Day 138

I got two more units of blood and one unit of platelets on Friday.  It worked perfectly again to get the blood before the weekend to avoid having to go to the ER.  Everything went fine with the transfusions.  I think this gets me over 25 different blood transfusions since the start of all of this.  I have said it before, I know, but blood donation is so important and you don't realize how important it is until you are the one needing the blood.  

I am at the lowest point labs wise, 0.0 neutrophils, and 0.2 WBC so I am trying to be very careful not to get sick.  Of course, just like last round, I bit my lip and now it is getting infected so I am taking a different antibiotic to try and keep that from spreading.  The whole side of my face hurts and is swollen because I have nothing to fight it in my body.  Please pray that I don't get a fever!!

Otherwise, I am feeling good and excited that we are nearing the end of this round!  

Day 132

Friday I got two units of red blood which was great just before the hot weekend.  I was really feeling very tired, dizzy, and out of breath so it was just in time for the weekend.  Aaron had his first flag football game, which they won.  He did great!  

My platelets were low on Thursday, 48 but not low enough to get a transfusion Friday.  Today's labs were at 8, which is extremely low.  My nurse (she is wonderful) was very worried because at this level you can just start bleeding anywhere in your body for no reason and I am very neutropenic.  They thought about having me stay the day in the hospital while I got platelets just to ensure everything was fine.  Luckily, I didn't have to do that and just did the outpatient transfusion.  I got two units of platelets so that should get me until late this week.  

I knew my platelets were low when I hit the dresser while playing with my daughter.  Half your hand should not turn purple from a simple bump.

I get labs done twice more this week and see the doctor.  Please continue to pray for no fevers so I can stay this round at home!    

Day 127

Sorry for he delay in posting.  I came home Monday and have been doing fine.  My levels are dropping as they should and I will probably be neutropenic tomorrow when I get my labs done.

I am still taking steroids for the organizing pneumonia, I will be very happy when I can stop taking theses.  I am tapering down but still taking 4 pills every morning.  They make me constantly hungry so I feel like Cookie Monster all day.

Nom Nom!

Depending on how my levels are tomorrow I might get red blood Friday before the weekend and avoid the problems I had recently.  

Day 122

I'm doing well on chemo this week.  Today is day 3 and my second day of chemo.

They have been adjusting my steroids since they have to give me some to get rid of the pneumonia and to help my body during chemo.  They cut way back today because my WBC and neutrophils more than tripled.  They will all come crashing down in a few days but they don't need to be stimulating my blood cells that much, after all leukemia is a blood cancer.

My kids will come up tomorrow to have lunch so at will be amazing to see them.  And I am looking forward to feeling the cooler weather I am hearing about.  I am feeling good, after all I have been through everything else is down hill now!! 

Day 120

I am back in the hospital for round 3 of consolidation!!  After this one, only one left to go.  My lungs have felt better and I haven't had any fever, thank God.
My pulmonologist will just treat me while I am in the hospital this week with steroids, so that works out nicely.

https://emilymcdowell.com for really cool cards!

Day 115

Great news, I don't have a fungal infection or bacterial for that matter.  I have what is called "organizing pneumonia" Link Here

It is basically an inflammation caused by my body but not due to an infection.  It can be caused by trauma (I have none), after an infection (I have none), by medications (I have a lot!), or for no known reason.They still need to clear it because it is still pneumonia but it shouldn't interfere with my treatments that much.  Either way, doesn't matter because this means I can start my next round of Chemo next week.  I will go into the hospital for round 3 of consolidation on Wednesday in South Austin.

Funny thing, I have been waiting and working with the pharmacy to get my very strong anti fungal medicine refilled and they finally had it done today.  Good thing, I only had one left for today!  Well, as you can see from the picture below, it is not cheap.   No later than 10 minutes after picking it up, my doctor calls and gives me the news that  I don't need to take it anymore and can go back to the normal anti fungal meds.  The pharmacy won't take it back, due to FDA laws so sorry insurance company.  I tried.

Last but not least, Natalie got to come with me to get my blood drawn on Thursday.  She was so excited to see my blood (strange) and meet my wonderful nurse Amber.  She wants to grow up and be a doctor for doggies.

Day 113

Procedure was successful, no issues.  I am sore, about the same pain as the bone biopsy.  

It took about 1 hour to complete.  I had my new normal, 3 doses of margarita anesthesia.  No mentioning of Mandarin. 

My oncologist came and surprised me in the day surgery area, which was a nice gesture.  He expects preliminary results by the end of the week.  

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes.  

Day 112

Tomorrow I will have a needle biopsy done on my lungs.  The results from the CT I had done yesterday were mixed, two areas looked like they have shrunk and one looked a bit larger.  They still don't know how to treat it since we don't know exactly what it is.

One of the areas is very near the edge of my lungs under my arm so they can easily get to it from "outside".  They will use a CT Scan to guide the needle into the infected area.  It will be great if they can actually determine what it is so we can kill it all before we do any more chemo.  I cannot have a lung infection and have all my levels go down again, it is too serious.  I should be able to go home tomorrow as long as they are no complications.

They will give me my normal anesthesia...I call them Margaritas.  I usually go for two, but I have been known to go for three rounds during the procedure.   I have also spoke to them in Mandarin after two Margaritas, which is also typical for me.  

The nurse usually gets flustered with me because I am still talking to her after one and I just switch languages after two.