That's what I was told when the doctors were talking to me during my first time in the hospital. There were referring to my blood counts crashing, getting a fever and needing to be in the hospital. It happened the night after Christmas. What's isn't a big deal of a fever for most is a huge deal for me... Any fever of 100.4 or higher is the trigger for me.
So on the 26th I had a lower fever throughout the day, but not above 100. Then around 10 P.M. it jumped to 100.7, checked it again at 11, same thing. Called in to the hospital to talk to the on-call Hem/Onc Doc, they paged him 3 times, no reply (come to find out there was a wrong number with the operator. They obviously don't use 3-way communication!!) So we pack a quick bag, head on up to Cooper. Get there around 1 a.m., check in and get put in a consult room until around 4. Finally in a real room but don't get any visit until I flag someone down after about 45 minutes.... Now we're looking at 4 hours since I got there and about 8 hours since I first had the high fever. I guess they found a way to contact the on-call doc and he saw me around 5:30-6:00. Not long after I was back up on North 9, in the same room I had left a week before.
IV antibiotics and fluids, along with come-and-go fevers for a few days, then it looked like I was going to come home mid-week. But my body wasn't done yet... NOOOO I had to have a random fever once a day, which restarted the "go-home" clock as well a complete new round of blood cultures, urine sample and IV meds.
Physically and mentally I felt like I was on a merry-go-round that had a few broken teeth on the gears - I would be going along great then all of a sudden the gear would slip. It was quite frustrating because all the tests would come back negative. They didn't know why I was sick, but assumed it was viral and just had to run it's course.
All the days started to run together, but somewhere toward the end of the week they decided to do a CT on my chest, which showed a pneumonia on the right side. FINALLY an answer!! They added another antibiotic and of course more poking and prodding. My arms were (are...) so bruised from all the blood work and IVs... I think it was the night of January 1st that I needed more blood to bring up my red blood cells. not sure if it is a coincidence or not, but after the first unit it felt like all the mucous in my chest loosened at once. Wow did I hack up some ugliness!!
After 4 units of blood, at least 2 units of platelets and more antibiotics than I can count, I was released Sunday. It was incredibly nice to actually be able to REST. The one thing you WILL NOT get in the hospital is rest. Home now, still ridding myself of the last bits of mucous (amazing how such a small bit can cause so much coughing!!) and eating ANYTHING different!
Consult with the folks at Penn Thursday and the Dr. Ferber Friday. Hopefully I'll have a longer term plan after...
Thanks for all who have stopped by, called, texted, messaged me, have had me in their prayers or just thought about me. Some days are harder than others, but with all of you behind me I know I'll make it!!!
So on the 26th I had a lower fever throughout the day, but not above 100. Then around 10 P.M. it jumped to 100.7, checked it again at 11, same thing. Called in to the hospital to talk to the on-call Hem/Onc Doc, they paged him 3 times, no reply (come to find out there was a wrong number with the operator. They obviously don't use 3-way communication!!) So we pack a quick bag, head on up to Cooper. Get there around 1 a.m., check in and get put in a consult room until around 4. Finally in a real room but don't get any visit until I flag someone down after about 45 minutes.... Now we're looking at 4 hours since I got there and about 8 hours since I first had the high fever. I guess they found a way to contact the on-call doc and he saw me around 5:30-6:00. Not long after I was back up on North 9, in the same room I had left a week before.
IV antibiotics and fluids, along with come-and-go fevers for a few days, then it looked like I was going to come home mid-week. But my body wasn't done yet... NOOOO I had to have a random fever once a day, which restarted the "go-home" clock as well a complete new round of blood cultures, urine sample and IV meds.
Physically and mentally I felt like I was on a merry-go-round that had a few broken teeth on the gears - I would be going along great then all of a sudden the gear would slip. It was quite frustrating because all the tests would come back negative. They didn't know why I was sick, but assumed it was viral and just had to run it's course.
All the days started to run together, but somewhere toward the end of the week they decided to do a CT on my chest, which showed a pneumonia on the right side. FINALLY an answer!! They added another antibiotic and of course more poking and prodding. My arms were (are...) so bruised from all the blood work and IVs... I think it was the night of January 1st that I needed more blood to bring up my red blood cells. not sure if it is a coincidence or not, but after the first unit it felt like all the mucous in my chest loosened at once. Wow did I hack up some ugliness!!
After 4 units of blood, at least 2 units of platelets and more antibiotics than I can count, I was released Sunday. It was incredibly nice to actually be able to REST. The one thing you WILL NOT get in the hospital is rest. Home now, still ridding myself of the last bits of mucous (amazing how such a small bit can cause so much coughing!!) and eating ANYTHING different!
Consult with the folks at Penn Thursday and the Dr. Ferber Friday. Hopefully I'll have a longer term plan after...
Thanks for all who have stopped by, called, texted, messaged me, have had me in their prayers or just thought about me. Some days are harder than others, but with all of you behind me I know I'll make it!!!