Monday, December 29, 2003
Day + 75 Christmas day was nice for everyone but me. I came down with the flu that the shot didn't cover. I figure I picked it up on one of those many trips to Longs filling and refilling medication for John. Worst part is that of course no matter how careful I was wearing a mask, washing my hands, wiping the phone with alcohol John still began to sneeze and get a sore throat by Christmas night. Luckily Dr. Stein had us fill a prescription of the drug, Tamiflu that John was instructed to take once a day if he was exposed to the flu (which he started on Christmas) and take twice a day as soon as he had symptoms, so John increased the medicine. I know that medicine averted disaster that I would forever feel guilty for being the actual germ bearer to John being seriously ill between any treatments. John has been pretty fortunate to not have any serious infections between chemo whereas other leukemia patients are in and out of the hospital with one problem or another. The Tamiflu also made it so he didn't have to cancel his plans to go to Santa Cruz to visit Uncle Bob with his girlfriend Cynthia. I hope he fills readers in with the details of his little vacation.
Today at his doctors appointment this morning which they squeezed him in for as a reward for not calling Dr. Wolf on his secret bat phone over the weekend, it turns out John did not have the flu, but an upper respiratory infection. I am convinced the Tamilflu kept any terrible thing at bay, but I tell myself that so I don't feel silly that I was freaking out over John having essentially a chest cold. He is now on a 10 day antibiotic, his chest xray was clear, and Dr. Wolf lowered his prednisone. His platelets are finally going up again, for what ever reason, I am not going to look a gift horse in the face. As far as I am concerned--platelets up--good. He is still getting the weekly Epogen injections, without them he probably would of needed a transfusion by now of red cells since even with the shots his hemoglobin has only risen from 10.0 to 10.1. The best news is John will only have to be seen once a week now unless there is a problem. I am confident John is ready for the once a week as scheduling is a nightmare for Dr. Wolf's scheduler as he is booked weeks in advance and they are asked to look for an appointment for John each week. Some times I feel bad as we walk into her office because she knows she has to do the impossible and find time for John.
The next update will be January 5th. Have a Happy New Year.
Today at his doctors appointment this morning which they squeezed him in for as a reward for not calling Dr. Wolf on his secret bat phone over the weekend, it turns out John did not have the flu, but an upper respiratory infection. I am convinced the Tamilflu kept any terrible thing at bay, but I tell myself that so I don't feel silly that I was freaking out over John having essentially a chest cold. He is now on a 10 day antibiotic, his chest xray was clear, and Dr. Wolf lowered his prednisone. His platelets are finally going up again, for what ever reason, I am not going to look a gift horse in the face. As far as I am concerned--platelets up--good. He is still getting the weekly Epogen injections, without them he probably would of needed a transfusion by now of red cells since even with the shots his hemoglobin has only risen from 10.0 to 10.1. The best news is John will only have to be seen once a week now unless there is a problem. I am confident John is ready for the once a week as scheduling is a nightmare for Dr. Wolf's scheduler as he is booked weeks in advance and they are asked to look for an appointment for John each week. Some times I feel bad as we walk into her office because she knows she has to do the impossible and find time for John.
The next update will be January 5th. Have a Happy New Year.
