Day +10 --  ANC is 199, WBC is .4.... whoo hoo right!? do we dare to call it a 'trend'!?  Not according to the Dr. who told us this morning (some of it repetitive) -  "don't read too much into these small fluctuations", "day 10 is too early" and "don't be disappointed or alarmed if the numbers go back down tomorrow". Well hell, I still can't help feel like we are turning a corner.

Faye is on oxygen full time and a pulmonary physician comes in every 4 hours to do lung expansion (EzPAP) therapy. The oxygen mask tends to dry up her sinuses and combined with low platelets cause spontaneous nose bleeds which makes her nauseous.  The blood hurts her throat and the vomiting/dry heaves cause her nose to bleed more then she needs more platelets and to give platelets they need to pre-medicate with anti-nausea medicine, the anti-nausea medicine cause sedation which lowers blood oxygen levels... kind of a vicious cycle but they really are doing their best. 

Steve and I wonder on a daily basis, how insane were we to even consider trying to do this on an outpatient basis!?!  Can. Not. Imagine.  I can only think that, had we tried, we would have landed in PSL pronto.  And when I think about our brief stay in PSL in June I take back every complaint I ever made about the bathroom/shower situation here.

Friday afternoon we met with Dr. Liu, the radiation oncologist, who is recommending more radiation as soon as Faye's counts recover enough; 3 weeks, daily, boosted, 21 gray to the mediastinum area(s) of concern.  Since Faye's cancer is aggressive the Doctors are also recommending -and looking into- additional antibody treatments on a 'maintenance' basis.  Both sound awful but at this point I feel as if we've already thrown the nuclear bomb - what would a little more sniper fire hurt?  ~L