Thursday, April 22, 2010

Day +10 - The Numbers Game



I really feel like I'm out of the woods now, and on the long climb back up to "normal".

So now it is a kind of numbers game we are playing. I get a "CBC" - or a complete blood count - taken everyday. This is used to monitor where I'm at in terms of my immune system functioning independently. The thing we are watching the most closely now is my white cell count.

At my lowest, the count was 0.1 - and they are looking for that to climb to at least 2.0 before I can go home. (2 Weeks ago, my white cell count was at 6.9 - to put some perspective on it).

The other number they are watching closely is my platelet count - in fact I've already received two transfusions of platelets to keep me going. Today's count was at "7" and a normal reading is more like 150-400.

So. This is why I'm still in the hospital I guess. In my isolation, I don't FEEL all that bad, but, out there in the real world I'm a danger to myself and others at the moment.

The Dr did say that "feeling good" is a great indicator that the actual counts will start to rise soon, so I remain hopeful that I'll be going home soon.

3 comments:

  1. So glad you're feeling better today, Mark!! That's great news. I hope Julie is back in action soon. Love and best wishes from Ann Arbor,
    Peggy and family : )

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  2. Mark,

    I haven't written for a couple of days, but I've been checking the blog and following your progress. The Boring picture is terrific, as is the dog (who looks like he/she could be the poster child for the town of Boring). In your context, Boring is Exciting, so that's good.

    As for your hair: I can speak from some experience. No hair is better than hair, at least in terms of daily maintenance--and think of all the hot-looking guys with no hair: Sean Connery, Kojak, Mr. Clean--just to name a few.

    Our news: Patricia is in New York--I know you and Julie can relate--and tonight (as I write this) she is taking David and Michael to a Broadway play called FENCES, starring Denzel Washington--she's got front row seats (row AA), so they are close enough to touch Denzel. Tomorrow they are going to Chinatown, then to South Pacific. It's an eye-opening trip for the boys. David reports that he can't believe how reckless the drivers are in NYC.

    Hang in there. And here's also wishing you a somewhat belated birthday.

    Fox

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  3. Hi Mark,

    Just checking in and of course delighted about the "out of the woods" stuff. Yor blog is the top! I love the Waits links.

    How are you with Brahms? My choir is singing a number from the German Requiem ("Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen") so I was browsing for a video and really liked this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izNO892qy7Q

    I'm baching it this weekend as Carol is in Vermont checking visiting Eric & Dia.. a quiet house here. Trying to figure out what to do with the bluetooth on my brand new iTouch, my first iPod ever! & wondering if I should jailbreak it.... I can't figure out how to get detailed track information, and most of my track titles are so long I can't see what they are!

    warmest wishes to you Mark -- Ted

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