more sick days

Well, after a good day on Wednesday, in the afternoon I got sick again. Boo.
My mom and I did go see the new Batman movie earlier in the day, though, so the day wasn't a total loss. It was really good, by the way. I hadn't really understood the big deal that was made of Heath Ledger's death, but after seeing the movie, I kind of do. He was brilliant, like academy-award winning brilliant. So go see it. Definitely not a movie I'd take younger kids to, that's for sure.
After the movie we also went on a walk around the beautiful University Village area just west of Rice. Well, my mom walked and I rode, but close enough. The weather was still nice after the storm the day before and I really enjoyed being outside. I'm getting so pasty-looking, you'd think is was February!
Yesterday I had my follow-up doctors appointments with Dr. Hutton and Dr. Popat. They went ok I guess. I was pretty sick yesterday morning, and I had to get a whole bunch of blood drawn (like 16 tubes). As the lady was drawing the blood (from my central line, thank goodness), I started really not feeling good. Finally I had to ask my mom for the plastic bag I had stashed in my purse for emergencies. Lovely.
There's got to be an even stronger social taboo against PDV (public display of vomiting) than there is for PDA, right? Oh well, I guess I was entirely inappropriate yesterday. Because a few hours later, as I was coming out of the MD Anderson diagnostic lab where I had to get MORE blood drawn, it happened again. At least most of the people there are probably used to throwing up since they're all cancer patients, or with cancer patients.
Well, after that we went to our favorite hang-out at MD Anderson, the family/patient room and canteen. This is a well-kept secret at MD Anderson because if people knew about it, it would be swamped. I didn't even know about it until one day when I was really sick, I asked one of the nurses if there was anywhere in the hospital where I could lie down. She didn't know but asked another nurse who *did* know and told us about this room. In the waiting room area they've got tables set up with puzzles and games, plus a basket of crafts you can do. In the back there's a snack bar of sorts, but then to the side there is a nice big room with couches and recliners and dimmed lamps, and the volunteers bring you pillows and blankets. Very nice. So I've spent several hours between appointments laying on one of the couches in there trying not to throw up.
I was feeling mildly better when I saw Dr. Popat. I hoped he would give me the all-clear to go home this weekend, but he's worried about the continued sickness. My counts are GREAT. White blood cell count 3.3, ANC 2.6. But he didn't want me going home until I've had several days in a row of not being sick. He did have a theory as to why I keep getting sick-- my Potassium supplements! Now, potassium supplements sound pretty harmless, right? But apparently they are pretty harsh on the system and frequently do cause nausea and vomiting. That's weird I think, aren't bananas and potatoes and other totally benign foods rich in potassium? Anyway, it makes sense because when I do get sick, I don't take the supplements, I only take the really essential medications. Then after a couple of days I'm feeling better, so I start taking all my pills again, and voila-- I'm sick again within a couple of days. I really hope that's it.
Anyway, he wanted me to come back next THURSDAY. I asked him if I could go home and then if I was still sick, come back to Houston on Thursday, but he wasn't keen on that idea. So he said I could come back Monday and we'd see. So I'm praying I am NOT sick between now and Monday so I can go home! I'm pretty disappointed, I really thought I was going to get to go home and see my family tomorrow. But, it was not to be. It's only a couple more days, we'll all survive.
When we got back to the hotel, Dr. Popat's nurse called and told me to stop the Diflucan as well, since that also causes nausea and vomiting. I'm not sure what he'll do about that medication, though, because I really do have to be on an anti-fungal for several months. Maybe there's another less harsh one.
So that's it. I felt pretty ok last night and even ate some oatmeal which stayed down! A miracle!
Rosalynde, I hope you are having a wonderful birthday. The August glut of birthdays has begun!