Day 8: Not a good day

Wednesday

WCC: 0.9

Neut: 0.3

HB: 80

Platelets: 33

Weight: 65

The day began at 5.30am (after being awake between 1.30am after obs taken and 3.00am). Had horrible indigestion and feeling a tad nauseous.

Began the day with the pre-breakfast tablet cocktail. Antibiotic, anti fungal, anti viral, anti nausea and something else to protect kidneys etc from the chemo!

I am not a good tablet taker, so one at a time....

No Chemo this morning - so a little break for the body - but this was me last night getting the Idarubicin - pushed via syringe.

All smiles then, but not many today.

I had Dr check around 9.00am and they are still checking the wound from the bone marrow biopsy site which was last week, Monday. It's still bruised and a bit swollen, but I feel it's getting a bit better every day (not as sore). As I stood up for them to check it, I felt a bit light headed.

Had a shower around 10am (highlight of the day!) and then thought I would grab a nap before D1 & D2 arrived for their first visit. So about 11.00am I curled up. I woke up at midday - shivering and shaking. I was so cold (and it's 30+ degrees outside). I pulled on some socks, another blanket and shivered for another 15 min and then called the nurse. Add doubled layered heated blanket and finally started to feel a bit better. I slept again and when D1 & D2 arrived, I was toasty warm, but didn't want to move.

So the day was then me unable to open my eyes properly - falling in and out of sleep, temperature going up, blood pressure down... from being cold to sweating and trying to strip everything off...

So, when temp got to 38 degrees, there was activity... blood cultures taken, taken down for a chest x-ray, urine samples, and then hooked up to antibiotic IV line - so there goes my relative freedom as I'm now connected up for the next 3 days. Obs every half hour. I think I'm doing their head in with my blood pressure. It has been low all my life - but they don't like it low here and are only happy when the systolic is close to 100. The last 3 they have taken it has been 90/40 - so they keep pushing fluid into me, so now I have to unplug the IV machine and take that with me as I keep needing to go and pee....

Ate something called 'teriyaki chicken' tonight but was at least feeling a bit hungry.

Just got advised they are going to be happy with my 90/40 blood pressure, but if it falls below 90 then Dr's will be called for clinical review and if it goes under 85 then there will be a rapid response!

I had planned to go for a walk around the hospital today with the kids, and go outside and enjoy some sunshine - but none of that happened. Learning to go with the flow and maybe I shouldn't make any plans (except Africa in 2020 to go trekking to see the gorillas).

I think I will sleep well tonight...