New Medical Terminology

BOX SCORE
Element	Current	Std. Range	Trend
Hemoglobin	11.6	13-17	v
Platelets	22	140-375	v
ANC	1700	1800-8300	v

Life is full of surprises. Just when you think you know what's going on, you may find that things are not what they seem. Today is Monday, and Monday is blood draw day. Accordingly, we made the trek to Kaiser North Lancaster Medical Office this morning for the purpose of donating a sample of my vital juice to the cause. Surprisingly, given that it IS Monday, the drive was pretty easy, and the lab was not swamped with patients. The phlebotomist did an excellent job of drawing blood out of one of my veins, all of which are now difficult to find, having been battered by months of needle sticks. In fact, I barely felt the poke this morning, the sign of a phlebotomist who knows her craft. 

In an unusual turn of events the first reports to come in from the lab comprised the metabolic tests, which are done to track my kidney and liver functions. All of those results were within the standard ranges. A bit later I was notified that another lab test result was available. Anticipating learning about my platelet count and my ANC (arbiter of immunity), I logged on and found that the white blood cell (WBC) count, which includes ANC, was not yet available. Perhaps, the Lord wanted to give me the information in little bites. My platelet count is at 22; not alarming, but not encouraging. My hemoglobin is low but within the usual range I am accustomed to seeing. That probably accounts, in part for the fact that I have been feeling so well the past couple of weeks. 

In the meantime, we have been able to connect with all of our children and grandchildren this week, with the exception of the eldest grandchild, Josiah, who is a freshman at UC Santa Cruz and in the middle of mid-terms. It was good to have the family together. They are all such a joy to us, and the Lord has blessed us with a blended family that has blended so well that our kids call one another brother and sister. The credit for that development goes to God and to our kids, who have made an extraordinary effort to build and maintain communications with one another. Of course, we don't know what they say among themselves about me and Jill, but then I guess no parents really know what their kids say behind their backs! Bottom line: God is good, our kids are good, our grandkids are good, and we are overflowing with gratitude. Our love buckets are full to the brim. 

Tomorrow, I am scheduled for a bone marrow biopsy to see what is going on with these wonky blood counts. (BTW, wonky is apparently a widely accepted medical term now; we've heard it from multiple health care providers!) The biopsy takes about 15 minutes under local anesthesia. I will be mildly sedated, which means I will probably get a good nap tomorrow afternoon following the procedure. Results can take up to three weeks, since they involve genetic testing, in addition to microscopic analysis. So, it is likely that we won't have final results until early December. 

In other good news, the deletion of Levoquin from my medical regimen has done wonders in terms of how I am feeling. I no longer have the tendonitis pain that was pretty generalized throughout my body. I haven't felt this good in months. So, in spite of the wonky counts, life has been supremely good for a couple of weeks, and since our mantra is "one day at a time," there is no room for complaint anywhere.

And now, the WBC differential counts have arrived, showing my ANC to be 1700. You will notice in the Box Score above that that number is below the Standard Range, however it is way above the baseline that requires quarantine...and Levoquin. So, all things considered I find these blood counts to be acceptable, even if the platelets are a little "wonky." 

There will be a quiz next period, so review all the new medical terms you have learned before class!

    For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)