Cruisin' For A Bruisin'

On Sunday, our family went up to UCLA to visit with Nonnie and Papa. She was just finishing up another platelet transfusion when we got into the room. Dr. Paquette was up in Bend, Oregon running in marathon, and was expected back soon to discuss the concerns over why she was not responding to the platelets. By the time we arrived home, we got news that her counts went from 3,000 to 4,000..... this was not the news that we were hoping for!

Nonnie received another platelet transfusion yesterday from a totally different donor, and this time, her counts went up to 29,000. That's more like it! Along with the good, comes the bad..... another moderate grade fever. Like last time, this puts the staff into overdrive; more blood tests, chest x-ray's and a urinalysis looking for an infection. She had a horrible night sleep last night, but feels a little better this afternoon. The results of the tests came back, and she does not have an infection. Additionally, her body's response in fighting the fever caused her counts to go down to 17,000 today.

To give you all an idea of the affect of low platelets, Nonnie told me the following stories.... the staff takes vital signs around the clock, and yesterday she had a black bruise around her entire arm from the blood pressure cuff. She also she puts her left arm into a latex sleeve to keep her PICC line dry while she bathes. The top is held up by a rubber band, and it too, has caused a perfect bruise the shape of a rubber band. Since she has received the platelets, her bruises are now a cool greenish color!