I'm Finally Home - Just in Time to Ring in the NEW YEAR!!

1st Blood Transfusion

Shout Out to All Blood Donors:  I just want to take this time to thank all the blood donors out there!!!  You are true HEROS!!  During this admission I required 4 transfusions (3 packed red blood cells and 1 platelet).  As a blood donor (before being diagnosed) I thought I understood the gravity of blood donation but honestly, it wasn't until I was on the other side, as a blood donation recipient, that I truly realized how AMAZING this really is.  Blood transfusions are life saving!!  If you already are a blood donor - THANK YOU!!  If you are not - please consider donating if you can (click here for more info).

The Bumpy Road to Discharge:  I received the 6th and final dose of IL-2 on Friday morning, as planned, and things were looking promising for a Sunday 12/27 discharge but in true black cloud fashion, there were a few more bumps in the road to discharge.  Early Sunday morning I spiked a fever and had to have cultures drawn to rule out a new infection.  I knew that this new fever meant no discharge on Sunday.  Earlier in my admission I spiked a fever and the team diagnosed me with a UTI.  I had previously been on IV antibiotics but had been changed to oral antibiotics in preparation of my discharge.  So due to the new fever I was restarted back on IV antibiotics for the time being.  I felt pretty crappy for most of the day and was really sad that I wouldn't be able to go home but tried to focus on the silver lining.  Better for this to have happened while I was still admitted rather than when I already went home.  I would have absolutely been heart broken to have be discharged only to have to have Nathan drop me back off to be re-admitted for a fever.  Early Monday morning I spiked another fever and had to go through the process of cultures being drawn again.  Based on the negative cultures the team concluded that the fevers I was experiencing were most likely due to my body working to replete my white blood cell count (they said fevers sometimes just happen).  On Tuesday 12/29 I woke up and felt much better and had no fever overnight!!  And to my surprise the team decided I could go home (after some electrolyte replacement and a blood transfusion to "tank me up" as they say).  I spent most of the morning slowly packing up all my things (I had accumulated quite a bit😁) and by 4:30pm Nathan was there to take me home!!

Sooooo Good to Be Home:  I can not express how good it feels to be home!!  Nathan did an amazing job cleaning the house, making sure everything was safe for me, and has been taking excellent care of me (as always)!!!  These last few days I have been resting and have only left the house to go to the lab to get some blood drawn.

The Plan:  For now I am just recovering at home and letting my immune system bounce back.  I have a follow-up appointment with the study team on Monday 1/4 and will have more information on what is to come:)

Good riddance 2020!!!!  Bring on the new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!