Update: March 24, 2009

(From Last Night): SORRY FOR ALL CAPS -- TYPING ONE HANDED WITH NON-DOMINANT HAND. MY IV IS RUNNING. WENT TO DR.'S OFFICE FOR BLOOD DRAW AND HOPEFULLY AN IV LINE TO BRING HOME. AFTER THREE STICKS, WE DID HAVE MY BLOOD FOR LABS BUT NO IV. OUR DAUGHTER CAME UP AND HIT ON THE FIRST TRY! THEN IT CLOTTED OFF BUT SHE WORKED AND WORKED AND HAS IT WORKING AGAIN. PLEASE PRAY IT WILL HOLD OUT FOR US.

THE SECOND FUNGAL CULTURE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED - WE CAN'T BELIEVE BUT IT IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MOLD FROM S.BRUMPTII THAT WAS IDENTIFIED EARLIER. NOW PENICILLIUM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. WE SHOULD HAVE SENSITIVITIES BY THURSDAY OR FRIDAY AND WILL ADJUST MEDICATIONS THEN. TO UPDATE, THAT MAKES TWO FUNGAL AND ONE BACTERIAL INFECTION THAT I AM BATTLING.

We made it through the IV (only 4 sticks tonight - 3 at the doctor's office and the miracle vein that our daughter found!) My doctor is concerned that we are dealing with two fungi -- she really anticipated that this second positive fungal culture would show S. Brumptii like the first positive fungal culture. All things are possible. I am trusting that some of these medicines will be effective. However, there is a chance that I will have to be desensitized, yet again, to another medication or two. My family doctor just wrote -- liver enzymes were increased more and WBC, HGB, and platelets all dropped. We are still awaiting the differential to calculate my ANC to see if I need Neupogen.

(From Today): Praise for today - I am not neutropenic and do not require Neupogen! One of my nurse daughter's classmates, is driving 50 miles to our home tonight to help our daughter try to locate a new, fresh vein that might hold up for 2-3 days of infusions. I am so grateful for her classmates - several of them came and took care of me in ICU on numerous occasions. We are concerned because our daughter returns to Indianapolis to the hospital where she works on Thursday and Friday this week, so she will not be close by to help me as she has been doing nightly.