URGENT Prayer Request: April 22, 2010

Please pray. My trusted family physician is in Florida at the medical acupuncturist convention. She just e-mailed and had been contacted by the local lab that my sputum culture from my lungs (submitted a couple of weeks ago) is growing out two different molds. This is not good when you are immune compromised like I am. The last time the mold specimens were identified from my lungs, I required three weeks of IV antifungals. My Infectious Disease doctor in Indianapolis wants us to have the molds identified and the drug sensitivities before he selects the next. I have developed these two positive fungal samples while already taking two antifungals.

I am neutropenic again and will resume the Neupogen injections today. I had found it unusual that I have been neutropenic for two weeks in a row, since the Vitamin B3 had been doing such a great job with my neutrophils. I had told my doctor this week that I suspected I have an undiagnosed infection since the platelets and neutrophils both crashed last week. Often times, my counts will drastically decline in the presence of infection. Pretty good analysis, huh?

I saw the pain management anesthesiologist this morning. He did not feel that with my counts, history of anaphylaxis and level of immune suppression that I would be a candidate for spinal epidurals for pain. He said the nerve damage to my lower calf and foot is permanent and not reversable (I know Someone who could reverse it). He prescribed pain patches that I will begin trying this weekend by wearing four at a time (24/7) and he recommended that I begin the narcotic pain medicine (that I prefer to avoid) that my family doctor had recently prescribed. I hope the pain patches will help since the epidural option has now been eliminated.

I am asking God to intervene if He knows I need IV antifungals sooner than later (when sensitivities are known); I am asking Him to protect me from invasive fungal infections; and I am asking Him to give my doctors and me wisdom to do what is in my best interest.

My family doctor said my local oncologist was also on the same flight with her - so my local medical team is in Sunny Florida!

Thank you, friends.