Jimmy is still doing very well considering how his body is now definitely on a downward spiral. This morning his white blood cell count was sitting at 0.03 and his platelets at 38. He has stopped vomiting but is still gagging, apart from when he eats or drinks anything, but even at the mention of his lunch arriving just before 12:00. He started his Neupogen injections today which will be given to him once a day for 10 days to try and boost stem cell production until his stem cells graft and his body is able to produce them on its own. He is also on some other medication 3 times a day to help prevent bleeding which is another side effect of the chemo. And then also some more medication to help keep the mouth sores that they are expecting him to get, to a minimum. Dr Fine explained that these form in the mouth, down the throat and right into his colon. They are expecting his system to 'crash' in the next 4 days when his white blood cell count will be 0. At this stage he will be given platelets and blood transfusions. And then it is the slow recovery of getting all his levels back up again. She says this happens quite slowly at first and then they tend to jump quite quickly and unless he gets sick, contracts an infection or has any kidney problems, this should take about 2 weeks from when his system crashes.
Of course the ever positive Jimmy still thinks he is going to defy the norm and be home in 10 days. Nothing wrong with being positive. I mentioned before that his sense of taste is now completely gone and there is also something strange going on with his sense of smell. Yesterday, after I showered him, he put his deodorant on and asked me to please buy his usual deodorant as he doesn't like the smell of this new one. Jimmy has been using the same deodorant for the last 2 years.
The days are very long at the hospital for me and I can only imagine what it must be like for Jimmy because he has to sleep there too. We busy ourselves with movies and since I finished my crochet chemo blanket I have now started a transplant blanket.
Last night I left him after 9pm only to find that I had been locked into the hospital. As luck would have it my cell phone would not dial out either. Bare in mind that from this specific door Jimmy is 2 floors up and about half a kilometre further back. So I started sending him whatsapp messages, asking him to ask the sister on duty to phone reception to open the door for me but Jimmy was watching the Bafana soccer game and oblivious to my predicament. Eventually I could hear someone was passing the passage on the other side of the door so I banged hard with my car keys on the door and about 10 minutes later security came to unlock for me. I had left the Pajero at home for the gardener to wash and come through to the hospital in my car. Apart from having some idiot driving so close to me on the highway and over Ou Kaapseweg that I couldn't even see his headlights in my rear view mirror, the computer in my car started telling me that I was losing tyre pressure and had gone into run flat mode, or something to this effect, and that I mustn't drive faster than 80km p/hr. There I was thinking that all I have to do is get home and tomorrow I would use the Pajero again. So this morning I go out to leave for the hospital and the Pajero battery is so flat the starter motor didn't even swing. I drove down to the garage very slowly and got them to check the tyre pressures and then according to my on board computer (yes I ask myself do I really need this in my life) I had to reset the tyre pressure on the computer, which I did. So far so good, no more funny messages. Once I got to the hospital I phoned our local auto electrician and they came up to the house and jump started the Pajero and then took it down to the workshop and fitted a new battery. I would have jump started it myself but it was parked in the top driveway, bonnet facing in, so I could not park anywhere near it to jump start the battery. And then my dear friend Maureen came to my rescue late this afternoon and picked me up to go down and collect the Pajero.
The good news is that the irrigation system is now up and running beautifully and the gate motor that was playing up seems to have just sorted itself out. Hooray for that!
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| A glimpse of our own personal isolation ward cinema |
4 comments:
Hi Viv, I would like to thank you so much for your lovely informative blog - it is so amazing for us all to see how Jimmy and you are doing on a regular basis.
We are truly sorry that you are both going through such a tough time and wish there was something we could say or do to help ease your worries and stress, not to mention the hell Jimmy is going through with his treatments. You are both in our thoughts constantly and we are wishing for a speedy recovery now after the stem cell transplant, we wish you both a very 'happy birthday' for your new beginnings.
If there is absolutely anything at all we can ever do to help out in any way then please please don't hesitate to contact us.
Once again thank you so much for your awesome blog.
Our wish is for you to stay strong and for Jimmy to get stronger by the day - please give him our love when you see him tomorrow.
Love and best wishes always from Steve and Karen
XXXXXXXXXX
Hi Viv, isn't it amazing how when it rains, it pours?! I remember my family having home-front issues when I was hospitalized. Seems like household things went out, not to mention the antics of all our animals, and vehicle drama too. Can't remember the specifics now, but you brought back a distant memory of crazy chaos :) And I love your story of being locked in the hospital... again, the drama seems to never stop when it starts! Take deep breaths and know this will all work out, and Jimmy will be feeling like new in no time flat! I'm so sorry to hear he's been so nauseous and sick. Hoping that passes or they can up his meds again. He shouldn't have to suffer like that! And be sure to tell Jimmy to do all the mouthwash and gargling, etc to prevent the mouth sores. It's tastes yucky after a while, but it sure pays off if he can rinse often and do the mouth antibiotic they recommend. And lucky him, they will give him Neupogen shots again to boost his WBC! I don't recall they did that with me. It sure sounds like he is getting 5-star treatment and I am so happy to hear that! The crash and build back up is a "process" so please encourage Jimmy to be patient. I know we all want to be home, but the risk of infection with all the kids at home may be riskier than being in the hospital, where they can treat whatever comes up immediately! So relax Jimmy and enjoy everyone taking care of you... your job is to stay germ-free and build that immune system back up. Hydrate hydrate hydrate and keep antibacterial wipes nearby to keep the germs away. I think I mentioned it before, fruit Popsicles really appealed to me when I felt parched, but didn't want to eat much. Thanks for your wonderful updates Vivienne. You'll look back years from now, and be glad you chronicled your and Jimmy's experience thru this. Hang in there Jimmy! I promise it gets better fast! xoxo Julie
Hi Karen and Steve,
It's so lovely to hear from you. Thank you for your lovely message and the offer for help, we really appreciate it this. I was with Jimmy when Steve phoned him, he was so chuffed to here from Steve.
When this is all over then we definitely need to get together for a braai again. As Jimmy says, once every 5 years is just not good enough.
xx
Hi Julie,
Thanks again for your ever positive messages. I have been so wrapped up in the stem cell transplant that I have not mailed you for a while. Would be great to hear how you are progressing and what your numbers are looking like? I hope you aren't feeling too down.
xx
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