More platelets

Received the following e-mail update from Vicki today:
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Had to get platlets again. That is twice this week. The NP wants to transplant more stem cells. She doesn't think my platlets are coming back fast enough. If they do it I wouldn't have to stay in the hospital and it wouldn't involve anymore chemo. She says Dr Damon is thinking it is too soon to do another transplant. He wants to give me more time for my body to develop more platlets.

I am pretty discouraged and scared. Please pray or send good thoughts my way!

More Transfusions

Vicki went for one of her bi-weekly visits to the clinic today. She needed two units of whole blood and another unit of platelets, but is otherwise doing well, slowly recovering. This weekend she felt well enough to make an outing to the dog park with Jack and the boys.

She's back online doing e-mail, a sure sign she's feeling a bit stronger.

All is Well

I just heard from Jack and all is well. The doctor said that he is not at all concerned about Vicki's blood counts and that a drop is not unusual. He also looked at her blood microscopically and saw no signs of leukemia. He says it'll take at least 60 days from the transplant before her blood counts are anywhere near normal and today is approximately day 30. I have read online that it can be 100 days to as long as a year before they are completely normal.

Today her white cells and platelets were looking pretty good, still up from the last set of transfusions, so she's just getting a unit of platelets this afternoon then coming back home.

Jack sounded much better, very relieved and happy. He said he regretted raising the alarm unnecessarily, but I assured him that we're just happy to have good news.

No News Yet

I talked to Vicki on the phone this morning. She and Jack were on their way to the hospital for their appointment with the transplant doctor. She slept all day yesterday then took a sleeping pill so she could sleep last night. Between all that sleep and Tuesday's transfusions and electrolytes she said she was feeling a lot better.

I have been extremely worried since yesterday's news and I'm sure I'm not alone. Talking to her and hearing her sound so good made me feel a lot better so I wanted to share that with you.

I will post again as soon as I have any news.

A Message from Jack

All - received the following from Jack:

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We left home yesterday for our appointment at UCSF at 10:30 am, and got home this morning at 1:15 am. It was a very trying day, and we are not sure what is in store now. Vic ate a little breakfast (grits and scrambled eggs) this morning and headed back to bed. The dogs pretty much sleep on top of her right now, they try to get so close.... We are very grateful for all of the support we receive from friends and relatives. Please continue to lift Vicki up in your thoughts and prayers.

A Downturn

The McF's went to UCSF for Tuesday platelets. V.'s blood counts were not good. They have dropped below what they were when she left the hospital. This is a very concerning development. She had to receive two units of whole blood, a unit of platelets, and a Neupogen shot to stimulate her bone marrow. This made for a long day and they did not get home until 1 AM.

These appointments for platelet transfusions have been with a nurse practitioner. They already had an appointment to go back on Friday, but the NP has scheduled them to go back on Thursday when the doctor will be there. They will need to discuss these latest results and decide what to do.

Vicki also told me that the veins in her arm are in very bad shape. They can't use her right arm due to her previous breast cancer surgery; removal of lymph nodes compromises her circulation on that side. Her left arm has been used so much that the veins are pretty much shot. When she goes in for blood tests and for transfusions they have to get a special IV nurse to be able to hit a good vein without a whole lot of unnecessary poking.

More of the same

Not much to report, just more slow recovery. V. made a trip to UCSF this week and received a unit of platelets. She will do this twice a week until her counts rise to an adequate level. Between the trip to the city over the Bay Bridge, waiting at the clinic, and getting any treatments it's an all day affair which is very tiring, but it's still better than hospitalization.

I think the thing V. needs from us most right now is continued support in taking it slowly and accepting that her recovery will take a long time. She is very, very fatigued (still not feeling up to doing much e-mail) and disappointed that she's not perking up faster.