Day 190

Great news, I have my bone marrow biopsy scheduled for next Tuesday, the 24th. So hopefully I will have the results by mid December.  I am continuing to feel better each day and gain strength.  I trimmed the bushes in the front yard yesterday and I think I overdid myself, but at least I'm moving around and making progress.

The CT Scan of my lungs showed that the last two areas of inflammation cleared up but two more grew. Just like last time.  So, I have to go back on steroids indefinitely until it clears up.  The pulmonologist was not worried since they have cleared up before and they look the same as the ones they did the biopsy on.  It is just annoying to have to be on steroids again.  For some reason, my body is making this inflammation, it is not any type of infection.

Day 187

Good news, I haven't had a fever since coming home on Friday!  I am still gaining strength from being sick and in the hospital a week but getting better each day.  I got my labs done yesterday and they were awesome!  WBC was 2.9, Neutrophils 1.8, Platelets 102, and HGB 9.9.  Just last a week and a half ago I had 0.2 WBC and 0 Neutrophils so they have really come back which stopped my fever and allowed me to go home!  They are up enough to schedule my bone marrow biopsy, so I should receive a call today from the hospital to get that scheduled in the next week or so.

I did the math the other day, in 6 months I have stayed in the hospital 11 weeks not including all the outpatient biopsies and blood transfusions that take up the whole day.  It is such an amazing feeling to know that I won't have to do that again, that season of my life is over.

Just to recap for everyone:

Final Steps:
1. Get final bone marrow biopsy to confirm no leukemia cells are there  There wasn't any 4 months          ago and I have done 4 rounds of chemo since then so there should be zero!
2. Get the results from the biopsy, that should take about 2 weeks from the biopsy date.
3. After the all clear is given, get my port removed.  I am praying to get all this done by December to     be done and ready for the new year.
4. Monthly checkups and lab work with doctor.

Day 183

I'm going home!!   I have had just a low grade temp or no temp for the past two days and my white blood cells are going up so I can go home!  I'm felling better with a little more energy.  I still cannot have a high temp at home, 100.5 or greater, but with some what of an immune system I shouldn't.

I will get labs next week and a final CT of my lungs to confirm all the organizing pneumonia is gone. After that, schedule a bone marrow biopsy, and wait for the results.

Day 180

I'm still in the hospital fighting fever with or without medication.  But it seems to me that my temps have been lower in the last 24 hours and I had one normal temp today!  So I'm taking that as positive!
When I came in I had a goal to go home Wednesday , knowing how long these things can last.  Still praying for Wednesday which would mean I need to have no temperature tonight.  My WBC has gone up to 0.5 from 0.1 Last Wednesday so this should help my fever break too!!
I got more red blood today, and that should be my final one. :)  I fell a bit stronger after getting that so hoping for a better day tomorrow.  My parents are in town helping with the kids and they came up to the hospital to spend time with me today, it was really nice!
The good thing is that I don't have any other condition to complicate the fever.  So all I need to do is beat this fever!!

Day 178

I got my blood and platelets on Friday, hopefully, my last blood transfusion.  Before I started the transfusion I had a low-grade temp so they did the transfusion very slowly and all was well.

Later that evening I started to feel crappy and started to run a higher temp.  It got to 101 so I had to go to the ER right away.  McKenna and the kids drove me down to South Austin Hospital and
dropped me off.  They admitted me to the oncology floor where all the doctors and nurses know me.
I am feeling ok, kinda flu-like and I will get really cold with chills them also get very hot.  They have me on two very strong IV antibiotics and some nice mess to keep my headache at bay and reduce my fever.

I need to be fever-free for 24 hours with no meds,  please pray this happens very soon.  I don't want to be here with a fever for 12 days like last time.  Monday or Tuesday is fine by me!!

My nurses made me a crown because I am a princess,  they give me whatever I want and move people around so I can have different rooms, etc.  I don't care if they call me a princess,  as long as I get what I want!  :).  P.P stands for Princess Pucci!

Day 176

All is going well.  I had a platelet transfusion on Tuesday, no issues.   I went to see my doctor on Wednesday and my red blood is is quite low so I am getting both platelets and red blood tomorrow.  
Feeling pretty tired and weak because of the low red blood and just trying to keep all the little infections at bay.  My mouth is better, doesn't hurt near as bad but now I have a spot on my leg that is infected and a hang nail that is infected.   Just part of having nothing to protect.
So I should be good for the weekend and hopefully this will be my last blood transfusion!!!  :)

Day 174

Sorry for the delay in posting.  Last week I got two units of platelets and two units of red blood on Thursday and Friday , respectively.  That was great so I didn't have to go to the ER over the weekend with low levels.   This is normal to get the blood products now, I am at the lowest point after the chemo.  

I have 0 immune system so I'm being extra careful to avoid crowds and stay indoors.  Because I have no immune system, I got another mouth sore which is now infected.  The lymph nodes under my jaw are super sore and the pain goes all the way up to my eye and ear.  I am on different antibiotics to treat that and hopefully contain it so I don't get a fever.  The also gave me a mouth rinse with liodocaine to numb the area - it is amazing!!!  Hydrocodine wasn't even taking the pain away.  

I have an appointment with my oncologist on Wednesday and will probably get more platelets then as well.

I have been asked often "What is next?"
-----Once I recover from the chemo, meaning all my blood levels are close to normal or not critical,  then they will do a final bone marrow biopsy.  After that one comes back clear then I am officially done with treatment!! Then I can get my port removed and just continue to get stronger before returning to work.  All of this should be done before the end do the year.