Day +8

Today is Saturday and best known here at Stanford in Unit E1 as Day +8. I had a nice visit this afternoon with Mark and Matthew. It's so hard for everyone when they come to visit me because they have to wear the mask, gloves and scrubs. Sitting here for hours with the mask on gets so hot and its hard to breath. I know!

Right now I'm watching the Stanley Cup finals. My dinner was ok. Chicken nuggets and tator tots. I ate a few of those and a little bit of the vanilla ice cream. I just don't want to eat. The nausea is still there and the taste in my mouth is awful. So food doesn't taste good.

My white cell count went up to 0.4 last night from 0.2. That's positive but the doctors don't want to say you have engrafted until the count goes up higher and it is steady. The count can go up and down until engraftment. I know within the next few days my cells will engraft and I will see my white blood cell count go up. All these side effects I'm experiencing right now will magically go away they say. I can't wait!

I miss my family, friends and home. I told the nurse tonight I won't take home for granted. I look forward to walking around my garden and seeing my beautiful roses blooming. Mark and Maxwell have worked so hard keeping up on them. I used to do it but with the stem cell transplant I'm not allowed to touch dirt for 6 months. I can't wait to go for drives again to the coast and of course to my trailer at the lake. That is what keeps me going sitting here alone.

Tomorrow Mom, Joey and Rachel will come to visit. I haven't seen Rachel since I came into the hospital two weeks ago. I missed her bridal shower last weekend. I hope and pray that I will not miss the wedding on June 27th. I know I won't be able to stay long but as long as I can see them get married, that will be a moment that takes my breath away! My brother is so lucky to have found a loving and caring person. And of course Rachel is very lucky to have found my brother. He is one in a million!

Auntie Mary Joan posted a comment on my blog and I want her to know I appreciate her love and support. I read all the comments everyone posts and know it is important for me to continue writing so everyone knows how I'm doing.

I'm actually doing quite well. No mouth sores only nausea and upper GI pain. I think the sores are in my upper GI and that's why when food starts to go down it hurts. Nurses are very kind and offer medication and pain killers all day long so I won't have to suffer. I get sick to my stomach in the early morning before lunch. I don't know why but I have to ask for nausea medicine. Doctors say I can go home as soon as white blood cell count is higher, no need for nausea or pain medication and no fever. So the next few days will be the test whether I get to leave next week.

Have a wonderful evening and remember make moments that take your breath away.

Love,
Debbie