T+11 Good News

BOX SCORE




Element

Current

Std. Range

Trend

Hemoglobin

8.1

13-17

v

Platelets

9

140-375

v

ANC

MIA    

1800-8300

-

There is an old Spiritual Hymn called "Good News." The refrain goes like this: 

Good news, chariot's a-comin' 

Good news, chariots' a-comin' 

Good news, chariots' a-comin'

And I don't want it to leave me behind. 

I must plead ignorance as to which chariot this refers to in Scripture, but the song is a joyful one. Perhaps, it refers to the same chariot as appears in another Spiritual, "Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to carry me home." I think it is likely, because both songs seem to be about being taken to heaven. 

I thought of "Good News" this morning when my nurse came in and said, "Your labs show a tiny little bit of rise in white blood cells. There aren't enough to differentiate what kind they are, but it's a good start. Typically, once they appear, they tend to double each day, so they pile up rather quickly." Later in the morning, Dr. Leonard, the HemOnc in residence this week, visited us on her rounds. She confirmed what the nurse had told me. So, not only is there good news, but corroborated good news. 

The original tentative discharge date I was given was Wednesday the 22nd. Dr. Leonard's estimate would put my progress at about day T+10*, whereas today is T+11. So, I won't be surprised if I am here beyond the 22nd, but that chariot is a-comin', and I don't want it to leave me behind. Quite frankly I didn't expect to be doing this well this soon. So, if I am discharged a day or two late, I will be pleased indeed. As long as I don't miss that chariot. 

One reason I'd like to be "home" in Marquam Manor by the end of the week is that our daughter Laura and her family will be in town from San Diego next weekend. We have the OK to meet with them, using appropriate precautions for my immunocompromised status, provided I am discharged in time. 

So, today was one of good news. Jill was here with me. We walked, watched some golf, Zoomed with our other daughter Tara and rejoiced that my new immune system is beginning to awaken. The Lord has been so good to us. And that's the best news of all.

*T+10 refers to ten days post transplant.


 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Happy Anniversary

Today is our wedding anniversary. Jill has survived 21 years with me. Our marriage is old enough to drink!! In many ways, it seems like only a couple of years since our wedding day, and in other ways it seems as if we have always been us. This, I believe, is what is referred to in the fairy tales as "wedded bliss." Only, in our case, it isn't a fairy tale at all. It's just, well...wedded bliss. How I love that girl! A year ago today, I finished my induction chemotherapy at Club Sunnyside. Jill picked up German food at Gustav's, which is across the street from the hospital campus. She also picked up Bundt cakes from "Nothing Bundt Cake;" a little one for us and a big one for the oncology staff. It was as fine a celebration as we could muster under the circumstances, and one we will never forget.  Today we had a morning clinic visit. This time for Jill's blood pressure, which with the help of a new medication added to her regimen, is perfect, thank you...
Read more

A Dream Come True

Image
BOX SCORE Element Current Std. Range Trend Hemoglobin 11 13-17 ^ Platelets 89 140-375 v ANC 2810 1800-8300 ^ When I was a youngster, probably about 10 years old, my dad introduced me to model making. Mainly we built models from kits, but Dad also taught me how to make a stick and paper airplane from scratch. It actually flew, with the help of a rubber band motor. But one of my favorite plastic model kits was an MG-TD sports car. You may remember this car from your youth (if you are old, like me) or from old movies, or maybe from a car show. It was a little, English two-seater with long sweeping front fenders and a vertical grille. The windshield (well, windscreen, if you are Brit...
Read more

Don' be that guy!

Remember the Mighty Casey? In Ernest Lawrence Thayer's famous poem "Casey at the Bat," he was the pride of the Mudville baseball team. We join the story in the 9th inning:  The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day: The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play, And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game. The crowd was in despair. Down two in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, they were beginning to leave the stadium. The next two batters were the bottom of the order and offered little hope, but Flynn hit a single, and Blake a double. Suddenly, there was hope for the Mudville nine, for the top of the order, none other than the mighty Casey, was coming to bat with two men in scoring position. Even a base hit would keep the game alive, and a home run, well that would end it in a glorious, ecstatic victory.  Now Casey, apparently, had embraced the hype about hi...
Read more