Three More Weeks Here... Maybe

Once again, I heard the phrase today from an oncologist that I am "turning the corner," which is excellent news!

Though I have to admit: it's an Inception-like corner. When I ask questions about the exact status of my conditions, the answers are filled with vagaries. I may be here three more weeks, maybe longer. The clot in my liver may be permanent, or it may be able to recanalize. The blood in my lungs may be gone for good, or it may return if my cough doesn't improve. The lesions on my tongue that make it difficult to eat will disappear when my white blood cell count pops in a week, or it may take several weeks for that cell count to return. The high fevers are likely gone for good. The platelete infusion I am receiving right now will likely be one of many more to come. (In a future blog entry, I will be giving details on how to donate blood, for anyone who'd like to help me pay the favor forward.)

There are lots of positives, and I need to remember that what's around a corner is usually what you expect to find there. I am kicking this disease. Ryan and my parents have been so great, as well as the doctors and nursing staff, and today I saw Katelyn for the first time in nine days.

She has a crush on a registered nurse here named Hoshi. Throughout her visit today, she would peer from the door of the Family Lounge and call his name. Next time Katelyn comes, we will have to bring her earlier while he is still on duty. With all she's been through, I can't deny her a chance to wave and say "Hi Hoshi!"

On a final note: some of my hair has started falling out, so thank you Jen and Mom for the beautiful hats. Maybe no more of it will fall out, and I will have a great fashion collection instead of a requisite collection!

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.