You Can’t Just Eyeball These Things
A few things from Tate’s appointment surprised me today. None of it was terrible news, just unexpected. After going to all these appointments I feel like we can kind of gauge how his blood work is going to look by his demeanor, energy level, appearance, etc. It turns out we can’t.
First the good news: Tate managed to gain back 6 pounds, even with me stealing all the ice cream. That’s awesome!
What surprised me is that both Tate’s ANC and hemoglobin were pretty low. He has had so much energy the last few days I thought his blood work would come back stronger. He has been alert and funny and hungry, and we have tried so hard to keep him “healthy.” I guess that’s why they run his counts all the time. The body is tricky!
Having a lower ANC means Tate was unable to get the increased dose of Methotrexate today and was given the same dose as last time instead. I guess there are some patients that come in with their ANC so low they skip the last dose entirely. The Methotrexate they had ready for him today was too much for his body to handle, so they had to place a new order with the pharmacy, and we had to wait for the lower dose to be delivered. The nurse practitioner said they are not permitted to adjust the size of the dose in the clinic. That’s one way a 2-hour appointment turns into a 4-hour appointment. The low ANC also means Tate’s immune system is not very strong right now, and the staff warned us it is likely to drop even further. As soon as we got home I ordered three boxes of masks. I take no chances with his safety!
Tate will be getting a blood transfusion tomorrow to help with the low hemoglobin level. The transfusion will last approximately 4 hours, provided the blood is delivered on time.
In this picture Greg assisting Tate’s nurse Michelle. Michelle is awesome. We love her. Tate, through no fault of his own, is a complicated patient to treat. His body is reacting to chemotherapy in ways medical staff rarely see, and she has done an incredible job adapting to his specific needs while still doing all the hard work. We always thank her before we leave, but I am not sure she knows how much we really mean it.
I am on Day 1 of no ice cream. So far so good.
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I’m speechless, expected good blood count results. Good to see Tate standing up. Nancy and I will go to mass for Tate et al tomorrow. Thank you Michelle for taking care of our family, for what you do, and how you do it.
I don’t remember Tate having a blood transfusion before?
Tate has had a few blood transfusions since May, but this is the first time I didn’t recognize any symptoms. That’s why I say “Donate blood!” when anyone asks what they can do to help. Donating blood helps so many people. Tate included.