Literally - Word for the Day -- Friday, October 30, 2015

Literally

Definition:  Adverb -- actually; without exaggeration or inaccuracy:   in effect; in substance; very nearly; virtually.


We are On Track!  WBC -  .034 (need to get up above 2.00); RBC - 2.42; hemoglobin - 8.6; platelets - 22 (up from 13 yesterday); Crap - 93.5 (up from yesterday 93).  We are On Track - Literally!


Had the CT on lungs Wednesday and it shows he has a slight infection in lower lobe and upper lobe of left lung and upper lobe of right lung.  He's been getting the cefepime each day in clinic and I am still administering in the evening by infuser.  With his WBC counts coming up along with his other stats, it pulls down his magnesium, potassium and phosphorus.  We told them we had the pills for this, but they need to get it in his system quicker, so he has it through port in clinic, also. 


Along with the WBC and other stats pulling his 'vitamins' down, his intestinal lining is taking away those things, too, because of the chemo and transplant.  This all seems to make sense if you really just think about it.


I spoke with Poppy's aunt in Illinois yesterday.  I think we were on the phone for about 45 minutes. I'm not a phone person...  LOL  I was running an errand to get him some of those damn cigars.  I finally parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot so I could focus on our conversation.  She makes me laugh about a lot of this stuff when I explain it to her.  Before we said our goodbyes I told her I knew God had something else up his sleeve to keep me in line.....  When I got home we sat in the den and was catching up on the day's activities...  I heard a loud BOOM!!!  As soon as I heard it I knew it was a tree we had expected to fall the past year.  It's as big around as Poppy...and it's about 50 ft long.  The kids were on the deck and they ran to it immediately.  Soooooo, God changed my focus on the lung infection and turned it to -- "Thank you, the kids weren't hurt!"


Some good news about the "We are On Track" is, we may not have to cancel our plans for a weekend trip next week.  His APN says his counts should be back up by Wednesday.  I ran into Dr. Z on my way to get our weekly Starbucks downstairs and as we spoke, he too indicated his counts should be back up Tuesday or Wednesday.  So, we may be able to cancel our 8:30 a.m. visits to clinic for next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  We so needed to hear that today.  Although.....something may happen to change things, it gives us something to look forward.


I have to tell you.... Poppy makes me SICK -- Literally.  I found myself feeling a scratchy throat and some sniffles this week.  I have stayed further away from him because of this.  I can't tell you the last time he kissed me good night or good morning... Months!!!  I slept in the spare room last night.  I began wearing a mask last night when I changed out his infuser or anytime I have to do anything around him.  I have also been lathering my face and neck up with Vicks every night this week.


I spoke with his APN today about it.  I have been afraid all week if I shared this with the clinic they would ban me from him - Literally.  Since I knew all the nurses, APNs and some doctors were dressing for Halloween today, I wore a sweater cap and a procedure mask.  Told them I was posing as a cancer patient...  We all got a laugh out of it...  When I shared my concerns with his APN, I also told her Poppy had some cephalexin (antibiotics) I planned to start taking. 


She quizzed me about fever -- none...  She quizzed me about some other things.  Then she said the cephalexin probably won't do the treat because she believes I have a viral infection.  I have to wear a mask if I'm within 3 ft. of him.  Keep my hands washed constantly.  Things I have been doing anyway.  Everyone there knows how cautious I am.. I'm just so thankful I can continue to care for him.  I went to bed at 2:30 this afternoon and fell right to sleep for about an hour.  Y'all know I'm not a napper and can't sleep when the sun is up... That surprised me.  Literally!  LOL


He is wanting to drive himself to clinic tomorrow.  He really wanted to today, but I told him I needed to go into work.  Trying to finish up budget reports.  I did do some of the work, but did it on my laptop at the clinic instead.  So, I have a feeling he will want to take himself tomorrow, if I'm dragging...  I may tell him I have some other things to do at work, to deter him.  AND, mark your calendar.... He will be back to work on Monday.. Just sayin.... I know him like a book...


I put my back pack blower on yesterday after the tree fell and did the whole back yard.  It was covered with leaves.  He is already talking about burning piles next week, but I warned him that his lungs will be tender for a few months.  He will be wearing a mask the next few months if he is in the yard doing stuff like that.


I bathed the kids last night before bedtime.  I know they are ready to get back into routine.  They have been confined to the sunroom for the most part of this week.  When I went upstairs for a nap today, Sugar slept on my chest the whole time.  She has become so protective of me.  Doesn't even want Pete around me.  She is such a loving animal.  Don't need a blanket when she's on me.  Limp as a rag.


There is a neon light at the end of the tunnel...  I believe we are at the top of the mountain.  I'm thinking by Sunday we will see a major change in labs and in the crap.  We are On Track....


Day #8 plus...


Good Night and Love -- Pepper

Post Stem Cell Transplant Side Effects - Words for the Day - Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Post Stem Cell (Menopause) Side Effects --

Yesssss... You read right.  Although, I won't go into the gory details of the Real Post Side Effects, I will tell you about the personal and professional side. 


I would NOT want to be a RN, nurses' assistant, lab tech, gopher or anything else related to these in the Infusion center.  Oh My!  You should "hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil".  It's all evil some days.  Some days you just have to sit back and grin, because you've been there.  Patient, caregivers or all of the above previously listed.


Ex:  Older couple about 70s.  He's the patient... They are talking about Christmas music back home and about rehersal dates.  Then, all of a sudden they were arguing about new steps in the house.  He built them and he knew there was nothing wrong with them.  She wanted new ones.  She couldn't justify why, except she wanted new ones.  He began to almost shout (really loud talking) and told her he wasn't talking to her anymore about the subject.  If she couldn't agree with him, he had nothing else to say...  (Silence is golden)


Our eyes met and starting rolling...  Under that mask I could see a smirk on Poppy's face.  I just kinda dropped my eyes.  I kinda think the both of us was thinking about K.T. Olson's song, "Hold Me"... It's about a man coming home from work and telling his wife to sit down.  Tells her when he left for work that morning he just almost kept driving.  Had to get away from it all.  Even her.  Then she shares her story.  It was the same.  Then they look at each other and kiss.... She tells him to "don't kiss me like we're married.... kiss me like we're lovers!"...  Y'all really need to listen to it.


I knew then our peak was over.  We went in all gloomy...  Fog on the way end... That kinda set the stage for our morning.  Our family in the clinic -- patients and nurses and all of the above.... know the signs... They just roll with the flow...  They hug on you and whisper... "If you need to talk ---". 


Soooooo, that's the most part of "Post Stem Cell Transplant Side Effects".  It ain't a pretty picture.  We knew it was coming.  We just forgot how bad it can get.  We are going on the upside.  WBC is coming up.  Platelets needed today.  Blood needed today.  More Cepfepime infuser tonight.  Crap crept up 10 points.  We see a light at the end of the tunnel. 


In our pit fall this morning, one of our nurses looked at Poppy and said, "The sun is gonna shine when you leave today."  When she asked him how he felt, he said a "Rag"!  "A dirty rag", a "limp rag"... Just a "Rag".... I looked at her and said, "Actually he's trying to tell you he has been on the Rag all week"!!!!  We all stopped!!! Looked at Poppy and then all fell out laughing!!! 


Then there was Steve (our singing nurse).  He sees the salt water rolling down my cheeks and says, "That's okay... I got him on Friday... I'll work him over for ya!" 


It's been a good week.  I took off today... We both got a lot of work done...


When we walked out of Infusion -- the same nurse, Nichole, said as she looked at the window -- "see, I told ya.. the sun is shining!"  And, it was...


We ARE on Track!!


Good Night and Love - Pepper

Cefepime - Word for the Day -- Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Cefepime

Cefepime is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic and has been used to treat bacteria responsible for causing pneumonia and infections of the skin and urinary tract.


Day +5 -- We are on a downward spiral, which means we are on track and soon to be upward.  Doesn't that sound "backward" because right now it doesn't see forward to us?


It's been another topsy-turvy couple of days, but the APN tells us we are on track.  I'm assuming some of the signs of 'on track' are feeling gloomy, spitting at each other, not talking, feeling sorry for ourselves.. But, I digress... ONWARD!


WBC was at .10 yesterday and today .03.  So tomorrow he may be 0.0... BUT, remember we are on track!  Platelets were 19 yesterday and today are 24.  Don't get excited about the creeping up because he had a bag of platelets yesterday.  That brings platelets up.  Crap was 54.2 on Sunday, 68.9 on Monday and sitting at 83 today.  Oh Crap!!!  Here comes the Cefepime!  But, don't forget -- we are on track!


He got Invanz again today and then cefepime afterward.  They wanted him to come back to clinic tonight for another infuser of cefepime, BUT, Pepper to the rescue!  I told them we already had an infuser from Sunday as we were awaiting a fever spike.  So, I hooked him up at 7:15 tonight and he should be done in about 30 min.


When APN checked his breathing today she noticed his left lung was not getting the same amount of air as the right.  So tomorrow they are doing a CT scan to see if that may be where his infection lies.  They also did a stick up his nose today to make certain there's nothing going on there.  AND, even though he got blood cultures pulled out of his veins yesterday, they did another on his port tubes today.  They wanna make certain he doesn't have some kind of infection in his port area.


I have to be honest, this infection crap worries me.  I know I shouldn't worry, but that's why he was in the hospital in July.  And, the checking the port area for infection scares me, too.  I keep remembering the staph infection someone we knew had in their port and he passed away.  These things have been eating me up.


We had the massive diahrera deal on Sunday and Monday.  I've been spot cleaning carpet.  I was irritated about it.  Not that these accidents are happening, but that if he drank more liquids it would assist on pushing the antibiotics out of his system and the diarrhea would not be as excessive.  Had to make a run to WM yesterday and get bed pads for the carpet, Immodium for the runs and more trash bags. 


I don't believe he had 20 oz of liquid on Sunday. He is suppose to have two liters a day.  I took him in yesterday and dropped him off.  When I picked him up I dropped a bug in the nurse's ear about that.  Sooooo, fluids today.  I'm thinking -- "Is it cheaper to drink liquids at home or pay for a bag at the clinic?"  That's why I'm irritated. Oh well.... I'm sure he's irritated with me, too.  ONWARD!


He had a bit of oatmeal this morning and I made him a bologna sandwich with onions (his fav) when we finally got home today.  He didn't eat it.  He did have one small container of pudding.  He says everything stinks.  Part of the process.  Hoping he will feel like eating in a couple of days.  I have a meatloaf planned.


I know that he feels bad because he isn't even smoking those little cigars.  Hasn't even been to the garage to see if he has any. 


Not too much more to share.  I feel like I am boing you with all my complaining.  After all, it's not about me... LOL  His APN says she knows we are in the 'feeling down' mode, and it's common, but "We are on Track".  I have cried the last couple of days.  I slept on the couch in the living room last night with the kids because I didn't want them around him and so I could cry in private.  I haven't cried in front of him, but today in clinic he did see a few tears roll down my cheeks.  He didn't ask, because when the APN asked how he felt, I believe I saw his eyes get misty, too.  We have 3-4 more days of neutropenia. 


Good Night and Love -- Pepper