M is for Myeloma is a place to chronicle my family's newest 'adventure' living with multiple myeloma to keep family and friends updated and also hopefully help others living with the disease.


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Bye bye mask!

Hopefully we will NOT meet again anytime soon!

My white count was 2.47 today, a nice big jump up from yesterday and enough to leave the masks behind. I can't say I will miss them, all the ones I tried were way to big for my tiny elf head and I can't count the times I tried to drink something forgetting I was wearing it. Doh!

My platelets were up again too (41) which means I'm definitely making platelets. Self sustained platelets and recovered white count are the two things they look for in order to discharge, and Caleb said today that he expects to discharge me Monday! It looks like I'll avoid needing any platelet infusions this time. They normally give them when you get below 20, but they will also give them before central line removal if you are still below 50 so you will clot properly after they yank it. I think I'll get to 50 by Monday.

The only glitch right now is my CRP (the inflammation marker that can signal infection). It's been creeping up over the past few days. I've also had some nasal congestion. The CRP level is in the ballpark that signals potential viral infection so they did a nasal swab today. It can also rise just as a reaction to the growth factor shots and increasing white cell count, so it could be nothing. I don't have any other symptoms so no one seems very concerned about it. Caleb (Dr. B's PA-I love when he's in the infusion clinic on the weekends!) and I discussed the possibility of allergies today. My runny nose started the morning after storms came through and is worse when I am outside. He said his allergies have been acting up since the rain started too.

I dropped my brother off at the airport today and Alex flies in tomorrow. It was nice to spend the week with my brother. We don't live in the same city and this was the most time we've spent together in YEARS! I'm glad he was able to come down and chauffeur me around. It makes me miss living closer for sure.

Alex and I will be gearing up to make the drive back to MD. If all goes smoothly we'll be heading out Tuesday morning and will be home by Wednesday night. It's been a long hard 6 months traveling back and forth and I'm glad the period of extended stays in AR will be behind us soon. After this I'll be starting maintenance, which I can do at home, and I'll have to come back a few times a year for 3-4 days at a time for restaging/monitoring.

I'll be home just in time to see my daughter off to her first day of kindergarten, and celebrate my son's 3rd birthday!

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