Relapsed High Risk Myeloma - Update July 23 2013

Had trouble sleeping again - seems I have my days and nights mixed up. I slept most of the day yesterday on the sofa, which kept me quiet and not bleeding at all !

Had a call from Dr Padavanija's office early and she wanted me to go to Lost Rivers Medical Center Lab in Arco, Idaho and get my blood (CBC) drawn this morning. So, off we went. Good thing too - my platelets had dropped to only 7 and I needed to have a "rescue platelet trransfusion TODAY! ! !. 

St. Luke's Hospital in Twin Falls was able to order the platelets for today from the Lost Rivers Medical Center blood value drawn this morning. So, as we drove to Twin Falls, they were working getting the platelets in the building by the time we arrived at St. Luke's Hospital MSTI.

Dr. Padavanija sent word via her nurse that I could bleed out at any moment with a platelet count of just 7 - scary. I may be at the end of my "platelet rope", but, I'm not really ready to die. I have too many things left to do on my ancestry.com. 

Talked to Randy Nelson a couple of times while he was driving 5 bulls home from Oregon - he is good to to stay in touch with me. He also stopped on his way to help a young couple from South Caroline who had run out of gas and got them back on the road at his own expense...nice Randy!

History of All Platelet Transfusions Since Diagnosis May 24 2011

1. Platelet Transfusion March 24 2012 (UCH- University of Colorado)
2. Platelet Transfusion March 27 2012 (UCH)
3. Platelet Transfusion March 29 2012 (UCH)
4. Platelet Transfusion March 31 2012 (UCH)
5. Platelet Transfusion May 20 2012 (UCH)
6. Platelet Transfusion May 22 2012 (UCH)
7. Platelet Transfusion May 10 2013 (St. Luke's Hospital)
8. Platelet Transfusion Jul 12 2013 (St. Luke's Hospital)
9. Platelet Transfusion Jul 23 2013 (St. Luke's Hospital)

Paco came and let our dogs out a couple times while we were gone. On his 1st trip over he LOST Kady-from-Kansas (12 1/2 years old). Paco has a very difficult time walking due to spinal stenosis and lets himself in to my house via the garage (shortest route). He forgot to shut the garage door and Kady went through the dog door and was GONE. Paco hobbled around the outside of the house looking for Kady when he finally saw her lying on the front porch - just waiting for us to come home. On Paco's second trip, he shut the garage door after coming in and there was no more excitement!

Shirley and Wayne Olsen fed our dogs for us before we got home. They also dragged a new fan with a hepa filter in from the front porch left by the UPS Driver. We have so many forest fires out of control just 50 miles north of of us in Challis, Idaho that the filters are essential. Although pricey, I love these fans.

We also bought replacement filters that Jani changed out tonight. Jani, like my brother, Jeff, can fix anything.... I missed the fix-it gene and HATE reading directions! ! As Jani read the manual, these filters should be changed every 3 months, just like the in-cabin filters in your car/truck.

Below is a clean black filter that will turn the dirty white color on the right as it fills with debris.