Who Needs White Blood Cells?

Loretta had to be admitted into the UW hospital late Monday (25 March) due to a lack of white blood cells.  She had a fever Monday afternoon that was above the threshold for calling the Oncologist.  They wanted her to go to the clinic and have her white cells counted.  They found both of them and they were sick.  To prevent her from getting something really bad while she had no defenses, they wanted her to go to the hospital immediately to have IV delivered antibiotics and to be monitored.

That is where she is now.  David and I took her (David was going to take her in an ambulance, we took the 4Runner) and she sent us home.  She has her own room and says that the docs that she has seen and the nurses are all great.  We had to leave prior to the docs showing up.

She has had a couple of chest X-rays today (I guess it is still there) and they are actually using the port that is still surrounded by technicolor bruising.  When we left she didn’t have a fever so maybe we’ll be able to take her home tomorrow.  I will go back in the morning to sit with her and bug the nurses.  I’m sure she will write something up tomorrow when I give her her Chromebook back.

Once again, several wonderful people stepped up to make sure that Loretta was properly taken care of.  I can’t thank you all enough!

7 thoughts on “Who Needs White Blood Cells?

  1. Diana

    Thanks Scott and David! I think the ambulance ride could have been exciting with lights flashing and siren sounding… You could have had a parade!

  2. Jeannette franks

    As one breast cancer survivor to another, know that I am thinking of you and sending positive thoughts. No one can be better prepared, better loved and admired, or stronger than you.

    If it is of any interest, it is hot as hades in Belize and we are in the most ghastly hotel. No view, no sea breeze, right on the one and only dusty noisy road, far from restaurants, stores, beach access etc. Too late to move and get money back.s We’ll be home this weekend.
    Highest regards,
    Jeannette

  3. Elizabeth Churchill

    Are they giving you prophylactic Neulasta? They told me to stay away from crowded places. I asked a young intern at my hospital in rural south Louisiana, “So does this mean I should avoid riding the subway?” and he stood there with a straight face and rattled off a long list of reasons I should NOT ride the subway. Except he forgot the main one: that we were living in a backwoods rural swamp where even aboveground roads routinely disappeared into giant sinkholes or quicksand and a subway wouldn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell.

    The boy in a bubble life gets old fast, but on the other hand the indignity of dying from an infected hangnail would be incredibly embarrassing. Sanitize!

  4. Cristy

    I’m having such a “visual” of your 2 white blood cells… like they are 2 thug cells fighting it out in the alley ala West Side Story. “I’ve just met a girl named Loretta….” OK – I’ll stop. XO

  5. Mary Lynn Mounger

    You know when Glenn and I got to ride in the ambulance all the way from Bainbridge to Bremerton one snowy night in December we had a great time. Think about it.
    Hope your home now but if not then somehow enjoying your private room.

  6. Mary Lynn Mounger

    Oops, I forgot to add that the ride was made special because we had David asking Glenn all kinds of personal questions and taking his vitals.

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