Neutropenia means my white cell count is too low to fend off any germs and I must follow careful guidelines to avoid them. The no raw food diet, the don't go anywhere precaution, the guests check germs at the door.
The low counts are likely the result of the new drug, Revlimid. The prescription advisory says that 80% of patients have to stop it during the 1st 4 weeks because of low blood counts. Which makes me part of the normal majority, whatever normal is. I think that it won't last long because the counts this morning were much higher than last night.
Last night I went to the hospital because I had a fever, most likely from another sinus infection. Of course they drew blood and my hemoglobin was 5.5 so they would not let me leave the hospital without receiving a unit of blood. The good news is the hemoglobin this morning was 8.4 which is a much bigger jump than the 1 point or so expected from a unit of blood. So the factory is still working, it just can't keep up with the consumer demands here at Christmas time. I also got a neupogen shot this morning to boost the white count.
So my plan is to finish my shopping on line and do some baking here at home. I needed a reason to stay home and hit the paperwork. As if the forecast of 18 degrees high today isn't enough to keep a person home!
~Cathi
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2 comments:
Hi Cathi
Sorry to hear you've got to be careful for a bit and let the factory 'catch up'.
What are you baking?
love #2 GOT
Dear Cathi, read up on the revlimid today and I am wondering if you will start taking again? Apparently, that is common to do with this drug...start and stop. Glad your blood count went up so high and so quickly. Big and special thanks to all the visiting friends...traveling so far...or on the fly like Debby who came to help you decorate! Thank you, Debby and all!
Cath,be safe with yourself.
God bless. WLU, Rhonda and the boys
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