Day +18 Up, Up, and Away

I would like to start today’s blog by thanking the invisible person who slipped sleeping pills into my dinner last night. Thanks to you, I was able to get a pretty good night’s sleep. Jason and I woke up around 9:00 AM and we both feel more rested than we have in days. If I were to venture a guess, I would say that we both were able to get 5-6 hours, which is a record since we have been here.

Last night we spoke to one of Jason’s doctors about his blood and marrow goals for over the weekend. By Monday she was hoping that Jason’s White Blood Cells would increase from 0.4 to 1.0. It’s only Saturday and, drum-roll please, Jason’s White Blood Cell count is 0.9!

The goal for Jason’s hemoglobin was that it would remain stable. Yesterday, Jason’s hemoglobin was 9.1, today it is 9.2.

The goal for Jason’s platelets (platelets are used to clot and heal) was 20,000 by Monday (we would say “20”). It’s the beginning of the weekend and Jason’s platelets are 22!

As far as Jason’s blood is concerned everything is on a slow, steady, positive course. Jason still needs Neutrophils, his first line of defense against infection, of those he has none. But we are hoping that as his white blood cells increase his neutrophils will start to increase. And Jason’s vital signs are steady as well. His temperature was 98.8 degrees Fahrenheit, his oxygen level was 98%, his blood pressure is 90/58 (nobody panic, it’s not that low for a young, healthy, athletic human being who has been through a lot and is on a diuretic).  

A little hiccup this morning was the sudden nausea that led him to vomit. This has only occurred once so far today but we are watching him.

The infectious disease doctors were here this morning and they were happy that Jason was feeling OK. In five days they will perform a blood test to see how much Voriconazol (the antibiotic to help his pneumonia) is in his system, and will check his lungs. Today we are grateful that Jason is feeling good, his numbers are increasing, and that we can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Continue to pray for his lungs, neutrophils, and protection from infection.

And, “Hello,” to the new readers in the Netherlands! Thank you for reading the blog and I hope it blesses you.

Day +16: Another Busy Morning

Napping in the sun, wearing the green eye shadow that the nurses thought I was wearing for St. Patrick's Day. 

3:00 AM – Wake up, Vital Checks

5:00 AM – Wake up, Blood test for possible transfusion and for daily results
7:00 AM – Wake up, Meet your nurse for the day, and meet your student nurses
7:30 AM – Can the student nurses perform a Vitals Check and listen to your lungs and stomach?
8:00 AM – Aren’t you going to eat breakfast? How much have you eaten?
9:00 AM – What did you eat? Just a chocolate shake and a strawberry Ensure?
9:15 AM – How many ounces of liquids have you consumed? Plateletes will be ready for you soon.
9:30 AM – Doctors Visit – Numbers are looking good.
9:35 AM – Housekeeping! Can we clean your room? Put on your mask so you don’t breathe the dust!
9:45 AM – Hey, the student nurses forgot some things… Also, here are your pre-meds.
10:00 AM – Your platelets are ready! Let’s get you hooked up.
10:15 AM – Alrighty, 15 minute vital checks while you are getting platelets.
10:30 AM – Vital Check
10:45 AM – Vital Check
11:00 AM – Vital Check
11:15 AM – Aren’t you going to take a shower this morning? Let’s get that started . . .
11:30 AM – Shower
11:45 AM – Can we change your bedding?

Hopefully your morning hasn’t been as busy as ours.

But there is good news: Jason’s hemoglobin did not drop over the course of 24 hours! The doctors have reminded us that it is not unusual for it to be steady and then drop again. For now, it is constant and that fact is so wonderful. Yesterday his hemoglobin was 8.6, today it is 8.6. Plus, his platelet count increased from 6 to 9! As for the white blood cells, Jason has 0.3 of those (300). Which is more than yesterday (woo hoo!) but still quite a tiny number (well, we are getting there).

Last night Jason had a small moment where his blood pressure was pretty high (149/96). We prayed and his next vital check reflected 126/54. His lungs sound great but he will be getting another xray tomorrow to make sure everything is clearing up. Continue to pray for his lungs, general health, and the success of this procedure.

We also had a quick visit this morning from Dr. Peggy. Did you read the blog post about our meeting her? Well, you should go back and find it. She performed the lung capacity tests and the arterial blood draw on Jason before he was admitted. She made us laugh on the day we wanted to cry the most. She found Jason’s room and came to visit, bringing her smile, her jokes, and a book to borrow, Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. Made my day.

If the day relaxes a little then Jason and I will take a small walk, eat a late lunch, and try to nap between interruptions. Hopefully today will not be any more eventful.

Since I was up before the sun, I figured I would snap some pictures.

A Good Meeting - Dr. Peggy

*** This entry was written before Jason was admitted to the hospital for a transplant.

In order to get a transplant you must undergo a certain amount of pre-transplant testing to determine your health. A bone marrow biopsy, a breathing exam, and an arterial blood draw, as well as multiple blood tests are a few of the required procedures.

Although these tests are usually time-consuming and sometimes painful, this time the tests were wonderful.

When we walked into the testing room we felt so defeated.  Since death is listed as a possible side-effect, the idea of a bone marrow transplant is scary. 

The doctor began testing Jason and slowly the room became a little more comfortable as we opened up to her about our concerns, and she opened up about her family. In an hour or so we became fast friends with Dr. Peggy, a Christian, whose smile became impossible to resist.

Her sense of humor is witty and charming. She didn't tell us horror stories, or accuse us of being faithless. She didn't focus on the horrible current situation but rather talked about the positive results. She joked about her daughter's trip to Louisiana, and poked fun of her husband and son who recently lost their hunting bait to a bunch of rowdy squirrels. She made us laugh, not cry. And in those moments she honestly made us forget all of our problems. I hope to meet more people like this while we sit in the hospital room. What a difference a positive attitude, faith, and a friendly face can make!

We left that room, smiling, holding onto her business card and a piece of paper with her personal home phone number and email, as well as an invitation to attend church with her family on Sundays during my stay at the hospital. May God bless Dr. Peggy for turning a scary moment into an enjoyable one.