March 21st Journal
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One month and five days post transplant. Been a little up and
down this past
week, but I am steadily making improvements in my strength. Been
struggling
some with an old back injury which has decided to flare up again
for some
reason. Unrelated to the transplant, but definitely a bit frustrating.
Time
to start all those back exercises again.
Went out to eat for my oldest son's 11th birthday last week.
Enjoyed a
family night at the Rainforest Cafe. We had a terrific time being
together
and celebrating. Thankfully, I have been getting out of the house
a little
more lately. I continue to be very cautious when I am in public.
I wash my
hands all the time and try not get too close to strangers. I am
a true
germaphobe now. I am able to hear someone sneeze or cough from
a mile away.
My germ radar is working well.
Exercise has been an important part of each of my days. I continue
to either
walk or ride stationary bike along with some other exercises.
It drives me
crazy to have to take it easy. My mind says 'Go' and my body says
'No.' I
wear a heart rate monitor when exercising. The monitor makes it
pretty
clear when it is time to slow down. Doctors orders to keep my
heart rate
from exceeding 140 bpm. I am used to going at 160 to 170 bpm when
exercising.
My doctor tells me I am not conditioning now, I am just maintaining.
When I
am able to condition again...look out!! I will become fitter and
stronger
than I have ever been before.
Recovery Information:
Current Weight: 166 lbs (173 before transplant). Up from last
entry.
Energy Level on Scale of 1 to 10: 4, slow but gradual improvement.
Other? Appetite normal. Eating like a horse. Do get heartburn
more often
than I ever used to. Could be my esophagus hasn't healed completely.
Since
being home I do have to be slow to get up and down from sitting
or lying. I
get light headed easy. Still have Hickman.
Overview of my blood counts (3/21):
| Hematocrit | 3/13(28.8%) | Today(30.1%) | Normal(34-55%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platelets | 313(70,000) | Today(91,000) | Normal(150,000) |
| Neutrophils | 3/13(4,100) | Today(1,900) | Normal(7,000) |
| WBC's | 3/13(6,100) | Today(3,100) | Normal(7,500) |
As you can see my hematocrit and platelets continue to rise
which is good.
My hematocrit will take another month or two until returning to
normal.
Normal for me is about 43%. Doctor Ostensen, my local oncologist,
said my
platelets may always hover around 100,000. He said platelets don't
like
being transplanted. I was concerned about a drop in my neutrophils
and
WBC's. They are still in a safe range. The doctors say it is normal
to see
fluctuation. They just don't want to see a steady decline. I am
a bit
eager to be tested again to see if my WBC and Neutrophil counts
go back up.
I sure hope so.
My 8 year old son Kyler continues to have mom shave his head
every three or
four days He wants to keep it bald like his dad. It is one thing
to have
your son tell you he loves you but quite another to have him show
you how
much.
My next appointment is on April 3rd. I will update my journal again then.
Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and love. Be
strong and
courageous in all you do...God is on our side!!!
Found this verse when I was worrying about my counts this morning.
The Lord
is certainly in control.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines
his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
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