Round 7

Today is Kristi's final day of chemo. At some point in the near future, she will be permitted to run around without the octopus!! She's doing excellent today. Her hematocrit actually went up, she's at 30.9 right now. The reason for this isn't because she's making any new red blood cells. Rather, she's finally shedding some of the extra fluid that she's been packing around. She's now down to 143lbs. She has fluctuated around 30lbs in the last week and a half. She also packed in a big breakfast, including eggs, hash browns, and cereal. Although the last chemo drip goes up today, she still has a week of increasing effects. She reports that her skin is feeling rough. Last night she had a bit of a bloody nose. Although I freaked out, it stopped right away. Outwardly, chemo affects the epithelial cells, such as skin, hair, and mucus membranes.

The White Coats flew through here today. She's a lower priority for all of the staff because she's doing very well and no trouble to take care of. However, we had two lectures on neutropenia, and the neutropenic diet. She's actually been neutropenic the whole time she's been here, since very few of her white blood cells were any use.

Oh yes, many thanks to Mike Steffen, who was the first to deliver a mixed CD "as requested". That deserves a "solidarity toy", which I will deliver the very next chance I get.