People have been in touch, but the computer here is so slow that I can barely load FaceBook, let alone view the comments! Text messages are going out in groups, and coming back in droves. But some of the questions are fairly universal:
Have they figured out what is wrong yet? Nope. This is really a two part question - first, what is causing the fever? Meds? Virus? Bacteria? Fungus? Parasite? and second, what is causing the drop in her white count? Meds? If so, which one(s)? Virus? Again, if so, which one? Whatever is causing the fever is resolving, but since we don't know WHAT caused it, we don't know if it's going away because of what we are doing or 'just because.'
How is she doing? Better. The good news is she ordered chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. The bad new is that she could only eat one bite and has been doing only clear liquids since. The best news is that there has been no more vomiting, so the Boulevard prayer shawl is still in business!
Is this a sign that she is rejecting the kidney? No. The kidney is managing pretty well and appears not to be involved in the fever in any way.
How serious is this? Very. At this point in time her immune system is functioning just as poorly as someone with full-blown AIDS. Staff entering the room have to wear masks to decrease her exposure to their germs, and she has to wear a mask if she leaves the room for any reason.
What's the plan? They are starting her on Neupogen, which like its cousin Epogen, encourages the bone marrow, only this one pushes out Neutrophils. They have stopped one medication, decreased another, are stopping a third (and possibly a fourth) tomorrow. We stay until her immune system starts to pick back up.
How long do you think you'll be there?
As long as it takes.
DeeDee
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