Hi,
Sharon has got over her hangover side effects from her exploits yesterday, No rapid response calls warranted. We are listening to Steve Wright Sunday Love Song's on BBC radio 2 over the Internet. Sharon insists I`m held captive in the isolation room being tortured by Spandau Ballets little love ditty's. The nurses seem to enjoy it having a little bop along. Seems I have been promoted to patient Care tech we only have a RN today we usually have a PCT as well, so I made the bed, cleaned the room, taped up her dressing to her central line so Sharon could shower and done one set of vitals. I wonder if they will give me a password for the computer so I can chart them, they use the same cerner charting that we use at Good Sam. Must ask about that?
The snow has arrived and is obscuring the view of lake Michigan might have to steal Sharon's heated gloves to avoid loosing an extremity on the way back to the hotel. Quite novel really not much Snow in Arizona just a blue sky. Boredom is a good thing so says Dr Burt but I wonder if he knows about Steve Wrights Sunday Love Songs, awaiting the birth of more white cells now we are doing the neupagean shots again. Can`t help thinking of that Kevin Costner film field of dreams build it and they will come, hope they hurry up!!
Some one asked me to explain the blood counts we are looking at ,this should fill a little time.
He draws labs daily unless we have a fever or other abnormality.
The labs that are drawn every day are a renal panel CMP which monitors electrolytes like potassium and magnesium these are replaced as needed. The other lab is a CBC or complete blood panel which monitors the red, white and platelets cells. A hemoglobin part of the red cells are checked for anemia a number above 9 is good we dropped once down to 7.8 and she had two units of blood which are specially treated. Sharon’s platelets are low a normal count is above 100 this is normal post transplant these deal with clotting Sharon is careful when brushing her teeth these have yet to need replacing. The white cells which fight infection are counted as part of the CBC a normal white cell count is 4.5 -10 , 4500-10,000 white blood cells/mcL (cells per microliter) Sharon's count today is 0.1, Neutropenia is when the neutrophil or the white cells that eat infection are below 2000. Sharon’s are too low to count so you have to be a germ a phoebe and wash your hands all the time. so there you are!
The Northwestern has a reverse air system for the whole floor as well as individual rooms usually most BMT units have only individual room and you are isolated more we get to escape for walks three times a day. When you enter the department you come through it seems an air lock with two sets of doors neither will open without the other being closed first. It’s like a scene from 2001 a space odyssey without the space suit and mad computer, you get gloves and mask instead. The doors malfunctioned yesterday and I spent a pleasant 10 minutes with the cleaner discussing the merits of a clean environment. The doors eventually reset themselves maybe there is a faulty computer and was released unharmed in to the wide open world , thankfully not outer space.
Sharon’s doing well today no fevers and her appetite is coming back and she is feeling a little stronger. We keep marveling at the visible changes to her skin and the simple things she can now do that were difficult before. Enjoy the silence by Depeche mode things are looking up no more Whitney please Steve.
All the best Craig and Sharon
Sharon has got over her hangover side effects from her exploits yesterday, No rapid response calls warranted. We are listening to Steve Wright Sunday Love Song's on BBC radio 2 over the Internet. Sharon insists I`m held captive in the isolation room being tortured by Spandau Ballets little love ditty's. The nurses seem to enjoy it having a little bop along. Seems I have been promoted to patient Care tech we only have a RN today we usually have a PCT as well, so I made the bed, cleaned the room, taped up her dressing to her central line so Sharon could shower and done one set of vitals. I wonder if they will give me a password for the computer so I can chart them, they use the same cerner charting that we use at Good Sam. Must ask about that?
The snow has arrived and is obscuring the view of lake Michigan might have to steal Sharon's heated gloves to avoid loosing an extremity on the way back to the hotel. Quite novel really not much Snow in Arizona just a blue sky. Boredom is a good thing so says Dr Burt but I wonder if he knows about Steve Wrights Sunday Love Songs, awaiting the birth of more white cells now we are doing the neupagean shots again. Can`t help thinking of that Kevin Costner film field of dreams build it and they will come, hope they hurry up!!
Some one asked me to explain the blood counts we are looking at ,this should fill a little time.
He draws labs daily unless we have a fever or other abnormality.
The labs that are drawn every day are a renal panel CMP which monitors electrolytes like potassium and magnesium these are replaced as needed. The other lab is a CBC or complete blood panel which monitors the red, white and platelets cells. A hemoglobin part of the red cells are checked for anemia a number above 9 is good we dropped once down to 7.8 and she had two units of blood which are specially treated. Sharon’s platelets are low a normal count is above 100 this is normal post transplant these deal with clotting Sharon is careful when brushing her teeth these have yet to need replacing. The white cells which fight infection are counted as part of the CBC a normal white cell count is 4.5 -10 , 4500-10,000 white blood cells/mcL (cells per microliter) Sharon's count today is 0.1, Neutropenia is when the neutrophil or the white cells that eat infection are below 2000. Sharon’s are too low to count so you have to be a germ a phoebe and wash your hands all the time. so there you are!
The Northwestern has a reverse air system for the whole floor as well as individual rooms usually most BMT units have only individual room and you are isolated more we get to escape for walks three times a day. When you enter the department you come through it seems an air lock with two sets of doors neither will open without the other being closed first. It’s like a scene from 2001 a space odyssey without the space suit and mad computer, you get gloves and mask instead. The doors malfunctioned yesterday and I spent a pleasant 10 minutes with the cleaner discussing the merits of a clean environment. The doors eventually reset themselves maybe there is a faulty computer and was released unharmed in to the wide open world , thankfully not outer space.
Sharon’s doing well today no fevers and her appetite is coming back and she is feeling a little stronger. We keep marveling at the visible changes to her skin and the simple things she can now do that were difficult before. Enjoy the silence by Depeche mode things are looking up no more Whitney please Steve.
All the best Craig and Sharon
2 comments:
Glad to hear things are getting better after the other day's adventures. Maybe they just told you they didn't have a PCT to give Craig something to do besides wear a hole in the floor. Did you do proper hospital corners on the bed Craig? Must'nt make Sister unhappy. Looking forward to seeing you two home soon.
Mark
Glad to hear things are getting better after the other day's adventures. Maybe they only told you they didn't have a PCT so that Craig would have something to do besides wear a hole in the floor. Did you make proper hospital corners Craig? Mustn't make Sister unhappy. Looking forward to seeing you two home soon.
Mark
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