AML: Round 6 - Day 23, Neupogen

So yesterday we saw a slight "flicker" in my ANC counts. If you recall, ANC is my ability to fight infections and is once of the earlier indicators that I am starting to recover. Yesterday I went from and ANC of 0, to an ANC of 8 today. I need to be at least 500 before the think about letting me go home.

Yesterday my platelets were low (12,000) as was my hemoglobin (8.7). Since I was potentially looking at needing both platelets and red blood in the same day, I asked if we could do one of them a day early. When I get blood products, I have to be attached to blood pressure monitors. Red blood takes about 6 hours. Platelets about 3. It's a long day if I have to get both.

So I got 2 units of red blood yesterday. Today, my platelets actually increased on their own from 12,000 to 17,000. This is a very good sign as platelets tend to recover the fastest. SO today all my blood counts increased slightly.

Still, I'm looking at maybe 4-5 more days in here. The doctors know of my desire to be out of here before the 4th. So they have elected to give me a Neupogen shot. This shot will stimulate my bone marrow stem cells to grow faster. I am told it will make a big difference in how fast my white counts recover. It should cut a few days off this trip.

So I got my shot this afternoon, they give it under the skin on my belly. Not a big deal at all. They said I may experience some bone pain as it starts working. We'll see. Hopefully I'll see some movement as soon as tomorrow.

Thanks for all your prayers. They are working. If you don't mind, I'd ask you to direct your prayers to a fellow AML patient. He's just a little guy, 2 years old, his name is Davis. I met him a few months ago on his first round of chemo. He mother used to work at Daktronics with me. He has since had a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, Davis is already relapsing. He has had a much tougher road then I. His little body has struggled to handle the treatment. The family needs a miracle, so please add them (JoAnn & Jeff, and brothers Jasper & Andy) to your prayers.