A whack from the cosmos

You see I was too happy. Anyway I’m still happy but more cautious My feet have been giving me a problem for a year…… the left one has a bone spur that acts up from time to time. This time because the right foot acted up and I walked funny yesterday, so today both feet hurt. I’m getting ice packs and I’m already on pain killers so that it advances as it wants.

Dr David the new registrar was concerned bout my LFTs -Liver Function tests. He talked to me about a sound scan and since Dr. Schoozenbootz was the dr. on call and coming in any way got him in to see me today I was surprised to see him but my LFTs have been high for years so maybe they would get to the bottom of it . Don’t know when it’s booked for, my guess is Tomorrow so for rounds on Monday… they have the info.

Jac and Karim were here this evening along with Jo, Gene, bluey, at the same time my nausea popped up so I avoided dinner by talking to them. I’ve since had two drugs and am settled with a couple of protein drinks. I have a whole lifetime to eat real food so who cares anyway. Not much of a miss tonight bluey says. Karim has a new job starting Monday that he is really into and he took his tools into the shop this week. He had stories of that and they had stories of a trip to Melbourne. Very nice.

I understand my dog got a supper cut in sympathy with me . That dog is too cool. Hey Mumbles can you post a pic or email it to me for posting?

just a mini update for now.

more later
Chris

Wow Rick was drinking rocket fuel!

I reckon my brother,Derrek, but who I have always called Rick, must have been drinking rocket fuel before he donated cells. My counts are taking off like a rocket!

This is Day 15 and the third day that my counts are rising. Only 4 days ago I had zero neutrophils and today I have 4.6; the normal range is 2 -7.5….. In three days they are normal! They are higher then when I came in to hospital. The white cells are in normal range as well!

Granted I had a ‘whiff of G” that’s growth factor, and it has helped, but Rick’s cells are obviously liking my environment.

I am doing so very well they are a bit astounded. I may be going home this week and it may be the earliest that any transplantee has gone home (to Kangaroo Point).

I still have a ways to go as the platelets and red cells take longer to produce, we expect to see slower pick up on them. And then there is Graft verus Host Disease but I haven’t have a temperature yet so that is good. My liver is still a bit off the mark but it not tender so may just be the way I am built. My mouth sores are starting to heal already and are a little less sore, so may be off pain meds in a couple of days.

We just have to wait and see. But in the meantime let’s raise our glasses to my new hero Derrek Olin for having jet fuelled cells!

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Chris

Real Lift off!

Its official what was a tiny rise yesterday was a giant step today. In two days I have gone from flat counts to NON-Neutrapenic! Wow that ‘whiff of G’ yesterday was doing its stuff cause I went from 0.00 neutrophils to .07 yesterday to 1.07 today! Yes that does seem to be a big jump! They came from day 5, nine days ago, of 1.35 then down to.64 then.17 then .03,.02,.01 before going to zero and now coming up like that is remarkable. White cells did similar. It flattened to .2 for several days then yesterday was .5 and today was 1.8 that level was last seen in day 5 as well.

So Rick’s cells have landed and are producing new blood cells. They were talking about me going home next week if I don’t get a temperature. Still a lot of work to be done by my body and my new cells so don’t go counting chickens……I know Lisa and Alicia that you actually have chickens you can count but don’t do it yet.

My hair was coming out in chunks so I gelled it up today and then when Jo and Gene got here, I got rid of it. However Jo being herself did a pattern which you might see in this picture. Other pictures are at http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s195/chrisolin/ they show Jo mid flight and me with little pom poms I made her shave off.

I’m going to try to blog earlier tomorrow so I’m not so tired as I am tonight so ….

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Chris

We have the smallest lift off!

the end of an interesting day. Got up after not a bad night but slept late 6:30. walked and started breakfast at 7:00 started to get my anti nausea at about 7:10 or so. at 7:30 without notice I lost my breakfast. the lesson is despite not feeling nauseaous, I might be, and I need to take the medicine BEFORE I eat.

I checked my hair and it is coming out in clumps. Which releived Dr. Schoozenbotz because he said " you're not coming into my day surgery looking like that" and laughed his head off.

Then I got the counts and found there was a very slight rise in both neutriphils and White cells. from 0.00 to 0.07 neut. and from 0.2 to 0.5 in white cells. It's small but its a start. Much later Dr. Schoozenbotz said that he wants me to "get a whiff of G" that turns out to mean a small dose of Growth Factor. 'cause he thinks I'll grow nutriphils like crazy now.

The other docs in the team came in, in the afternoon as well and think that if I do well and don't get a temp., then I might go home(to kangaroo point) next week! Which will be the fastest ever! Okay before we get too excited ...still ahead may be Host Versus Graft Disease which I can't start to get until my counts are back; and any combination of things that can give me a temp and infection. So we are still talking in the woods folks.

I wore a new shirt that Joyce gave me that went down a treat with the folks.

Thanks for all the support you are making it happen!
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Chris

Update and finish off things

Last night I bloged that I had a smell halucination. They had said on transplant day that the patient often smells OF roasted corn fromm the stuff that the cells are in. I have smelled the smell twice now. was so strong I asked french nurse to come in and see if she could smell anything (blind test: i didn't say what I was smelling) To my great relief and amusement she said "popped corn, the girl next door is eating it now." so much for my postive pressure sealed isolation room but that's all okay 'cause I'm not hallucinating!

4 pm I'm reporting feeling good with some pain but most masked. BP 135/75, temp 36.6,pulse still up at 86 good blood oxy. counts are as expected but got red cells today, platelets are up a bit by the selves, but Docs say that's not unusual just prioir to engraftment.

slept a couple ot ftime today. still walked and goong now prior to dinner.

Hi Nate Hi Jonnie, who commented her first time this week.

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Chris

What a difference a night makes!

I'm so much bertter this morning with out being that much better.....confused? I am still with a headache, earache, throat ache, now my glands are sore but I had 8.5 hours sleep in three blocks 9 to mid, mid to 4:30am, and 4:30 to 5:30. and the general feeling poorly is gone. took some extra pain meds so may have that under control now. So I feel so much better.

BP down to 130/70, pulse stilll a bit high, temp 36.6 Today I get the mini bomb STOP drug they call the rescue at 3:30pm sane time as the bomb yesterday, they leave it in only 24 hours so improvement in y future. Don't know the counts. weight 84.6 and stable.

Just want to let you know that i feel better today.

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chris

A bit worse for wear

My thanks to all the staff, volunteers and committee at the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre for sending me this huge balloon bouquet. very fine addition to my room.

Health Check: Day 11
Pulse up a bit. Blood pressure a bit high. Temp=37.2 higher for me but still not a temperature. Second day of Comp....... broken this evening. weight good no need for laysix. Counts good for platlets and hemaglobin so no infustions today, will probably need platelets tomorrow. Pain increaing in throat and head.

Had a bit of a turn after lunch, thank goodness Bluey was here. Just felt weird but it went away. Too bad 'cause I woke uu this morning feeling really good and had enough sleep. Had the last of the chemo mini bombs and that set me off of my dinner, got the soup down and two glasses of milk though. Napped a bit and feel a bit better but still have vague uneasy tummy. Can't have my favourite - soluable rapid panadol. fizzy for tummy, gargle it on the way in for throat and swallow for headache. Will have to stay up until 10. I thought I had worked the timings out better than this, oh well. French Nurse is being very suppport and creative so I'm trying Endone for the head now.....good so far.

I've finished page two of the Carers Photo Scrapbook and Bluey brought pages in this afternoon. Page three is done as far as I have pictures but I'm still getting new (to me staff). That's 20 on each page so far and 11 on the the 3rd page. 53 people including the few cleaners and docs!

Bluey I do feel better but am going to start the sleeping soon. At least I slowed in the Number one rush. In the time it's taken to do this entry the endone has done it's work and the headache is receeding!

That werid thing where I strongly smell roasted corn is back, Might be the endone in combination with something. Maybe it's the mini bomb. It just comes out of nowhere and then later is gone. Very strong right now.

Haven't read comments or email will try tomorrow.

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Chris