Out come the blue gowns

The tests from Summer's puss came back and it is the resistant staph. Which doesn't mean too much more than it did otherwise. Only that when people come in the room now they are wearing blue gowns.....as of today. Never mind the past four days we have been here with no gowns. It is crazy to me how they can suspect something but not take any precautions until it is confirmed. Hilarious really!!! And the nurses keep telling me the hospital is probably the safest place for Summer to be.....yeah right. I do know it is best for her knowing she needs to be on IV antibiotics until her white counts are up to at least 500, but otherwise I think there are a lot more germs here than at home. Her white count was .6 today which is an ANC of about 60 they said. Yesterday, I thought they said her ANC was 120 so I guess it dropped. Your white cells are the ones that attack infections so I guess they are being used up to attack the two spots of cellulitis (along with the antibiotics). The Dr. still says we might be out before the weekend, but we will see. She is still on the Neupogen shots (17 so far this cycle). In a perfect world, cycle #7 would've started today but her numbers are just taking a long time to recover. Her platelets were 30,000 today, as opposed to 60,000 yesterday. That is low, but not too low so they aren't giving her any today. They are probably waiting to see what they will be tomorrow to see if they go up or down.
The doctors did find the heart protectant which is good and bad. It may protect her heart some, but it also can cause cancer itself and is not good for her. The doctors at our clinic all seem to agree that the Doxyrubicin should be given (at least some of the dosage), but we are still not convinced. Clint is worried Summer will always have heart problems and never be able to do things that require a lot of physical exertion. My mom also thinks it might be better to skip it rather than put Summer in any more danger. I'm not sure what I think, but I do want to keep my daughter and in the best possible shape I can. So, we will wait to see what the Muga scan shows next Friday. I doubt we will get the results that day though. Who knows? We might because I think they are wanting to start cycle #7 the day after Labor day which would be the next working day.

Summer seems to be feeling even better today. She actually told me this morning that she was ready to go home. That says a lot for her because she usually dreads the port deaccessing so much she wants to stay forever. She has watched her new movies over and over the past two days. She just can't get enough Caillou or Barney. She has been coloring too which is more than she has done all week. Mostly she has just been watching cartoons or sleeping and sucking her thumb into a state of grossness. She does give it "breaks" though. LOL They haven't been long enough to take away the soggy skin look though. It is pretty funky.


P.S. Not to freak anyone out, but stock up on Theraflu NOW because I heard there was going to be a shortage this fall due to swine flu. That is what the Dr. will tell you to take when you see the first symptoms of flu anyways. Of course, you may not have an immune compromised child, but if you do have a child please be careful in where you go with them because the germs are out there and they are much more at risk than us as adults. I'm also trying to get enough food in my house where I won't have to go out for the next few months....at least not much. I think I am banning myself from restaurants, at least with Summer. Maybe altogether, if I can handle it. I am also going to try to shower and sanitize after I go places so as not to carry germs back into my house. Wish me luck because I am not good at being a homebody!