I am sorry for not posting to the blog at some point earlier in the day, but it has just been one of those days. Katie just didn't feel good from the second she got up this morning and required quite a bit of attention. She didn't nap well either, so I didn't have much time to get away. However, when I did get a moment to myself I spent it working at my computer. I wasn't blogging though. I was grading student CAD drawings. I am still teaching full time, I just don't go to school every day. I run all of my classes through the internet and work keeps pouring in even when I am not physically with my students.
Amy and Katie are headed down to Burlington again tomorrow morning for a 10am appointment. Katie will get a checkup, some more chemo and a transfusion tomorrow. The transfusion will make it a long day, but Katie should feel much better after getting it.
Her weight is up a little more again this week, but not so drastically as last week. She now weighs in at 29 pounds, 1.5 ounces.
The visiting nurse stopped in this morning for a check up and to draw blood for testing before tomorrow's trip. I received a phone call from Fletcher Allen with the results this afternoon and they are encouraging. They are as follows:
WBC 1.6
Hemoglobin 7.6
Platelets 62000
ANC 976
All of those numbers are down a little except for the ANC, but that is what the transfusion will help with. The ANC is the interesting number here. That is the number that lets us know how her immune system is doing. At number of 500 or less, she is restricted to spending time with just her parents and her brother. Last week she was at 290. At nearly 1000, she could start getting more visitors except for one little problem. One of her chemotherapy drugs, the dexomethazone, is still suppressing her immune system so Katie will not get the benefits of having her ANC climb back to 976. We have been told to continue restricting visitors until her numbers are good and she is done taking the dexamethazone. For reference, I think I remember the doctors telling us early into this process that a ANC of 1500 or better was considered normal.
Katie is now sleeping soundly in her own bed, and I am going to climb into my bed. I am the one who has to go into school tomorrow morning while Amy and Katie head off to the hospital.
Showing posts with label visit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label visit. Show all posts
Monday, February 11, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Monday Morning
Good morning everyone. Katie was in a cheerful mood all night long despite being woken up almost every hour last night. We had a couple of blocks of 2 hour stretches that were pretty nice. She woke up hungry this morning and immediately wanted pasta. She didn't want to wait for room service to bring her normal breakfast up so we dug in Grandma Kathy's cold spaghetti and meat sauce. She loved it and ate two bowls before room service brought up her English muffin, fruit, yogurt and juice.
She is due for two shots today as part of her chemotherapy. We are waiting until Amy returns from her parents house at noon before giving her the shots so that both parents can be there to comfort her.
Josh is currently out and about with his friend Jack King and family. Barb and Bill, Jack's parents, offered to take josh with them for a time this morning for some play time. He was really eager to go. Thank you Barb and Bill for helping to make this easier for Josh.
Kate is a little sluggish this morning with only small bursts of energy. She is currently sitting on my lap asking to go back to her room to lie down. We have only been out of the room for 10 minutes at this point.
The doctor told me again this morning that it is very likely she will be allowed to go home Wednesday. He said hers has been the perfect text book case so far. She and her leukemia are responding to the chemotherapy just as they should. She is still constipated, but with the sudden increased appetite, that should pose a problem for much longer. Then they begin weening her off of the IV and getting her ready to go home. Knock on wood. We may be out of here soon.
However, when we get home, don't come visiting right away. She is only allowed to see people who she has had frequent and regular contact with before coming to the hospital, and even those people need to wear masks. The theory is that she already has the germs and viruses in her body that those people are carrying. The doctors do not want her exposed to any new germs and viruses from any person she gets to see only every few months or so. As her immune system continues to get worse, her visitors will be restricted to just her parents, her Nana, and her brother. And since we all work in schools, bringing home lots of germs through the course of the year, we may all have to wear masks at home.
She is due for two shots today as part of her chemotherapy. We are waiting until Amy returns from her parents house at noon before giving her the shots so that both parents can be there to comfort her.
Josh is currently out and about with his friend Jack King and family. Barb and Bill, Jack's parents, offered to take josh with them for a time this morning for some play time. He was really eager to go. Thank you Barb and Bill for helping to make this easier for Josh.
Kate is a little sluggish this morning with only small bursts of energy. She is currently sitting on my lap asking to go back to her room to lie down. We have only been out of the room for 10 minutes at this point.
The doctor told me again this morning that it is very likely she will be allowed to go home Wednesday. He said hers has been the perfect text book case so far. She and her leukemia are responding to the chemotherapy just as they should. She is still constipated, but with the sudden increased appetite, that should pose a problem for much longer. Then they begin weening her off of the IV and getting her ready to go home. Knock on wood. We may be out of here soon.
However, when we get home, don't come visiting right away. She is only allowed to see people who she has had frequent and regular contact with before coming to the hospital, and even those people need to wear masks. The theory is that she already has the germs and viruses in her body that those people are carrying. The doctors do not want her exposed to any new germs and viruses from any person she gets to see only every few months or so. As her immune system continues to get worse, her visitors will be restricted to just her parents, her Nana, and her brother. And since we all work in schools, bringing home lots of germs through the course of the year, we may all have to wear masks at home.
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