Today finds me feeling fine, as usual, but my counts have not made any significant gains. After recovering so quickly last time, I expected to have the same reaction. Especially if you consider that I have not been sick at all this time. Of my 4 rounds, this is already my longest stay in the hospital.
I have not been provided with any explanation of why my counts have been at the bottom for so long this time. At best this is just a normal reaction (for me), at worst we have caused permanent damage to my bone marrow.
Here are a few things that are different this time compared to my prior treatments:
- I have not gotten sick – my body has not had to try to fight an infection
- My doc started me on antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals even though I had no infections.
- I was taken off of the IV fluids after the chemo. I had been connected to IVs the whole time in prior treatments.
Many AML patients get something called a Neupogen shot to stimulate the growth of white blood cells. My doctor won’t give it to me as long as I am not fighting infections. He is more content waiting it out than I. My issue, however, is not just white blood cells; my hemoglobin and platelets are not recovering either. The good news is that things really aren’t falling, they just are not gaining.
So once again I have been presented with a test of patience. I struggle with this one the most…
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