From Krissy

Hi you all.  Sorry I haven't written in awhile.  I have been cleaning my apartment like a mad woman to make it sterile for John.  He was staying at my parent's house while I did it b/c I didn't want him to get sick while I kicked up the dust and used cleaners like lysol.  I did this because his ANC fell so low that he had almost no immune system.

Well, Thursday, John's immune system dropped to 0.  So that means he did not have an ability to fight anything off.  I knew it would happen.  I knew he would catch something, which he did, by Thursday night.  By the evening he had a fever, and so we came in last night to Hershey Medical Center.  When we got settled into the hospital last night (Thursday night) it was about 2:30 am. 

Today (Friday) John's temperature was 101.6.  He was given a slew of tests to try to determine what is wrong with him.  It could take weeks though to find out why his ANC is so low.  It could be bacterial, fungal, or viral.  I am a little scared but not too scared, b/c he has made it this far.  

So we just don't need to be concerned about him catching something b/c of his ANC and white blood count being low, but also we need to be concerned about why his ANC is low in the first place.  Like what is that indicating?  What kind of illness/or infection is it indicating?

John has been given shots (Neupogen and Neulasta to artifically raise his ANC and white blood count), so it may raise pretty quickly.  But like I said, it won't clear the underlying problem.  The only reason I am mentioning it to you is if he suddenly gets out of the hospital.  But they will be having to take care of the long term problem, whether it is at the hospital, or at home.

So how am I doing?  Well, there are no rooms open at Hope Lodge, for at least a week and a half!  So I am sleeping in the hospital  chair next to John's hospital bed.  Clothes in a bag on the floor.  But there is a washer and dryer that everybody shares in a section of the hospital that I do believe they will let me use, and I think they will let me use the shower too.  And they will let me use the computer, so I am good to go, LOL.  I have to figure out how to get to the pharmacy (a couple of miles away, and i don't know if there is taxi or bus here, we will see), but I should be able to figure that out.  And hospital food it is for me!  Okay, I won't stress, one thing at a time here.

My sister Val learned how to give Michael his diabeties (insulin) shots and showed my mother and father.  My mother has been giving him his shots!   I am so proud of you Mom!  Thanks so much Mom and Dad for giving my cats his shots and taking care of him while we are away!

Okay, must go now.  I must get back to John.  Love you all,

Krissy :)