Day 33

Hemoglobin 8.1
Platelets 33
WBC 0.1

That's my namecard outside the door to my room.  I've been considered "Name Alert" for about a week now, meaning that two patients in the same ward have similar last names and doctors, etc need to not be fooled. I'm surprised at how often this is an issue.  Especially at first, I had several doctors and technicians enter my room only to discover I'm not who they're looking for.  Obviously doctors like Oran know me and don't make this sort of mistake.  But the doctors who make inpatient rounds for different services are regularly changing, and I'm often meeting new people.  Today my weekend endocrinologist came in and told me she walked into my doppleganger's room by mistake.  It's a relief how quickly any mistake is realized.  The worst consequence I've experienced has been receiving the wrong food tray.  Safeguards like bar coded patient wristbands help protect from serious mistakes.

Drs. Oran and Zilla outlined their plan for me today.  I will have a biopsy done around day 21.  It could be a few days earlier depending on how quickly my counts return.  If the biopsy is clear of blasts and my health remains well I will be "rushed" to the transplant ward.  Not literally, but the doctors agree there should be no unnecessary delays and things should happen quickly.  That's what I was hoping they'd say, although I would've enjoyed being home for a week.

One of the antibiotics I take can cause muscle soreness, so I've been switched off it and onto a penicillin.  We'll see if that helps.  Other things are about the same.  I received blood products yesterday so I'm feeling energetic today.  But since my counts are up today I didn't get any blood products, so tomorrow I'll be sleepy.