Month 14
I’ve decided to stop trying to count days post transplant and start counting months instead. It’s too much trouble to try to figure out the number of days, and I’m guessing a large percentage of those reading this and paying attention to the number of days do some kind of translation of days to weeks/months/years anyway. At my clinic appointment yesterday, I got the following blood counts:
..... last month current normal
..... ---------- ------- ---------
WBC.. 6.0 ...... 5.9 ..... 4 – 11
Hgb.. 11.0 ..... 11.5 ... 14 – 18
Plt.. 234 ...... 231 ... 150 – 400
These counts are all pretty good even though my hemoglobin count shows me to be slightly anemic and this may be a permanent condition. After factoring in that my liver still seems to be doing well while my kidneys seems slightly stressed, the doctor cut back not only my Cellcept from 2 pills a day to 1, but also my anti-fungal drug altogether. The hopeful aspect to that is that it might be the one causing my taste problems which actually seem to have gotten worse lately.
I asked both the PA and the doctor about how quickly I could be weaned from my other meds once I am off the immune suppressant and got two somewhat different answers. The PA said that because it will likely be in the Nov/Dec timeframe which is cold/flu season, they may stick with some of the meds a bit longer than if it were some other season. The doctor didn’t express that reluctance and, like I said, took me off one of the other drugs already. In the end, the doctor makes the determination, so I am glad he sounds a bit more aggressive in terms of weaning because I am anxious to be off meds.
I’ve been exercising even more, and while I can tell I’m still not back to where I was and want to be again in terms of fitness, I certainly feel like I’m continuing to improve. And after some confusion among the BMT clinic, my company’s HR staff, and its long term disability insurer, it looks like I’m about to get back on the payroll as a regular full time employee.
I told my social worker at the clinic that I would be interested in participating in orientation sessions for people who are facing a bone marrow transplant (along with their families) as someone who has been through the ordeal. She gave me a list of upcoming dates when there would be such sessions if needed (they don’t always have enough prospective transplantees to necessitate an orientation) and I am going to let her know which of them work for me. I would like the chance to help in this way if I can.
Hanging in, and still getting better.
Love,
Justin
..... last month current normal
..... ---------- ------- ---------
WBC.. 6.0 ...... 5.9 ..... 4 – 11
Hgb.. 11.0 ..... 11.5 ... 14 – 18
Plt.. 234 ...... 231 ... 150 – 400
These counts are all pretty good even though my hemoglobin count shows me to be slightly anemic and this may be a permanent condition. After factoring in that my liver still seems to be doing well while my kidneys seems slightly stressed, the doctor cut back not only my Cellcept from 2 pills a day to 1, but also my anti-fungal drug altogether. The hopeful aspect to that is that it might be the one causing my taste problems which actually seem to have gotten worse lately.
I asked both the PA and the doctor about how quickly I could be weaned from my other meds once I am off the immune suppressant and got two somewhat different answers. The PA said that because it will likely be in the Nov/Dec timeframe which is cold/flu season, they may stick with some of the meds a bit longer than if it were some other season. The doctor didn’t express that reluctance and, like I said, took me off one of the other drugs already. In the end, the doctor makes the determination, so I am glad he sounds a bit more aggressive in terms of weaning because I am anxious to be off meds.
I’ve been exercising even more, and while I can tell I’m still not back to where I was and want to be again in terms of fitness, I certainly feel like I’m continuing to improve. And after some confusion among the BMT clinic, my company’s HR staff, and its long term disability insurer, it looks like I’m about to get back on the payroll as a regular full time employee.
I told my social worker at the clinic that I would be interested in participating in orientation sessions for people who are facing a bone marrow transplant (along with their families) as someone who has been through the ordeal. She gave me a list of upcoming dates when there would be such sessions if needed (they don’t always have enough prospective transplantees to necessitate an orientation) and I am going to let her know which of them work for me. I would like the chance to help in this way if I can.
Hanging in, and still getting better.
Love,
Justin
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