Blood-work taken on Monday 9/30 showed Madi's ANC and WBC counts were very low. If she had been hospitalized with a fever, she would not have been released until they had at least doubled... it's like walking a tightrope. Following any aggressive chemo treatment, the risks of infection are extremely high and doctors instructions are explicit: if the patients temperature reaches 100.4, go directly to the hospital, do not past Go, do not collect 200 dollars.
Chemo patients are encouraged to eat during treatment when they're not hungry, drink when they're not thirsty, and walk/move when they feel like curling up in a ball and staying in bed. Madi did incredible on all levels!
Chemo peaks about 7 days after the last treatment and for Madi that was Wednesday 10/1. Early that evening Madi was understandably feeling rotten. She took her temp and said "I can't catch a freaking break". We've seen this before... once her temp hits 100.4, it keeps creeping north of that until IV antibiotics are administered.
In a non-defeatist but understandably and only a bit perturbed she packed pajamas, her pillow, phone and other overnight necessities, then off to the hospital Wednesday evening. What was unusual in this scenario was her temp was 100.4 when departing, but only 100.2 at the hospital...and it stayed there. After consulting the doctor, Madi was not admitted... a first given she had a temperature but it didn't follow previous patterns of her turning in to a glow worm and being hospitalized.
Blood-work today showed her ANC and WBC counts remain very low, but her temperature remains in check. Perhaps she actually caught a break this round!
Chemo patients are encouraged to eat during treatment when they're not hungry, drink when they're not thirsty, and walk/move when they feel like curling up in a ball and staying in bed. Madi did incredible on all levels!
Chemo peaks about 7 days after the last treatment and for Madi that was Wednesday 10/1. Early that evening Madi was understandably feeling rotten. She took her temp and said "I can't catch a freaking break". We've seen this before... once her temp hits 100.4, it keeps creeping north of that until IV antibiotics are administered.
In a non-defeatist but understandably and only a bit perturbed she packed pajamas, her pillow, phone and other overnight necessities, then off to the hospital Wednesday evening. What was unusual in this scenario was her temp was 100.4 when departing, but only 100.2 at the hospital...and it stayed there. After consulting the doctor, Madi was not admitted... a first given she had a temperature but it didn't follow previous patterns of her turning in to a glow worm and being hospitalized.
Blood-work today showed her ANC and WBC counts remain very low, but her temperature remains in check. Perhaps she actually caught a break this round!
