One Full Week at UWMC

It's been 7 days at the University of Washington Medical Center and I'm going a bit stir crazy. Day 1 the Hickman Line was placed. Day 2 I became nauseous and threw up a bit and had a slight heart episode so Day 3 I was switched to the ICU floor and a pacemaker was placed. I've had 2 days of complete bed rest requiring a hideous bed pan which never works well though I became quite adept towards the end. The nurses remarked they had never seen anyone do so well with one,  I'm not thinking that is something to be proud of but I suppose I'll take what I can get, given the circumstances. Dale spends all day every day with me. He comes in the morning and brings his lunch. Sometimes he walks the 3+miles to the hospital and takes the shuttle home for dinner and drives back then leaves between 9:00 and 10:00. Repeat...Repeat...Repeat... almost like Ground Hog Day....(The movie)
Every day at 9:00 a.m. and at 9:00 p.m.  I get two spikes jabbed into my stomach. Some would call them shots. They are GCSF injections which stand for Granulocyte-colony Stimulating Factor which is a glycoprotein that stimulates the bone marrow to produce granulocytes and stem cells and release them into the blood stream. Each nurse thinks they have the technique that will make the experience painless. Out of 28 shots so far only ONE was almost painless.
I have developed an awful mystery rash on my hands and arms. Something akin to leprosy.  No one seems too concerned or knows what to make of it. I'm getting a liver ultrasound this afternoon. That should shake things up a little for today. If my blood work comes back with sufficient increase in white blood cells I should be ready for the Aphaeresis machine tomorrow and start extracting stem cells.
I really hope I'm out of here soon. The food is marginal. The nurses are nice enough but enough already!

Comments

  1. teridmamaAugust 20, 2017 at 11:30 AM

    Love you my amazing friend! You have such a positive and humorous way of sharing things! Wish I was closer to visit/or drop things off/or whatever you needed or wanted!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownAugust 20, 2017 at 7:53 PM

    Enough already is right!! If I had a medal to give you for being a bed pan champ, I would totally award you with it with all the ceremony it deserves!! Lol Hang in there, my friend! I think about you every day! Tons of hugs!!

    ReplyDelete

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