White Blood Cell Delay

Mom and I reported bright and early this morning to get her second of three chemo treatments. You might remember that the first chemo treatment resulted in hives that landed her in the ER, followed by a 3-night hospital stay, so we were both anxious about this dose.

It's normal procedure to run bloodwork on cancer patients before they undergo a round of chemotherapy, and today was no exception. Mom's port went in easily and returned blood well, but I knew something was up when they put us in a room when they called her back instead of in a treatment area. Turns out, Mom's white blood cells have been knocked so low by the Fluderabine that it's not safe to have a chemotherapy treatment right now.

A low white blood cell count isn't a really bad thing. She just feels punk and gets tired easily. White blood cells fight off infection, so it can be very dangerous if Mom is exposed to sickness. If you see her, don't hug or touch unless you've washed your hands.

Dr. S. decided to give Mom 2 weeks to try to raise her white blood cell count naturally. There are drugs that she could take, but it's better to save those for an emergency (i.e. infection) situation. Mom will receive another PET scan on Thursday, June 11th. Dr. S. will receive those results the next day and will decide what to do next. Mom's reaction was so violent last time that if the lymphoma is in remission, Dr. S. might decide to quit chemotherapy altogether.

So we're in a holding pattern. As always, I can't tell you how much your thoughts, prayers, and support are appreciated.

Photo courtesy Psychsurvivor2.