Today has to be one of the happiest days of my life. The morning started off with news of a 4500 white blood cell count and no need for any transfusions. The doctor rushed through the discharge papers as we were all packed up and ready to go. They sent us away with hugs, good-wishes, and an extensive list of do's and don'ts at home.
When we arrived at the house, my mom cried. She kissed the doorway in excitement! I followed her around the house while she blissfully looked in each room. She kept saying, "I just never thought I would see my house again." After a couple laps around the house, she showered, ate lunch (an entire mini-pizza) at the kitchen table, and then crawled in her cozy bed for a much-needed and well-deserved nap.
I am so thankful to so many people who helped get us all through this mess. A long list of beautiful nurses, an intelligent team of doctors, my strong stepdad, and all my friends and family sending us positive thoughts from home. It is just such a miracle! or pretty damn amazing science.
We are definitely not in the clear. She has to be watched closely for infection, visit the clinic once a day for bloodwork, have a couple minor surgeries, receive monthly pulmonary tests, and maintain a special diet for immuno-suppressed patients that is low in Vitamin K (as to not counter the blood thinners) and high in cancer fighting nutrients all while having little to no appetite. Mandi and I are on it! She will get a scan on day +100 to see if the cancer is gone and then will regain her energy level between 6 months and a year. In the meantime, she has to stay away from public places until her wbc completely recover. She is able to have limited visitors and can't be around kids at all. It's no picnic, but it's all just an inconvenice compared to the mountain she just climbed.
Thank goodness, the hard part has passed. Now on to a new life for us all. Our new mantra is: New Cells. New Rules, which basically means she needs to stop living her life out of obligation and start living in the present for herself! I love you mom!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Day +10
Snow is my new favorite thing. The doctor told us it is suppose to snow again tomorrow, which also happens to be my mom's projected release day. She is scamming a way to get out of here today! Her counts doubled again last night. She is up to 1300 white blood cells!!
Last night wasn't too eventful. She had some stomach problems from all the antibiotics (which they took her off of today!). She also had an allergic reaction to one of them that made a rash develop on her legs and arms. It is almost gone this morning, though. What do they expect giving her 4 different antibiotics.
Other than that, we are just waiting and smiling. In the meantime, she is trying to lure me into her plot to go home today. We are working out what to say to the doctors as I type...
Last night wasn't too eventful. She had some stomach problems from all the antibiotics (which they took her off of today!). She also had an allergic reaction to one of them that made a rash develop on her legs and arms. It is almost gone this morning, though. What do they expect giving her 4 different antibiotics.
Other than that, we are just waiting and smiling. In the meantime, she is trying to lure me into her plot to go home today. We are working out what to say to the doctors as I type...
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day +9!
Today was magical. We woke this morning to heavy, white snow fall the 2nd week in December! Immediately following, the team of doctors arrived with the best news of my entire life! My mom's white blood cell count is at .5!! Engraftment! The stem cells produced disease fighting cells, and on top of that, the count is suppose to double tomorrow. They projected her release day for this Friday. We cried like babies all morning. Nothing else mattered. I finally feel that we have our lives back. It's only up from here.
I could tell the change in energy last night. At around 9:00pm her fever broke and then about 1:00am she became really chatty. I felt like we were having a slumber party. We joked and laughed and talked for at least an hour. We both attributed it to a breaking fever, but we secretly hoped it was a climbing wbc count.
Since her neutrophils are still only 300, she continues on one of the antibiotics, a bag of potassium and antifungals. Tomorrow she will hopefully be off everything but fluids. She will go home with a year prescription of antivirals and orders to rest, rest, rest!
After we calmed down from the excitement and emotion, my mom had the energy to bathe and walk a lap around our hallway. This was exciting for me since she hasn't been out of bed (except for bathroom breaks) for days. A few minor set backs in the day happened after the walk. She had a strange rash break out on both her legs. We are waiting for the doctor to come and diagnose it. Then after lunch she had some more stomach issues. The nurse is going to take the last culture of that. I hope it is just from her body processing all the medication being pumped into her.
We also found out that Mandi is fighting bronchitis and can't come in to town with the baby tomorrow. She will have to postpone her trip until she gets well. Mom and I were looking so forward to seeing them this week.
However, as long as my mom is well enough to go home and begin the road to recovery, we can handle anything! Signing off a happy camper.
I could tell the change in energy last night. At around 9:00pm her fever broke and then about 1:00am she became really chatty. I felt like we were having a slumber party. We joked and laughed and talked for at least an hour. We both attributed it to a breaking fever, but we secretly hoped it was a climbing wbc count.
Since her neutrophils are still only 300, she continues on one of the antibiotics, a bag of potassium and antifungals. Tomorrow she will hopefully be off everything but fluids. She will go home with a year prescription of antivirals and orders to rest, rest, rest!
After we calmed down from the excitement and emotion, my mom had the energy to bathe and walk a lap around our hallway. This was exciting for me since she hasn't been out of bed (except for bathroom breaks) for days. A few minor set backs in the day happened after the walk. She had a strange rash break out on both her legs. We are waiting for the doctor to come and diagnose it. Then after lunch she had some more stomach issues. The nurse is going to take the last culture of that. I hope it is just from her body processing all the medication being pumped into her.
We also found out that Mandi is fighting bronchitis and can't come in to town with the baby tomorrow. She will have to postpone her trip until she gets well. Mom and I were looking so forward to seeing them this week.
However, as long as my mom is well enough to go home and begin the road to recovery, we can handle anything! Signing off a happy camper.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Day +8
Another crappy day. I got back to the hospital around 10:30 this morning after catching up on sleep (12 hours) at my mom's house. Tim took care of her last night. From the updates, she ran a fever most of the night, but luckily woke up this morning without one. They ran a bunch of tests to check for infection. Chest xray, urine sample, blood samples. All came out clear today. Her fever spiked this afternoon, again right after the platelet transfusion (which she had to have again today.) It is now hovering around 100.3. They just came in and told us that if it gets to 100.5 they will do another round of tests. Unfortunately we don't find out those results for 24 hours. She has been given 4 bags of antibiotics since the first fever, so hopefully we are catching any infection.
As far as her blood counts, her wbc are still at 0.0, platelets are 10, and red blood cells 80, I think. She needed a platelet transfusion, which by the way, is the nastiest color yellow I have ever seen, and a bag of potassium. In addition to all that junk, they have her on the normal cocktail of antibiotics, anitvirals, antifungals, and fluids.
It is just a waiting game at this point. I am praying we will see some white blood cells in the next couple days. We will all feel so much better. In the meantime, I am trying my best to keep my mom positive and moving as much as possible so fluid won't build up and clotting won't occur. The physical therapist showed us some bed exercises to do. We both worked out our butt muscles yesterday.
Mandi and I are planning her diet when she returns home. For the first couple months she is on a immuno-suppressed diet, which means she has to be careful with fresh foods. Then she will be back on the blood thinners (for the rest of her life) so we have to monitor her levels of Vitamin K. It will be a hard balance to coordinate foods that are cancer fighting and foods that aren't too high in Vit K, so that her blood clots will be managed. We almost have it down.
Back to my bench. I hope my mom has a better night. At least one without fever, infection, nausea, or stomach pains. Something comfortable. And lots of sleep! For us both.
All the nurses and doctors on this wing love her. Her sweetness is infectious. Everyone is routing for her, especially the peson who loves her most!
As far as her blood counts, her wbc are still at 0.0, platelets are 10, and red blood cells 80, I think. She needed a platelet transfusion, which by the way, is the nastiest color yellow I have ever seen, and a bag of potassium. In addition to all that junk, they have her on the normal cocktail of antibiotics, anitvirals, antifungals, and fluids.
It is just a waiting game at this point. I am praying we will see some white blood cells in the next couple days. We will all feel so much better. In the meantime, I am trying my best to keep my mom positive and moving as much as possible so fluid won't build up and clotting won't occur. The physical therapist showed us some bed exercises to do. We both worked out our butt muscles yesterday.
Mandi and I are planning her diet when she returns home. For the first couple months she is on a immuno-suppressed diet, which means she has to be careful with fresh foods. Then she will be back on the blood thinners (for the rest of her life) so we have to monitor her levels of Vitamin K. It will be a hard balance to coordinate foods that are cancer fighting and foods that aren't too high in Vit K, so that her blood clots will be managed. We almost have it down.
Back to my bench. I hope my mom has a better night. At least one without fever, infection, nausea, or stomach pains. Something comfortable. And lots of sleep! For us both.
All the nurses and doctors on this wing love her. Her sweetness is infectious. Everyone is routing for her, especially the peson who loves her most!
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