Woke up this morning to a brand new song with the title “You need a blood transfusion.” If you had asked me what I expected to hear this morning, I can tell you that was definitely not it. Apparently, I came in with a hemoglobin of 12 something, then yesterday it dropped to 9 something, and this morning it’s 7.1. So now I’m mildly anemic. I okayed the blood transfusion since it didn’t sound like that was going to keep me from going home today. So now of course they have to draw blood again to type me. I have been stuck so many times that I just really am getting sick of it now. Anyway, I got 2 units of blood and fortunately that worked out fine. The cardiologist came in, said that everything looks okay except that those enzymes had been high and he wants me to get a chemical stress test soon, since I’m not able to do a physical one right now. Running on a treadmill sounds like such a blast, but then getting stuck with yet another needle wound be so much fun too. He tells me to call his office tomorrow morning to set up the stress test, but says that I don’t need to stay at the hospital another day. Yes! He thinks that the low hemoglobin was probably just hemodilution from the fluids. The internist comes in and pretty much repeats everything that the cardiologist said. So after I get my blood, I actually get discharged. They remove the many tubes and bandages have me sign the papers and I’m on my way. Funny thing is, my day nurse Brenda, is the most helpful with telling me what my results actually are. She pretty much points out that they’re all just treating the numbers, and nothing else. She also says that those cardiac enzymes are going down and sort of insinuates that I don’t really need a cardiac work up. I’ve pretty much already decided that I’m going to have those values rechecked with my PCP once I’m feeling better and then if it looks suspicious, I’ll get a stress test.
Coming home is wonderful. I can wear my clothes and not sweat like a pig ’cause I’m not sitting on plastic. A shower makes me feel that much more human. I’m looking forward to a radiation session and a chemo session to get finished with this crazy show. I did apply a 75 mcg/hr fentanyl patch. I’m gonna see if I can suck it up with just that for 6 days. And then add 25 mcg next weekend. Hopefully that’ll last me untill I start healing. Once that happens – 2 weeks after I’m done with treatment? -I’ll be able to start decreasing the patches.
Happy, happy, happy to be home! 😀