Thursday Afternoon....August 23rd

Where do I start? This will sound like a report.....and that's the best way I'll do it.

1. Linda went in for another blood test...her white blood cell count is still too low to restart radiation..so that is cancelled tomorrow..we still might be going in for the "remapping"...we've yet to hear.

2. Linda received a shot to "push start" the white cell production by the marrow...she will get another tomorrow and maybe Saturday....this can cause "bone pain"....but hopefully will get the immune system back up. She has headaches and has medications ofr it which is the same medication for the bone aches.

3. A comment on the "magic mouthwash"..we found out today that the drug mixture Linda is taking for her esopogittis is infact this same medication...she has been "squirting it to the back of her mouth before eating so her tongue doesn't become paralyzed...we learned today that if the mouth sores increase with a yeast infection at the same time...then the medication is used as a mouth wash also. Now she is using the steroid Kenalog in Orabase to deal with the mouth sores (cankers)..this is good till there is yeast and then they deal with that and back off the Kenalog (whew..got all that out).

4. Linda was lightheaded after the blood test...and very unstable...they figured it was in reaction to the "blood let"...this has not happened before....she was fine after drinking some water and lying down.

5. Linda is up 2 and a half pounds....so we are redesigning her meals, etc to maintain but not lose weight.

6. With the risk of infection high, Linda has to watch for sick folks around her..wash her hands frequently and continue on the antibiotics...She has to report immediately any fever, chills and infections.

7. The shot Linda received to boost the start of the white blood cell production was given in the belly area....it is given under the skin..a new nurse gave it...she is called the "dart lady"..watching her give the shot answers quickly why she is called that!

That's about what I remember...we reviewed all the medications Linda is taking with the nurse today....how one could do all this by themselves is beyond us, we agreed.

I forgot...Linda got up today and when looking in the mirror, noticed a bunch of her hair higher than the surrounding hair....it was a clump that was no longer attached to her head...a significant clump.....after showering she also had a towel full of hair....so it's started and tonight we will remove all the "healthy" hair so she won't go through it in "bits and pieces".

That's about it...tomight I'll have Linda reporting in..she is napping at the moment. She has what I will describe as a wonderful attitude for what she is going through right now.....

Dave