Thursday, June 11, 2009

Update & Request for Prayer: June 11, 2009

A quick update before the evening draws to a close .....

Amazingly, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield approved for me to receive the Neupogen injection today (you would think after their denial of Neupogen earlier this year resulted in the serious fungal infections and their tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses to treat) that Anthem would have learned that $500 for a Neupogen injection is really a bargain.

I returned to the oncologists' office and received the Neupogen. I came home around 6PM and fell soundly asleep for four hours. I am weak from fighting this lung infection.

Concerning was my total WBC (white blood count). For normal people, their WBC remains in the 5000-10,000 range. On Saturday evening, my WBC was 129,000. Yesterday's CBC showed it had escalated to 167,900 - that is nearly a 40,000 increase in four days.

That raises the question: Is the infection remaining unresponsive to all of the treatments I am currently taking? I hope not.

Next week was to be the start of treatment, being admitted to ICU on next Thursday. All of the plans are cloaked in uncertainity due to this infection. Now, with a WBC this elevated, concerns emerge about being able to safely receive this drug. I am researching for answers to that concern.

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