1/26/09

KD had his first official out-patient treatment today which means he went in to the hospital for only *most* of the day. Same song and dance. Same poking and prodding. Hooked up to the same IV pumps through his PICC line. But just a different part of the BMTU floor.

The magic number, called the AGC, which pretty much measures how strong his immune system is, was up around 1400 today. It has to be above 500 for him to eat fresh fruits and veggies (yay, he can eat real food again!). It had been down to absolute 0 only four days ago. So that means his body is bouncing back like a super ball.

It may sound bad that his phosphate levels were low, but in him this is a good sign. Phosphates are used to make white blood cells, and because he's low, it means his body is working like crazy to make a whole mess of burly white blood cells that will protect him from invading hoards of bacteria. 

He got an IV drip for that and got to watch some horrible daytime cable programming. Then he got to experience the crunch of getting out of the parking garage near rush hour which takes a long long time. A note from Auntie Radha, gentle readers ... just don't try to get out of Shands and head up 13th St at rush hour even if you have to. It doesn't happen. You may as well walk. Even if you have cancer.

Oh and the only other thing worth mentioning is that KD is eating enough for ten normal people. And burping for twenty (heehee, don't tell him I said that). He's still weak and cranky. And the bristle of his buzzed hair is falling out. And apparently he's actually 6 months shy of having his full ten-year employment record at Invivo/Phillips so they may cut his disability period much shorter. But this is how we roll. One day at a time. One crisis at a time. And we survive. 

And we still make cancer-patient jokes because you can either laugh or cry about it.