An Update & Request for Prayer: January 14, 2010

Please continue praying. I have been very sick (you might have guessed that since I hadn't updated the blog). I saw the doctor Tuesday - on top of everything else, our family dog's claw scratched my arm. The doctor was concerned since I am immune compromised. She ordered it cleaned by Hibaclense and Bactroban slathered on it with the order to go to the hospital if it reddened or temperature worsened (difficult to discern temperature when I already had been running one since Sunday).

I felt poorly yesterday and my temperature increased, so I called the doctor. Blood had been coming out of my sinuses all day, so she was inclined to think that the fever and feeling so poorly is more sinus infection related than wound related. I added Biaxin and Tobramycin (2 additional antibiotics).

The doctor drew labs - everything single item on the CBC was in abnormal ranges yesterday - and I am very neutropenic again. I cannot go much longer than 3 days without Neupogen injections and then I am neutropenic again. Mom gave me my Neupogen injection as soon as the doctor e-mailed me. I had uncovered a study using Vitamin B3 to assist with neutropenia. My wonderful doctor located a source of it for me and I started that on Tuesday. We are hopeful that this will work for me and eliminate the need for all of these very expensive (and not without risks) treatment.

In addition, I take very large doses of Vitamin D3 (15000-up IU daily). On last week's labs, the level came back very low despite this dose (and I had been able to increase the level on the past tests). Now, she suspects that my GI tract is not absorbing nutrients. There is a test she wants for that but I just cannot cope with anything else right now.

I continue losing blood and ask your prayers for this since I am already anemic from the leukemia, this blood loss only worsens that. I don't want to have to receive a transfusion since the blood must be irradiated, leukodepleted and washed and that complicates things for me. If the bleeding does not stop, I will have to have a uterine ablation - a surgical procedure that we would rather avoid with low platelets and neutrophils.

Last night I walked and cried from the pain and feeling so poorly until 3 AM. This evening, I am beginning to see some decline in the fever and feel a bit better.

Next week, I will receive my IVIG treatment all day on Monday and I will see the Infectious Disease specialist in Indianapolis on Thursday. Please pray that all goes well with the IVIG and that I can see improvement, hour by hour, with the other concerns.