I haven't yet described all of the wonderful staff here and the incredible solidarity between them, but will do once I get this retro-blogging out of the way.
My wonderful doctor visits me each day for a medical update (treatment plan details and blood test result), to review the other aspects of care and talk about how I'm feelin'. Having passed myself into their hands initially I now feel I can begin to understand more what's happening to me.
So today's conversation was about 'Managing Infection' (remember that the chemo essentially suppresses all my inoperative defense mechanisms, with the aspiration that when the suppression ends the bone marrow will return to working properly again).
Obviously temperature is the first indicator, and there is a whole suite of other tests like C-reactive Proteins (CRP's) used to assess the prevalence infections which would need to be managed. in the meantime there's a bucket-load of pills to keep herpes, bacteria and fungus at bay ! hurrah !
For the 'techies' amongst you, the presence of infection brings into play the Sepcis Protocol for Febrile Neutropenia, which basically means dietary controls and more IV Antibiotics
Does that all sound like 'I've put myself in their hands'? cant believe that on Friday I was drawing the pigeons on the roof to opposite, copying the only image of a dog I could find in the newspaper, and fantasying about my 'publication' !
