met his match with my mom. She will do quite well hanging out in a cancer center, having had several different bouts with cancer. You cold say she will be in her element! Anyhow we are very grateful for the help. Tommorrow will be day+30! That is almost 1/3rd the way of the first significant benchmark. So far so good, thank you for the prayers for B and our family.
Until next time,
Hopeful Believer.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Feb 24, Day +28, Whoa, 7 hours of infusion
"Just the Facts"-- Counts are lower, 2 bags of blood, 1 bag of platelets, long day.
So, I missed a day. Sorry about that, our home routine is kicking my booty a bit. B had a 7:30 am infusion center appointment. We knew he would need 2 bags of platelets as he has to have another bone marrow biopsy on Friday. They want to make sure the platelet count is higher, because we don't want any bleeding after the procedure. Well the blood draw put his Red blood count to 7.8 and that is too low to be walking around, so he got 2 bags of blood. This plus the platelets made for a very long day. He even put off 1 bag of platelets until tomorrow, and still he was at infusion for 7 hours. At least they have really good recliners! White blood counts are down to 5.4 and platelets are at 19. So we are still waiting to see if the super cells will start building cells on their own. The biopsy will reveal a lot of information, one, being how much of B's A neg cells are still hanging around in the marrow, and if the new cells have really set up house there. This should be interesting and exciting news.
Home life seems to be going fairly smoothly, except for the persistent fever and getting too cold. I finally was able to talk B out of the cotton sweater and into some fleece, so we will see how that goes. I keep telling him he should listen to Dr. Karen, as she has called it right on several issues. But we all know how that goes. We also learned today that all the blood cultures were negative, so that is a relief. And the fever could be from B getting cold. His body is trying to keep warm and it produces a slight fever. So we will concentrate on this a bit more. Blessing are still abounding, as my lovely sister came in from Arizona and helped me with some house issues that took a ton of time, which I just don't have. She is a wonder in cleaning and organizing and I love her for what she has done at the home, but more for being such a great support along with her husband. Bless you both.
Until next time,
Hopeful Believer.
So, I missed a day. Sorry about that, our home routine is kicking my booty a bit. B had a 7:30 am infusion center appointment. We knew he would need 2 bags of platelets as he has to have another bone marrow biopsy on Friday. They want to make sure the platelet count is higher, because we don't want any bleeding after the procedure. Well the blood draw put his Red blood count to 7.8 and that is too low to be walking around, so he got 2 bags of blood. This plus the platelets made for a very long day. He even put off 1 bag of platelets until tomorrow, and still he was at infusion for 7 hours. At least they have really good recliners! White blood counts are down to 5.4 and platelets are at 19. So we are still waiting to see if the super cells will start building cells on their own. The biopsy will reveal a lot of information, one, being how much of B's A neg cells are still hanging around in the marrow, and if the new cells have really set up house there. This should be interesting and exciting news.
Home life seems to be going fairly smoothly, except for the persistent fever and getting too cold. I finally was able to talk B out of the cotton sweater and into some fleece, so we will see how that goes. I keep telling him he should listen to Dr. Karen, as she has called it right on several issues. But we all know how that goes. We also learned today that all the blood cultures were negative, so that is a relief. And the fever could be from B getting cold. His body is trying to keep warm and it produces a slight fever. So we will concentrate on this a bit more. Blessing are still abounding, as my lovely sister came in from Arizona and helped me with some house issues that took a ton of time, which I just don't have. She is a wonder in cleaning and organizing and I love her for what she has done at the home, but more for being such a great support along with her husband. Bless you both.
Until next time,
Hopeful Believer.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Feb 22, Day +26 You give and you get
"Just the Facts"-- Still low grade fever, feeling tired, spent the morning at infusion, counts dropped a bit.
We were expecting the counts to drop. That is what we were told to expect. So, we are trying to not be too disappointed, but the platelets dropped back down to 17, which is crisis status when you are out of the hospital. So B was infused today with platelets. Red blood count came down as well to 8.6, which is almost a point lower, but still is close to the high when he was infused all last year, so he is walking around with the same level there. The Whites came back down to 6.2 which is still respectable. All this means is that the cells are working hard and still need time to produce to a point where they will hold. Medicines were adjusted somewhat and we were told by the big doctor that B was doing very well. Going to the infusion center is a very exhausting day as you get there early and wait, have fluids drawn and then wait, get the response and wait to get set up to receive whatever was determined that you need.
Today, due to his recurring fever, they drew blood for cultures. I had never seen this process before. You know what a large Tabasco bottle looks like? Well try filling 9 of those bottles with blood, then for good measure add 9 vials more for the rest of the testing. Most of these came out of his catheter but one set needed to come from his arm. Well that proved very trying and almost caused B to faint. Daughter #1 who was with us for infusion center training, didn't fare so well. She said she needed to leave, but didn't quite make it and in an instant went out. Being that daughter #2 does this quite frequently, I have become very adept at handling fainters. So we calmly rode out the episode until she woke wondering what the heck I was doing holding her. We moved her to a matching recliner just like Dad and kinda laughed about it. What else do you do? Ice cream always seems to do the trick even at 9 am! We continue to thank you for the much needed prayer, to help those little super cells to do their job.
Until next time,
Hopeful Believer.
We were expecting the counts to drop. That is what we were told to expect. So, we are trying to not be too disappointed, but the platelets dropped back down to 17, which is crisis status when you are out of the hospital. So B was infused today with platelets. Red blood count came down as well to 8.6, which is almost a point lower, but still is close to the high when he was infused all last year, so he is walking around with the same level there. The Whites came back down to 6.2 which is still respectable. All this means is that the cells are working hard and still need time to produce to a point where they will hold. Medicines were adjusted somewhat and we were told by the big doctor that B was doing very well. Going to the infusion center is a very exhausting day as you get there early and wait, have fluids drawn and then wait, get the response and wait to get set up to receive whatever was determined that you need.
Today, due to his recurring fever, they drew blood for cultures. I had never seen this process before. You know what a large Tabasco bottle looks like? Well try filling 9 of those bottles with blood, then for good measure add 9 vials more for the rest of the testing. Most of these came out of his catheter but one set needed to come from his arm. Well that proved very trying and almost caused B to faint. Daughter #1 who was with us for infusion center training, didn't fare so well. She said she needed to leave, but didn't quite make it and in an instant went out. Being that daughter #2 does this quite frequently, I have become very adept at handling fainters. So we calmly rode out the episode until she woke wondering what the heck I was doing holding her. We moved her to a matching recliner just like Dad and kinda laughed about it. What else do you do? Ice cream always seems to do the trick even at 9 am! We continue to thank you for the much needed prayer, to help those little super cells to do their job.
Until next time,
Hopeful Believer.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Feb 21, Day +25 Being home feels so good!
"Just the Facts"-- Counts are great, Home is great, eating is great, just need to kick a low fever.
Sorry no blog yesterday, having B home has been wonderful and extremely busy for me. We went to our first post transplant infusion center appointment on Sunday at 8am. This will be an every other day event, where they will draw blood to measure the counts, as well as blood chemistry, take vitals and an overall assessment of health. The numbers came back so good that his first trip he didn't need any infusion. The white counts went from 6.3 when he left the hospital to 8.1!!! yahoo. The platelets went from 13 to 29, a very nice showing. The red blood count went from 10.2 down to 9.4. This was a slight disappointment, but not unexpected. Also 9.4 is in the high range that B has been in all year. So still good for us. He did have a slight fever, which has been persistent through today. I even called the BMT on call doctor as it increase slightly, as they say to call for anything not usual. We go in tomorrow again, and also will see the big doctor, so it's a full day again.
B can't drive for a while, so he has to be chauffeured to the infusion center or to cruise the beach, which we have done a few times. Boy, has the table turned, he is quite the backseat driver now. It will be a great exercise in patience for him, and so far it's just me driving, just wait till the girls drive him. Finding something to drink that doesn't make him want to loose it has been challenge. We continue to search. Keeping the house warm enough has proven challenging. We tend to keep it cool, but he has just been freezing. I attribute it to the 151 lbs. Both Target and Home Depot are sold out of heaters, but we borrowed one from my mom today, so we will see how that goes. There has been a dozen little needs like that and search and acquire trips. These efforts take a back seat when he just says, I love being home, or it was great to sleep and hear the kids talking downstairs. Dorthy was right when she famously said, there's no place like home!
Until next time.
Hopeful Believer.
Sorry no blog yesterday, having B home has been wonderful and extremely busy for me. We went to our first post transplant infusion center appointment on Sunday at 8am. This will be an every other day event, where they will draw blood to measure the counts, as well as blood chemistry, take vitals and an overall assessment of health. The numbers came back so good that his first trip he didn't need any infusion. The white counts went from 6.3 when he left the hospital to 8.1!!! yahoo. The platelets went from 13 to 29, a very nice showing. The red blood count went from 10.2 down to 9.4. This was a slight disappointment, but not unexpected. Also 9.4 is in the high range that B has been in all year. So still good for us. He did have a slight fever, which has been persistent through today. I even called the BMT on call doctor as it increase slightly, as they say to call for anything not usual. We go in tomorrow again, and also will see the big doctor, so it's a full day again.
B can't drive for a while, so he has to be chauffeured to the infusion center or to cruise the beach, which we have done a few times. Boy, has the table turned, he is quite the backseat driver now. It will be a great exercise in patience for him, and so far it's just me driving, just wait till the girls drive him. Finding something to drink that doesn't make him want to loose it has been challenge. We continue to search. Keeping the house warm enough has proven challenging. We tend to keep it cool, but he has just been freezing. I attribute it to the 151 lbs. Both Target and Home Depot are sold out of heaters, but we borrowed one from my mom today, so we will see how that goes. There has been a dozen little needs like that and search and acquire trips. These efforts take a back seat when he just says, I love being home, or it was great to sleep and hear the kids talking downstairs. Dorthy was right when she famously said, there's no place like home!
Until next time.
Hopeful Believer.
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