The remarkable Kathleen

Hi everyone:

I went with Kathleen to her oncology appointment yesterday morning. After two weeks since her last hospitalization, I was expecting that Kathleen would need to be admitted to the hospital for blood transfusions. Instead, her numbers jumped again. Her hemoglobin was at 11.5, and her platelets skyrocketed to more than 85,000 (still well below normal, but off-the-charts for Kathleen). Needless to say, she was a happy camper.

Kathleen received the first infusion in a second round of chemo. She came through it without event, although she's likely to feel a bit miserable through the weekend.

Don and Kathleen are planning a 4-day trip to Jamaica in mid-November, with her doc's blessing. Keep your fingers crossed she's faring well at the time they leave.

Kathleen's low blood pressure continues to be a concern. She was given fluids yesterday, and encouraged to eat more salty foods. In the scheme of things, this seems like small potatoes, which is exactly what we want to hear. The only blue moment in the day came when Kathleen asked her doctor how long he planned to keep her on chemo. His answer? "As long as it's working." I think Kathleen had hoped she'd catch a break. She shook her worries off quickly, as Kathleen is wont to do.

Don't you love a day full of good news, especially since so many of my postings haven't been so inspiring?

Love,
Brian

A no-hospitalization Wednesday

Hi everyone:

For a rare change, Kathleen went to her oncology appointment today and--get this--didn't have to head to the hospital for blood. Kathleen's friend Cindy took her today and is batting 2-for-2 on visits that don't result in hospitalizations. Kathleen's hemoglobin was over 10, and her platelets were in the 38,000 range--not great, but enough to keep her out of the hospital. If she's in decent shape next Wednesday, she'll start another course of chemotherapy. That's the latest...

Love,
Brian

She's outta there!

Hi everyone:

Kathleen was released from the hospital late this morning. Have a great weekend, all.

Love,
Brian

Numbers down

Hi everyone:

I went with Kathleen to her oncological appointment yesterday morning. Although Kathleen wasn't as weak or dizzy as she was going into previous appointments, and even though she'd put on a few pounds, her blood counts were low (6 for hemoglobin, 26,000 for platelets). What's more, her blood pressure, which typically runs on the low side, was low enough (70s over 40s) to be of concern. Her doctor admitted her on a 23-hour hospitalization so Kathleen could receive two units of blood.

Last night, Patty spent the night with Kathleen. During the night, Kathleen's blood pressure dipped to disconcerting levels (68/37), so she was moved to the ICU. This morning, her blood counts came back with marginal improvement, but not enough to allow her to go home. She's receiving another two units of blood this afternoon. We're not sure if she'll get out today or not. She's feeling a bit discouraged and depressed that she's stuck in the hospital when she thought she'd be able to go home.

I'll post another update as soon as I know more.

Love,
Brian

As promised...a quick update

Hi everyone:

I'm running around gathering things for my weekend road trip, and just remembered that I had promised an update before I left. So, here it is:

Kathleen went in for her third round of chemo this morning. Before she received the drugs, her blood counts were taken...and get this: her platelets were up to 58,000 and her hemoglobin was at 9. Although these are still below desired levels, this is the first time she's gone in and not had a substantial decline in her numbers. Let's hope this encouraging trend continues. Kathleen was a happy camper when she called with the results.

Kathleen will likely have a less-than-stellar weekend, because of the chemo, but hopefully these new numbers give her some added energy to fight the good fight.

Love,
Brian

Not much to report

Hi everyone:

I know from my experience writing this and Patty's medical blogs that days of silence promote worry, so I'm popping in to let you know that, as of last night, Kathleen was tired but otherwise faring pretty well. She had a busy Saturday, with visits from family and an outing with Don and Sean.

Kathleen is scheduled for a third round of chemo this coming Wednesday. At that time, she'll also have her blood levels checked. I will try to provide an update by Wednesday evening.

I'm leaving town for a few days starting Thursday, so please don't panic if things are quiet on this page. If there are any major developments, I'll find a way to get online and post an update.

Love,
Brian