Say it with Pizza

A royal wedding happened today, the buildup to which lasted over a month. During that month, I had a great vantage point for watching the unveiling of the details. For instance, while waiting for the big kiss on the balcony, I brushed the last of my long blonde hair from my head (Who would have thought a kiss could make me cry so hard?).

One of the most interesting details I heard about from my hospital bed was the creation of a pizza with Kate's and William's portraits on it. Though I've never met them, I am sure they are a lovely couple. But if anyone deserves to have his profile on a pizza, it is my loving, supportive husband Ryan. He promised to love me in sickness, and he has done just that.

Just like Kate, his hair could be fashioned out of black olives. Though he would probably have to be made out of deep crust. A week ago, I watched him devour an entire two pound bag of jelly beans while listening to the head oncologist explain the complications that were sending me to the ICU. A pepperoni slice shirt would well symbolize the t-shirt he wore while sleeping next to me many nights on the pull-out chair. Glazed mushrooms for the eyes would represent all the hours he's spent combing medical resources and questioning my mom and doctors to understand my condition.

While I don't think my pizza could turn out as well as PaPa John's below, once I'm better, I am going to try my hardest to create an Ode to Ryan Pie to show him just how much his support has meant to me.

Happy (Belated) Easter!!!

Katelyn and Lily (up in heaven) had great Easter egg hunts. I watched Katelyn's on Skype. The bunny hid the eggs so she could reach them on the back patio.  Even while wearing strappy shoes, Katelyn wouldn't venture onto the dewy grass to retrieve any farther away. Katelyn will be starting Bible school as soon as she is old enough.

My status since I last reported on being moved to the ICU has improved. The scare over the weekend centered around symptoms I was experiencing that are usually new to that first hypercritical week. Usually, if a patient hasn't had the liver clotting and lung bleeding in the first week, she won't get them.

These two symptoms have stabilized for me, so I am back up in oncology, being monitored for these symptoms from here. I am being giving a steroid and Heparin for the lungs/liver, as well as an oxygen feed since my lungs are less than 100% operational because of the blood in them. I am also being giving more platelets this evening because my last platelet count in my last tox screen showed a natural level below 50 (a normal human's range is around 300).

The biopsy on the skin rash has proven to be non-cancerous, which is a relief, and is most likely a vascular issue that will go away or a reaction to one of the pills in the Dixie-cup-filled dose I receive every day. The right eye vision also seems to be improving slightly. The 102/103 fevers have also subsided. Now my mouth and stomach sores seem to be my only new symptoms that make it harder to function in here.

This morning, one of the oncologists mentioned I am "turning the corner." They seem to use this expression with caution, because as I've learned, conditions can shift rapidly.

But at least it was the first positive news I've received since being here. I've been in hospitals for 19 days, not including the Lily days. Likely I will be here another three weeks. I am very thankful for the diagnosis I did receive. Other forms of Leukemia involve a four-month in-hospital treatment plan. I would go batty.

Room with a Different View

When I came to after the bronchoscopy, the doc informed me they were moving me from the oncology wing to the ICU.

They found blood in my lungs. Coupled with the clotting issue in the liver, these are hard to treat at the same time. Thus why they want me in the ICU in case an emergency procedure is required.

Docs think it's better to treat the blood in my lungs first (which has caused a lot of coughing). Today I received two platelete transfusions, a blood transfusion, and steroids to try to fix this.

Despite another rough day, I feel okay at the moment. Made it through another day, and I have so much to look forward to once I start feeling better.