Mike is on his 4th pint of blood right now. We are still in the hospital. Again, I thought I knew what to expect and then I have to remind myself that this is "cancer" and the twists and turns will always come. So here is what happened yesterday. Mike's blood has been dropping since last Thursday. We went for our morning appointment with Dr. Khan and his blood level was at 8. So we were sent across the street to Medical Center of McKinney for a transfusion. The order was for 2 pints of blood and then go home. We got here about 12:30 and by the time the blood was matched and started it was about 5 pm. To make a long story short, the blood wasn't going to finish up until 1:00 am. So both Mike and I decided I would go home to sleep and then pick him up in the morning - this morning. The nurse was going to have discharge paperwork done and I could literally pick him up at the door. Well, it didn't work out like that. Mike's blood level went from 8.4 (hospital's reading) to 8.8 with two pints. His white blood cells also plummeted.
I got to the hospital and we moved to a private room (blessing) and waited for Dr. Khan to call. We saw Dr. Putcha who believes that this is a marrow issue since - side effect of Chemo - since there is no bleeding in stool or vomit. Plus his abdomen is soft. We got a neuprogin shot (someday I will learn how to spell it) to raise his White Blood Cell count. We also started two more pints of blood. The second one is just about to finish up and then we need to wait an hour and do another CBC. Then maybe go home??.. We are waiting on Dr. Khan to make his rounds so we know what is going to happen.
So one of the ironic things, it that I have time to post and catch up on some sit down things. First of all, many people have asked about giving blood in Mike's name. So I finally got on the phone and created an account with the Carter Blood Bank that serves the DFW area. For every pint that is donated in Mike's name (account number) he will receive credit for up to a year after that donation. I have honestly lost count of how many pints Mike has received since Oct, but it has to be around 18 to my best recollection prior to this hospital stay. So as of today we are up to 22 pints of blood.
Carter Blood Bank is serviced as far as Ranger out in West Texas and unfortunately they don't service the Abilene area.
Mikes account number for donations to the Carter Blood bank is: SPON047521
So this is our first day of retirement and we are sitting in a hospital room and watching TV. Not the perfect way to celebrate, but we are together.. one more day.
Kathleen, Micah 6:8 is Mike's favorite verse -
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
What better words to walk by, to breathe by, to live by - right?
Prayer needs:
Mike's marrow to create blood
Mike to eat and drink more
The cancer to continue to leave Mike's body
God to heal a small pain that is manifesting mid way up in Mike's Esophagus
Tricare mercies - not sure how this is going to work out due to the hospital stay starting on Active Duty and ending during retirement
To go home so we can make our appointment with our new PCM tomorrow in Plano
Wisdom with finances as we transition
Our house in FL to sell. I want to ask for the whole enchilada... that the house will sell and we can break even! God can do that too!
DD Form 2214 - we received one with the wrong date. We need a corrected one so I can do all the paperwork for SGLI extension and so we can get ID's.
Praises:
Insurance
Blood Donors
Family helpers
Income - God's great Mercy in this is that Mike is retired and we have an income as opposed to many right now that are being laid off
For the many gifts that have been placed on our door step from friends. Thank you Carrie and Thank you Kathleen
For Jeff and Wendy's visit this weekend. It was timed perfectly and we needed their help.
2 comments:
Mike, you and your beautiful family remain in our prayers and thoughts.
Hook, Char, Hunter, Ryan, Madeleine.
Hi! Not sure if you remember me, but I wanted to extend to you my prayers as well. I have not written to you prior to this, but have been praying for you. I will continue to do so. I know it's not much, but for me sometimes this little things tend to help the most. If you get a moment, go to www.klove.com. There you can get prayer requests, listen online to some wonderful and uplifting music, or find the local station. Sometimes as the music plays you know it's just for you. :)
Bobbie Jo King
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