Transformers

I finally chased Chris off around 4AM to go get some sleep. I managed to sleep until 7AM when a small breakfast tray was delivered to my ER room. Everything was quiet in the ER because all the rooms were full of patients waiting for hospital rooms. I was told that there were over thirty people waiting out in the hall for triage. The hospital is running over capacity right now. I got into my special room around 6PM. The bathroom still retains that pervasive odor of musk. I sincerely hope they successfully treated the guy that started the odor controversy.

The nurses refuse to commit to how long I'll have to stay in the hospital. I keep hearing three or four days. I don't think that they can justify keeping me in for three or four days when my temperature has been consistently regular all day. My blood cultures showed now evidence of infection this morning, so they decided to let them continue to cultivate. If they're still clear in the morning, I can't imagine that I have a blood infection. My lungs were clear according to the attending physician this morning. I am neutropenic, but I'm always neutropenic after chemotherapy.

Chris reported some excitement at the apartment this morning. A transformer exploded, causing half of the complex to be without power. Our apartment was amongst that half. Normally, we wouldn't worry about it, but we have two months worth of Neupogen that has to be kept refrigerated. This drug is extremely expensive and I'm sure the insurance company wouldn't spring for the replacement. The complex management was nice enough to find a functioning refrigerator to keep it in until the problem is resolved. Thank God for nice people. As of this evening, the power was still out. Chris will have to go grocery shopping to replace everything in the fridge and freezer. I imagine the apartment will smell worse than this room did. Karma is a very strange thing.

I just got what should have been my outpatient chemotherapy. I'm also on my sixth bag of antibiotics. I can't imagine any little phages surviving this treatment. The steroids that I should have taken with the vincristine have been postponed. The doctor is worried about them suppressing my immune system further. The things you have to do to get well. My nurse just came in to hook up another bag of antibiotics. I think I'll leave it on that note.