Day 10

This is a blog that I use to talk about fashion related topics, some events in my life and anything I fancy.  I thought I would use this as my journal while I'm in the hospital to keep family and friends in the loop.
Also, excuse the poor quality of my photos. I'm a little behind technology and don't have a smart phone ;)

Today is day 10 of me being in the hospital and you know it hasn't been that bad.  It's good that I'm the kind of person that likes to hang out at home, watch tv and be on my laptop. I haven't driven myself crazy here and that can easily happen because I'm not allowed to go outside. I can only stay in my room and the floor I'm staying on. I'm able to take walks whenever I like and there are two different beautiful views of the city that I can go and look at.

The view from my room is the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge! I couldn't ask for a better view! oh!  and Claudette's building is the tallest white one towards the back, if your interested :)

This view is of Twin Peaks, USF church and Fillmore area. 

My family and friends know that I'm in here because my white blood cell count is down. Let me explain what exactly happened and why I'm here.

In January I was started on a new medicine called mercaptopurine or 6mp to keep me in remission for a long time. I had to do monthly blood tests every month to make sure my blood, pancreas, and liver were not being affected. This medicine has serious side effects and the doctors wanted to monitor my liver the most because it could become toxified. I did a routine blood test in the beginning of April and in a couple hours I was called by my nurse and doctor that I needed to go to emergency right away. All my blood counts were extremely low. Jonathan took me to emergency and I was immediately admitted to the hospital. My hemoglobin (delivers oxygen to my body tissue also my anemia number), platelets (helps the blood clot) and white blood cells (helps fight body infections) were affected by my medicine. I've had two blood transfusions and one platelet transfusion to bring my numbers up to a safe level. Until the medicine is out of my body the numbers are going to bounce up and down. We're all just waiting to see a steady climb up for my blood. Until then its to risky to let me go home because I could easily catch an infection or bleed spontaneously if I hit myself. One big waiting game!

 My IV line for my transfusions. That one is now out and its on my left arm now. The only time I'm hooked up to that is for my transfusions otherwise I'm free! 

 Blood Transfusion

Platelet transfusion

I had no idea it was yellow! They pull the platelet's out of the blood and that's what they look like.

Since I've been here so long the nurses are starting to know me and ask how I'm doing. It's nice to get to know the nurses, doctors and patient care assistants because right now they're my little community of people. Everybody has been so wonderful in taking care of me and I couldn't be in better hands. Another person who has been here with me since day 1 is Jonathan. Day and night he's been here with me talking to nurses, doctors and making sure I'm taken care of. One night he went home to do homework and everybody asked where he was and said he was so sweet for staying with me. I'm one lucky girl!

My patient board that is updated everyday. One day I had a Patient Care Assistant named Fernando!

A day for me starts at 5 am to have blood drawn every morning but of course I fall back asleep. I wake up at 7:30 am and wash up for the day. The doctors start to come in around 8 am until 11 am. I'm in a teaching hospital so I have 3 different residents come in and update me on my blood counts. I get to order all my meals and its all brought to me. I'm kind of loving that! Everyday at 2 pm I'm given a shot to help produce white blood cells. After that its just another day of hanging out with Jonathan watching some TV, napping and maybe having a blood transfusion. I've had Fernando and Claudette visit me here. They brought me great magazines, books and snacks to keep me busy. It means a lot to me that they came by! 

Now let me give you a little tour of my temporary lily pad!

I have some books, gossip magazines and fashion magazines courtesy of Fernando and Claudette. Thank you so much lovelies!

My closet is way smaller than my walk in at home! I have my gowns, towels, pj pants and my regular clothes at the bottom for when I leave. 

My salmon dinner with mash potatoes, and green beans. It's actually not that bad!

Me! I'm all good, well almost! My spirits are up :)

One of the many sunsets I've been seeing everyday. Every sunset is so beautiful and the backdrop makes it even more amazing. We need to stop once in a while and just look up. 

I'll be updating this blog everyday or as much as I can. Tomorrow is an important day for me because if the white blood cells are up again that means my body is starting to function properly on its own, yay! So cross your fingers, pray, send me good vibes, I'll take anything for everything to keep going up. Thank you to everybody who has wished me well and has sent thoughts and prayers my way. Until tomorrow!