His doctors have just come in and announced: "Engraftment is successful!" evidenced by the white blood cell count this morning which is 4.7. Yesterday it was 0.9 but now it's all good news!Gil woke up to Week Four feeling a little better with the help of a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump and heavy doses of anti-nausea medication.
Sips of Ensure keep his energy level at the "just-barely-there" level and we have not taken one single lap around the unit for two days now.
That said, these are apparently the worst days for this hyper-acute phase of the engraftment process. So it's "grit your teeth" and simply get through it to the other side.
He wakes up each morning to a pillowcase covered with his precious hair and he's made amends with encroaching baldness. (It will grow back.)
His spirits and attitude are remarkably positive and the nurses are in awe of his ability to accept what is happening and deal with the reality of being a patient.
They are always asking him what it feels like to be "on the other side" of the patient-physician side of things. His answer is always the same.
"It makes you appreciate your good health and gives you a new perspective when you're the one being treated."
Haiku:
It's the little things
(like a well-timed kind gesture)
That make us feel good.
Congratulations on your improvement. Boy you sure have had to grin and bare it. Wishing you well everyday....weller and weller.
ReplyDeleteMarion and Kent
What great news! Now it should be easier and easier day after day...
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you and the rest of the Raff clan,
Barry
Now that you have engrafted, I have to pop the question: are you are my male cousin or my female cousin or both? We can discuss this later after they let you out. In the meantime, we all wish you the best!
ReplyDeleteSeattle Cuzins