I have had several ask me how they can send mom a card. Here is her address for the next several days to weeks...
Dolores Secrist
Room 7126
St. Francis Hospital
6161 South Yale Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74136
If she gets to go home before your card arrives, St. Francis will forward the mail to her.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
"She's Tough" ~ Mom's doctor
Today's mom's doctor told my dad that mom was sure tough and that he was amazed that she had stayed out of the hospital this long. BUT, because mom started to run fever last night, she has been admitted.
About 11:30 last night, mom's fever rose to about 101.5. Dad took her to the hospital where her room was waiting. By the time they got there her fever was back down to normal, but during the night it rose again. She had chills most of the night. She isn't coughing, nor does she have a sore throat or anything like that. Just fever. They have cultured her blood to find out exactly what she is fighting and have put her on antibiotics.
This is an expected complication. Mom has been saying that without white blood cells, this fever was simply a matter of "when", not "if".
She will be in the hospital until her stem cells are harvested and her counts start back up. It will be days to weeks.
Obviously, due to her compromised immune system, she can't have many visitors and flowers are not allowed in the transplant wing, but I know she would love cards. She is still reading over all the lovely cards sent to her during her first hospital stay. In fact, she packed them to take with her this time.
Also, both she and daddy read this blog so you can certainly leave comments for them here. Just click on the comment link at the bottom of each post.
Continue to pray!
About 11:30 last night, mom's fever rose to about 101.5. Dad took her to the hospital where her room was waiting. By the time they got there her fever was back down to normal, but during the night it rose again. She had chills most of the night. She isn't coughing, nor does she have a sore throat or anything like that. Just fever. They have cultured her blood to find out exactly what she is fighting and have put her on antibiotics.
This is an expected complication. Mom has been saying that without white blood cells, this fever was simply a matter of "when", not "if".
She will be in the hospital until her stem cells are harvested and her counts start back up. It will be days to weeks.
Obviously, due to her compromised immune system, she can't have many visitors and flowers are not allowed in the transplant wing, but I know she would love cards. She is still reading over all the lovely cards sent to her during her first hospital stay. In fact, she packed them to take with her this time.
Also, both she and daddy read this blog so you can certainly leave comments for them here. Just click on the comment link at the bottom of each post.
Continue to pray!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
You all sure know how to pray!
I just wanted to pop in with a quick update. Mom is still home and doing well. She is weak to be sure, and has had some tummy issues, but nothing like what one would expect going through this type of procedure. Although her curly hair is kind of straigtening, she hasn't lost any yet. I'm not sure what the timeline is on that. She was told she could expect to be admitted to the hospital around day 5 or 6. We are on day 9 and no hospital stay yet. The nurse told dad that in all her years of working with these transplants, she has only known 2 or 3 patients to go without being admitted. Methinks mom could well be number 4. Right now, she simply goes to the hospital every morning to get some fluids and a blood count. Then she gets to go home to the comfort of her own bed.
Mom is now officially neutropenic which essentially means she has no white blood cells. This is all part of the course. Over the next few days, until her stem cells are harvested and her white blood cells return, she is particularly vulnerable to infection. We are watching her closely for fever, which would mean a definate hospital admittance.
Thank you so much for your prayers. They are working! Please continue to pray, specifically against infection.
Stay tuned for updates.
Mom is now officially neutropenic which essentially means she has no white blood cells. This is all part of the course. Over the next few days, until her stem cells are harvested and her white blood cells return, she is particularly vulnerable to infection. We are watching her closely for fever, which would mean a definate hospital admittance.
Thank you so much for your prayers. They are working! Please continue to pray, specifically against infection.
Stay tuned for updates.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
at the hospital
Mom finished up all three doses of her chemo and has amazed everyone by how well she has tolerated it. In fact, her only side effect has been weakness. This morning her weakness was enough that she decided she needed to be checked out up at the transplant unit. They found that her blood pressure was a little low and her pulse was a little high. It seems she is a bit dehydrated. A bag of IV fluids will make her feel much better. She will go home as soon as she's done with the IV. They did tell her that next week would be a little rough on her and she will probably be admitted then. Of course, I think she won't feel nearly as bad as they expect... She has some extra help from above.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
She's home
Mom's home now. Her first round of chemo is under her belt. She will be going back early tomorrow morning for round two.
Thanks for the prayers!
Thanks for the prayers!
quick update
I just wanted to let everyone know, after a little delay where the surgeon was called into another surgery, mom now is sporting a fancy new catheter in her chest. She did well with the procedure. Right now they are waiting on the chest x-ray to confirm the catheter is where it is supposed to be and then they will start her chemo.
I'll keep you posted.
I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A New Year and New Bone Marrow
Mom has sure been a trooper. This was a holiday season like no other. Mom had to endure chemotherapy on Christmas Eve and also on New Year's Eve... which was her birthday as well. The chemo isn't terrible, but it does make her feel bad and it's not the way to celebrate the season.. BUT it has been worth it.
The latest numbers show Mom's protein levels to be 1.4 so it has dropped considerably and that was a great Christmas present. All her other numbers look great, she is no longer anemic and here is the best number of all: When they first tested her bone marrow, they said it had 90% myeloma cells. Her latest bone marrow biopsy showed less than 10% myeloma cells.
She recently had to undergo a battery of tests to make sure she is ready for the stem cell transplant and she has come through with flying colors. In fact, the transplant has been scheduled.
Bright and early January 16th, she will go in and get an aphoresis catheter in her chest. It will be a surgical procedure but will make her much less of a pin cushion. This catheter will allow chemo to go in, blood to go in and out, and they will even harvest her stem cells through it.
She will take her first dose of chemo that day and then again the following two days. It will be a high dose chemo, so we think those three days will be all the chemo she will take during this harvesting portion of the transplant. She will have to go to the dr. everyday for lab work during this time.
She will probably start feeling the effects of the chemo within 2 weeks, and when she feels she can't handle the effects at home anymore, she will be admitted to the hospital. There they will be able to manage her side effects and make her feel better. Of course, I'm holding on the belief that her side effects will be mild - She told her transplant coordinator that she wasn't going to throw up. The coordinator told her that it certainly wasn't a requirement! In fact, there are some that don't get sick in that way. Considering that mom doesn't ever remember throwing up, she might stand a good chance of getting through this with nary a yak!
Mom will probably lose her hair, and she has prepared by buying some of the cutest hats. She also has a brand new wig, which I have to say, is beautiful on her. It looks very natural, very unwig like!
Of course, she is anxious as anyone would be, but she is ready to get this out of they way and begin enjoying remission. We all are.
Mom's sisters, Joyce and Brenda, and her mom have been for a visit. In fact, Joyce and Mamo just left for Texas a couple of hours ago. I know they hated to leave, but look forward to seeing mom healthy and in remission very soon!
As always, your prayers are appreciated.. and they are working!
You can be sure that I'll be updating more regularly as we go through this season so check back often...
The latest numbers show Mom's protein levels to be 1.4 so it has dropped considerably and that was a great Christmas present. All her other numbers look great, she is no longer anemic and here is the best number of all: When they first tested her bone marrow, they said it had 90% myeloma cells. Her latest bone marrow biopsy showed less than 10% myeloma cells.
She recently had to undergo a battery of tests to make sure she is ready for the stem cell transplant and she has come through with flying colors. In fact, the transplant has been scheduled.
Bright and early January 16th, she will go in and get an aphoresis catheter in her chest. It will be a surgical procedure but will make her much less of a pin cushion. This catheter will allow chemo to go in, blood to go in and out, and they will even harvest her stem cells through it.
She will take her first dose of chemo that day and then again the following two days. It will be a high dose chemo, so we think those three days will be all the chemo she will take during this harvesting portion of the transplant. She will have to go to the dr. everyday for lab work during this time.
She will probably start feeling the effects of the chemo within 2 weeks, and when she feels she can't handle the effects at home anymore, she will be admitted to the hospital. There they will be able to manage her side effects and make her feel better. Of course, I'm holding on the belief that her side effects will be mild - She told her transplant coordinator that she wasn't going to throw up. The coordinator told her that it certainly wasn't a requirement! In fact, there are some that don't get sick in that way. Considering that mom doesn't ever remember throwing up, she might stand a good chance of getting through this with nary a yak!
Mom will probably lose her hair, and she has prepared by buying some of the cutest hats. She also has a brand new wig, which I have to say, is beautiful on her. It looks very natural, very unwig like!
Of course, she is anxious as anyone would be, but she is ready to get this out of they way and begin enjoying remission. We all are.
Mom's sisters, Joyce and Brenda, and her mom have been for a visit. In fact, Joyce and Mamo just left for Texas a couple of hours ago. I know they hated to leave, but look forward to seeing mom healthy and in remission very soon!
As always, your prayers are appreciated.. and they are working!
You can be sure that I'll be updating more regularly as we go through this season so check back often...
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