A few corrections

OK, we got some bum data on the last post. That is what happens when you play "telephone" and get info from someone who got info from someone else who got info from a hospitalized patient that is not taking notes. So, here is the new, hopefully more accurate data.

Bob and Kathie actually talked for about an hour with DiMartino (oncologist) and finally got some answers.

Kathie's white count is really 560, not 900. Even though normal is 4k-10k, they want to get her up around 10k before they do chemo. This is so that she can have some "buffer" in order to not crash the count down to nearly 0 again. So, chemo is definitely off until next week.

Her red count was actually correct, but they are going to give her some shots of some red cell booster medication as well as a stronger shot/dose of the white count booster shots. We are hoping that this will help both white and red counts get back up.

The "good news" is that the blood test has come back and there is no meaningful infection. She had blood tests from the port and other veins. Interestingly, an infection in the port would be a "bad thing" b/c they are very difficult to get rid of. Again, though, no infection was found. DiMartino said that the fever will probably simply remain until the white count gets back above about 1500. Apparently, it is a "normal side effect" of having such a low white count. So, again, hopefully the shot tonight helps get this up tomorrow.

Kathie will, most likely, be spending the next 2 days in the hospital. She is getting antiobiotics by IV every 8 hours as a precaution.

The other thing Bob and Kathie found by being able to actually sit and talk with DiMartino is that this is a somewhat normal reaction to chemo. The dose that is assigned at first is based on height and weight only. Then, after the doctors see the effects, it is modified. For example, if Kathie's white count hadn't gone down at all, the dose probably would have been upped. Since the white count took such a dive, the doseage will obviously be lowered. In the next treatment, it will be adjusted by 10% down.

Sorry about some of the misinformation. Hopefully, we can keep the right info flowing in the future.

posted by Ed