Day 32

Hemoglobin 8.7
Platelets 21
WBC 0.1
Creatinine 1.16

Here's a fun statistic for you to celebrate the start of my second month of incarceration hospitalization:  I've spent 110 days in a hospital since being diagnosed 31 May (that's 46.2% of the days between then and now!).  Here's the breakdown:  65 days when I was diagnosed, 13 in October for surgery, and 32 so far recently.  Considering a conservatively estimated two weeks until my counts return then three weeks for transplant, I'm looking at a grand total inpatient day count of around 150 for a period less than a year.  No wonder I feel like I didn't get much done in 2009..

Now that's about $255/day for a hospital room, plus doctors, plus services, plus medications, plus.... :)

Day 11 of chemo round four.  My muscles are sore to the touch.  Dr. Oran didn't have much to say about it, things like this can happen with how low my platelets have been.  I had a condition called petechia when I was diagnosed - tons of tiny hemorrhages that cause a rash because of low platelet counts - and this soreness reminds me of that, but I don't have any rash.  It's not dangerous, just annoying because I can't get comfortable..

I've been having low glucose all day, endocrinology is slowly stepping down my basal rates.  Otherwise things remain about the same.

Day 31

Hemeglobin 7.8
Platelets 18
WBC 0.2
Creatinine 1.02

One month down.  It doesn't feel like it has been that long, but time seems to stop while I'm in here.

My counts have tanked and I spent the day sleeping.  My parents came by and brought a bunch of food (yay!), plus lunch with IRael and now Dietz and I are playing A Link to the Past.  What a great game.  Not much else to report.

Day 30

Hemoglobin 8.3
Platelets 33
WBC 1.4
|Neutrophils| 1.3
Creatinine 1.02

The renal service met with me this morning to discuss their plans for managing my blood pressure.  The doctor today has two explanations for why I still have difficulty.  Either there are undiagnosed problems that need to be addressed, or the medications I'm currently taking simply are not effective for my personal physiology and should be replaced.  So tomorrow I'll change two of my medications to new drugs and adjust the dosing on a third.  I should see results within four days.  If I still don't see improvement the docs will begin testing for other conditions.  As we spoke today I got the feeling he thinks my problems lie in the choice of medications.  He said at age 25 there is no reason why my pressure cannot be better controlled.  It's time to try something new rather than increasing the dosage on medications that don't seem to be working.

I am back on my pump!  No more hourly glucose checks, plus I'm only connected to an IV for one hour a day while I receive my caspofungin.  My glucose levels are doing well in the transition and my pump settings will continue to be adjusted as I come off the steroids.

Everything else remains well.

Days 28 & 29

19 January
Hemoglobin 9.5
WBC 5.6
Platelets 90
|Neutrophils| 5.5
Creatinine 1.04

20 January
Hemoglobin 9.0
WBC 3.1
Platelets 57
|Neutrophils| 3.0
Creatinine 1.06

Today was my first day outside in 29 days.  It was great.  IRael and I went to get the food I've been craving for the past few weeks:  Brugger's Bagels and an iced coffee drink from Starbucks.  Add a big ranch salad and some chili from the cafeteria upstairs and that was my lunch.  Then Adam stopped by with cupcakes!  I've been eating well today.  Bowels are still slugging along but at least it's moving.  I just spend my days with a bulging belly while my food gets digested.  I feel like a cat from Animal Planet's "Big Cat Diaries".

Today I was told by my doctors that they are going to be making further adjustments to my blood pressure medication in an attempt to get it under better control.  I think Dr. Oran is just making work for the interns...my case has not been adequately challenging recently.  :)

I can really feel my counts getting low again.  The bleed in my left eye has become more profound but I expected that.  It doesn't worry me as much this time, I'm confidant once my platelets return to normal values my vision will improve, just as it did last time.  I'm just frustrated in my inability to see well.  Computer text is especially difficult, so my apologies for not responding to any emails or messages people have sent.  I appreciate the thought and once typing isn't such an annoyance I will respond.

Today was my last day of steroids, so tomorrow I should be off the insulin drip again!!!  My fingers are so sore.

Days 26 & 27

17 January
Hemoglobin 10.4
WBC 8.8
Platelets 134
|Neutrophils| 8.8
Creatinine 1.08

18 January
Hemoglobin 9.8
WBC 8.1
Platelets 112
|Neutrophils| 8.0
Creatinine 1.02

I finally had my CT scan this morning.  It showed "significant improvement" on the ground glass nodules in my right lung.  This means that sneaky fungus has been behaving itself.  Good news for me.

Yesterday was my last day of chemotherapy.  My counts are still high so I'm feeling alright, just a little tired.  IRael cut my hair this morning, it was starting to pull out in clumps.  I'm also constipated again and my vision in my left eye is poor.  I figure both will clear up like before, once the chemo runs its course.

Day 25

Hemoglobin 9.7
WBC 13.7
Platelets 147
|Neutrophils| 13.4
Creatinine 1.11

I'm still feeling pretty good except for being sleepy.  And my hair has begun to fall out.  But today was the second day without any headaches...  I guess I can live with that.