Wow, I can't believe we started a new month today. It seems like my world is on hold and yet is flying by all at the same time. The bad part is most of the "flying by" stuff is happening outside my little cocoon here in Richmond....:(
My blood counts have still been stubborn. I thought I would be ready to go home after a clinic check last Friday. Instead, they set me up to come in for lab work over the weekend since my platelets were still less than 5 along with low hemoglobin and not many white blood cells. I was feeling a little weaker on Saturday but got my platelets and then enjoyed having lunch with mom on the State Capitol grounds - gorgeous! On Sunday I felt a little weaker and when the nurse had me stand for a blood pressure I did the whole fainting thing again. That got everyone pretty worked up and it landed me back in the hospital with a bright yellow wristband that says "Fall Risk". So I am back over on the 2nd floor checking in on all my great nurses.
I think they are finally taking my platelet issue a little more seriously and I will be getting matched platelets as soon as tomorrow. That will carry over to when I do my transplant and hopefully prevent such an extended period of low platelets during that time. The cardiologist stopped by and assured me that my heart is fine, I just don't have enough blood going around in my system. So I am on a medication to help keep my blood pressure up until my counts recover. And they are giving me a little extra blood to keep my hemoglobin closer to 8 than to 7.
This morning my labwork did show a slight uptick. I am hopeful they will release me tomorrow after platelets or Wednesday at the latest. Of course...I should really know better than to plan...! But for now I have to stay put and be a patient patient. Mom and I continue to do our best Rain Man impersonation by catching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy each night after the evening news. I know....it is sad. Tonight Katie will have another All Stars softball game and I look forward to the text updates that the softball moms are so great to send me. They won last night in extra innings after a rain delay. It was 11:30pm!!
Despite the disappointments of being in Richmond and not at home, I am reminded of the many blessings I do have. You don't need to walk the halls of an Oncology clinic or hospital floor very long to realize that! All in all I am quite healthy (for a cancer patient!!) and pain free. Thanks as always for the love, prayers, and support that are sent my way.
This blog was started in Jan '07 as a way to update family and friends on my fight against relapsed Hodgkins Lymphoma. I underwent chemo and a stem cell transplant at Sloan Kettering in 2007 and then spent six years in remission. The blog went dormant as life became less about cancer and more about living. Now I am facing Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) that has developed from previous chemo. So I have dusted off the old Blog (still very un-tech-savvy). Time to get up and fight again!
5 comments:
Rachel, I am sorry you have to spend so much time away from your family. I pray for you every day. I have had to miss several things because they immediately followed a chemo treatment but was grateful to see son Andrew's salutatorian speech at Churchland High School graduation. The one other event I am hoping to make this summer is a niece's wedding in Rochester, NY that many of my siblings and their families will be attending. My last chemo treatment is scheduled for 7/18. I am hoping to recover quickly enough to have mastectomy and still catch Andrew's start at VT. Anyway, God is richly blessing us both. Hang in there.
Love from Mary Ellen Taylor
I just have to say - as a brother - that the idea of you wearing a band that says "Fall Risk" sent me into a fit of laughter. Why didn't I think of that when we were growing up? Much better than the old "Kick Me" sign.:-)
Less than two weeks now - I'm on my vitamins, no alcohol, lots of veggies and lots of positive thoughts going your way. Hang in there.
Love,
George A
Praying for you daily as well Mary Ellen. Hope the end of your treatments go smoothly.
Thanks for the sympathy, George. I can count on you!!
My family and I were SO HAPPY to see you, yesterday evening! We sure did miss seeing you and your GREAT MOM in the kitchen for dinners on the 5th floor at the HHH. Bobby, Kelly and I are so glad you are back here, instead of being couped up in the hospital. I know you had to have slept better here, rather than being woke up every two hours... haha ;-)
Sure hope today will be a much better day and we look forward to seeing you!
As always, you are in our prayers fervently, my friend.
Much love,
Pam
Keeping you in my prayers and I know God will take care of you.
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