Day 63
I went back to the clinic today and my blood tests showed my white blood count is down again.
WBC – 1.8
Hgb – 11.3
Plt – 196
So the WBC went from 5.2 last Thursday to 1.8 today. While they said the platelet count going up a bit was a good sign, the WBC drop concerned them enough to want to do another bone marrow biopsy which they did today. I won’t get the results until next week. In the meantime, they cut the dosage of my immuno-suppressant from 3 a day to 2. When the PA told me to reduce the dosage, she also warned me to call in immediately if I got diarrhea or my skin rash became worse. It seems they want to give my new immune system more of a chance to do the kind of fighting it is supposed to do, and I think this may be because of a fear of relapse of my MDS. When I asked about this directly, the response was that they thought it very unlikely at this point because of the last chimerism study a few weeks ago showing 100% new bone marrow and because I’m showing signs of GvHD.
My creatine levels were down from Wednesday, meaning my kidneys are doing better, even though the only difference since then is that I was given IV fluids.
My blood counts may be doing strange things, but I wouldn’t know it without the blood tests because I still feel pretty good overall. I take this as a good sign, even if it’s from naiveté. I’m still not stressing much about the changes and still feel like whatever comes up, we’ll deal with it and get past it. The medical professionals I see seem to take the same attitude and I find that quite helpful.
Once again, I will write when I know something more.
Love,
Justin
WBC – 1.8
Hgb – 11.3
Plt – 196
So the WBC went from 5.2 last Thursday to 1.8 today. While they said the platelet count going up a bit was a good sign, the WBC drop concerned them enough to want to do another bone marrow biopsy which they did today. I won’t get the results until next week. In the meantime, they cut the dosage of my immuno-suppressant from 3 a day to 2. When the PA told me to reduce the dosage, she also warned me to call in immediately if I got diarrhea or my skin rash became worse. It seems they want to give my new immune system more of a chance to do the kind of fighting it is supposed to do, and I think this may be because of a fear of relapse of my MDS. When I asked about this directly, the response was that they thought it very unlikely at this point because of the last chimerism study a few weeks ago showing 100% new bone marrow and because I’m showing signs of GvHD.
My creatine levels were down from Wednesday, meaning my kidneys are doing better, even though the only difference since then is that I was given IV fluids.
My blood counts may be doing strange things, but I wouldn’t know it without the blood tests because I still feel pretty good overall. I take this as a good sign, even if it’s from naiveté. I’m still not stressing much about the changes and still feel like whatever comes up, we’ll deal with it and get past it. The medical professionals I see seem to take the same attitude and I find that quite helpful.
Once again, I will write when I know something more.
Love,
Justin
1 Comments:
Justin,
I just clued into the fact we can comment to you. Keep up the good work. Your body is doing amazing things. It also knows you better than anyone and will do what it has to to keep you slowed down so it can heal completely. You continue to be such an inspiration. I thought of you alot with Karen Johns passing on and how she didn't look at "fighting" the foreign cells in her body but welcomed them and what they were there to do and teach. Anyway, you're awesome. I'll keep the prayers coming. Love you (and Jody and all) Miriam
Post a Comment
<< Home