Day Plus One-Hundred-Forty-Six

Here I sit waiting for Jody's morning call...

I try to let her sleep as much as she wants, so as soon as Jody wakes she is supposed to call me. Lately Jody has been forgetting and I have had to call the nurses station to find out if she is awake. The shift change is at 7:30 am and Jody is usually hell bent to get her teeth brushed and her face washed. So if she sleeps in the least amount Jody is too trying to get the nurses assistance to call and delays her call until she orders breakfast.

The doctors begin to arrive around 8 o'clock so depending on how sick Jody is or where she is as they make their rounds dictates when they see Jody. It is always the same "How do you feel... sit up let me listen to your lungs... take a deep breadth... how does your incision feel... let me look at your chart and get back to you." Jody being who she is always slows them in their tracks... "I am feeling OK... en ah way ( pronounced "n-nah-way")... I like your sweater... en ah way... Your shoes are so cute.. where did you get them.... en ah way... Can I go home today... Will I see you tomorrow... when is your birthday so I can send you a card? en ah way... en ah way..." (everyone who knows Jody can just about hear her say those things...). It is all about love... "I (we) LOVE you Jody! I (we) are not making fun of you... I (we) want you to get better! "


Jody just called, she claims to have just got up. I can tell by her voice she has gotten stronger, her voice is a little clearer now. She is still coughing (the doctors say that is good) and during the coughs she is not in acute pain. All good signs... Jody told me her ANC had come down a little as some of her blood counts dropped. She could not read it on the board, so I will have to get back to you. The ANC is expected to fluctuate plus or minus 5%. What they really look for is trends... over a period of time...  I doubt that anyone will be alarmed with the numbers. Jody did not want to talk with me any longer because she needed to order breakfast. You can now see where I rank... no really this is good it means she has an appetite. The doctors had all ready stopped the IV nourishment on Sunday afternoon.

Just got off the phone with Jody and the doctors have removed her chest tube. The surgeon said he would sign that Jody could go home tomorrow. Infectious Disease is checking on setting us up with home IV meds. We need to re-set appointments at the clinic to watch her blood chemistry, her HCT is low and she may need to get an infusion soon. This leaves the BMT doctors who indicated yesterday Jody could go home... Jody is still a little weak and I am not sure, but we may need to have home oxygen delivered. Looking good... cross your fingers, toes and whatever else you might have... I will let you know more tonight.

They decided to give Jody a transfusion. Her HCT was 25.4 but her Hemoglobin was down to 9 something. They will give her two units of blood to see if they can raise the HCT. Since I am not a doctor I am assuming that by transfusing Jody now may help her mend quicker.

I just left her and her spirits are high. Jody is excited to get to come home. On the other hand,  Joe (Jody's 95 year old father, who lives in a nursing home) feels she should stay in the hospital for ever... God love him... Hope the doctors do not listen to him...

Love to all... I will be back tomorrow