10/17/05
8:30 PM: It's been another full day for our family. Randall went to a workshop in Durham in the morning and got home around mid-afternoon. Elisabeth went to school, and had piano and dance lessons today. I worked all day on that same report (submitted today, thank goodness, although it was especially intense when the network shut down right before 5:00). Sophie had a good day and doesn't seem to be suffering from any side effects. Nurse Amy came and drew blood for a CBC. The results weren't terribly surprising. Her platelets were quite high (387), and her red and white counts were low. Her ANC was 0.1 (or 100), which means that she's very susceptible to infection right now. She can't start maintenance until her ANC reaches 0.75, so we're waiting at least one more week (probaby two or three, knowing her). Her red count (hemoglobin count of 7.5) had dropped from the previous week and is on the borderline for needing a transfusion. They said as long as her energy levels seem okay (which they do), we won't do a transfusion, but we should report any changes in how she is acting during the week. We need to take her temperature regularly and watch for signs of infection.
We got a call from my mom today, who had to take my grandmother to the hospital after a scare during the night. She's being admitted for the next few days. I could tell mom was feeling worried and shaky, so I am eager to hear how things have gone this evening.