Meanwhile Back at Home

Back at home, it's just not the same. 

Our "girls" have been waiting patiently near the dining room table for Gil to return and accidentally-on-purpose drop a table scrap or two for them. The canines want him back at the dinner table ASAP.

These days, Gil's dinner comes in a large plastic bag suspended above his bed and running through his PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line at 100 cc/hour -- Dextrose and Travasol and Vitamins and Electrolytes.

I think it's fair to say Gil is improving. His neutrophil counts are expected to increase but it's a slow process. The Neupogen he's getting should help. Fever is a continuing issue which is unresolved at this time -- attributed to a neutropenic induced fever or a drug fever. None of the cultures have come back positive. Antibiotics around the clock are simply keeping other opportunistic organisms at bay until his own protective cells can take over the job.

The days are much longer than 24 hours and the nights are even longer. I'm still staying in the hospital with him at night. The nursing care on the oncology floor is excellent but things go better for him when I'm here. I know what he likes to have done for him. And I know how he likes it to be done.

It's 10 o'clock pm now and he's sleeping peacefully, at least until the next set of vital signs are due. 

At least they don't wake him up to take his sleeping pill!