Blood

Did I mention how fresh our blood was last week? Expiration was April 24, which is one of the reasons I am so disappointed in today's numbers. That article Tory sent was more pronounced in the failures and relapses. I must remind myself this is week 7 only. Don't rush it, but if we had done the marrow, Riley would be in recovery. I am pulling my hair out trying to know the future.





We, Riley and I, went for a walk yesterday. We stopped under a tree in the neighborhood and read books. It was a lovely day. The sad thing was we didn't walk very far, before we stopped to read. Riley's lack of progress this week has really been a blow to me.

the the Doctor came. He was all smiles he says the Grans being above 1400 are great. He checked the reticulacites under a microscope. These are the new cell production. he is pleased with Riley's progress. two weeks with out needing plateletes was a good sign of progress. I thought we would be transfusion free, but I guess not yet. He is having us go two weeks until our next visit. He says Riley can now go two weeks, just watch for the signs: bleeding, spreading patteccia, anything worry some.

He said we can change the cyclosporine to another drug that does not cause hair growth if the mustache really is bothersome. I tell him its OK I can live with the mustache. We know this stuff is doing its job. I just wanted to know if Riley could shave. Not yet, but soon. Riley likes his mustache. I see my baby growing up.

The new drug is new with fewer study subjects available. I almost laughed when he said cyclosporine has an impressive 5000 study subjects, the new drug has less than a hundred. 5000, wow, so many (sarcasm), when you think that this drug has been used for the last 20 years to treat Aplastic Anemia. It gives you perspective on how rare this disease is. As I mentioned before Dornbechers may see two or three a year from the populations of SW Washington and Oregon combined. We are talking out of a population of 5 or 6 million people.

So, we get to skip a week. I asked about the airplane ride for Riley. The doctor says if Riley's platelets are above 75,000 he can go. Its all about bruising. The landings can be bumpy. As far as flips and loops, the same applies. Platelets need to be above 75,000. I confirm that Riley still has to stay away from crowds, no church or busy malls still. Riley tells how we went to the mall on Sunday and it was busy. The doctor makes a joke about how hard it is to stay away from shopping on the weekend. Its true, it is hard to not go out for months. Shopping is a great anti depressant.

The Doctor also asks how the exercise regime is going. I tell him we made it a few blocks. Friday is no school so I thought we might try that par 3 down the road if it is not busy. A rainy day might work, the doctor suggests. No one else would be out playing. He and Tom talk over the number some. I ask for a clarification as they talk about the 3 cell groups recovering. I want to know if one may lag behind the others and then which one. He says platelets are sometimes the last to recover. Reticulocites in a normal person are around 11. Riley was at 4 which is better than 1, where we were. The doctor watches the Gran as the most important number now as that indicates new cell development.

I called our old doctors back in Longview and asked if Riley had ever had any blood work done. In 2001 I had requested blood work. I think it was after my nephew was diagnosed with Autism. We were concerned about vaccinations. I had wanted to know Riley's immunity. The Longview doctors sent me a copy of that 10 year old CBC

2001 CBC - normal

wbc 9.2 range 5-14.5
rbc 4.48 range 3.80- 5.80
Hgb 12.5 range 10.8- 15.6
Hematocrit 35.6 range % 33-45
platelets 331 range 140-375
Neutrophils 59.7 %
Lymphocytes 31.5%
Neutrophils # 5.49 range 1.50-7.40
Lymphocytes # 2.9 range 1.50-7.00


Neutrophils and Lymphocytes are different kinds of white cells. Reticulocytes which the doctor measured today under a microscope, are immature red cells.