ALERT: Yet another room change...

Just a quick up-date: I have once again changed rooms. My new room is #8004 & new ph #206-906-7470. After an up & down week, we noticed the other day that I had developed a mild rash. By yesterday afternoon the rash had grown a little bit. My medical team believes that this may be a reaction to one of the med's I am on (not surprising), but to be on the safe side for all the other patients on the floor they have moved me into an isolation room until test results come back. We want to rule out things like chicken pox, shingles, zoster, etc. I know a few of you were planning on visiting today, which is still welcome, but all visitors will need to suit-up in a yellow gown, gloves and a mask. Several of you have children. Unfortunately we don't have protective gear in their size. Therefore it is probably best if they do not accompany you should you decide to visit today, and possibly even tomorrow.


This week was much watching as my blood levels continued to drop. Wednesday was a bit scary. As mentioned in an earlier post my blood pressure - which has always been a healthy low-normal dropped significantly and I almost passed out while showering. 6 or 7 nurses came flying down the hall & into my room when I had to pull the alert cord. Presently I have .25 white blood cells, no neutrophils, hematocrit was holding at 29, but is now down at 24 today, and my platelet count was down to 9. Yesterday I received a Platelet transfusion, and this morning I am hooked up to a red blood cell transfusion - my third transfusion since being admitted.  I still have my hair, but I imagine it won't be for much longer. It feels slightly different, strange, kinda straw-like. The hair on my shaved legs has stopped growing.


To give you some perspective, here are the normal blood ranges compared to today's level:
                                                Normal                             Today
White Blood Cells (WBC)     4.3 - 10.0                            .25
Neutrophils (ANC)                 1.8 -  7.0                               0
Hematocrit (HCT)                  36 - 45                                 24
Platelets                                 150-400                               97   


Much of my time has been spent trying to muddle thru all the medical insurance issues, applications and disability forms. Countless phone calls later and I feel like I've made only a little progress. Many of you have offered a helping hand.  Yes, I will indeed need it. I am being geared up for a 2nd Transplant. Depending on how I fare with these 2 chemo rounds it is likely that the transplant may potentially be in November (??). However - as is Fred Hutch policy - I need to prove I have a caregiving team in place before I head to transplant, otherwise I will not be eligible.  We will do the repeat strategy we used 2007 & 2008 - evening & weekend warriors sign-up, but this time the crucial push will be for weekday daytime care for the couple of months immediately following the transplant. In all honestly this is very easy, very much like babysitting but also accompanying me to daily dr's appt's at SCCA for close monitoring.  Please stay tuned as we figure out a way to post an interactive Calendar linked to this page. I'd also like to give a YOU GO GIRL cry out to my friend Anna who at this very moment is summiting Mt Rainier 14,000 ft and is carrying my Tibetan prayer flags with her. To the Summit ! ! To Life !