Day +7. Counts are still low. Energy levels are starting to pick up. Legs are really sore. I walked a lot yesterday and did squats. -_-

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The Road to Recovery, Part II: The Long Game.

If you take a look at my dry erase board, the top row are the white blood cell counts, second row is absolute neutrophil count, third row is hemoblogin, and fourth row is platelet count. You can see when I had that fever where there’s a spike in counts, but after the transplant (Day 0), my counts have been trailing downward. Today is the beginning of the actually recovery time where we’re looking for my cell counts to begin increasing. I started a regiment of Neupogen (G-CSF booster that’s supposed to stimulate the production of neutrophils), to begin getting my neutrophil counts back up. And now, we just wait some more.

Beginning today, they switched my anti-fungal medication from voriconazole, a pill, to caspofungin, an IV drip, because there was a marked increase in my liver enzyme function that seemed to be reduced when I wasn’t on the medication. We did an ultrasound yesterday (really cool!) to check out my internal organs for inflammation or blockage of the bile ducts, but everything was normal. Voriconazole can raise your liver function as well as give you visual disturbances and light sensitivity for about an hour after taking it — which happened to me. I’m glad we switched medications. 🙂

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To kill the boredom. That’s been the biggest challenge the past few days. From watching movies and binge watching TV shows to perusing the internet, I’ve been desperately trying to pass the time. It’s great when I have visitors as I said in my last post, because visiting with people is the best way to spend my days. But for those times when I’m alone, I’m left to my own creativity to pass the time.

Over the past few days, I’ve received a good number of surprise gifts in the mail that have been helping pass the time! Things from coloring books to brain puzzles, jigsaw puzzles to a madlibs, I’m so grateful for all the fun things people have sent me!

Two amazing coloring books with colored pencils, compliments of Connie C. & Alicia B. ❤

A brain puzzle book and an Anthony Bourdain book, compliments of Daniel and Logan T. 🙂

A slingshot, whiffle balls, and other mischievous goodies, compliments of Chris W. and Michael M.

Madlibs and a Rubik’s cube, compliments of Charu J.

Paper flowers, a Thomas Kinkade jigsaw puzzle, and Sur La Table giftcard, compliments of the Walter and Weissman labs.

South Park Stick of Truth and movies from Graham W., and chocolates from Tracy F. and Hoshang C. (but they didn’t even make it in a photo… obv).

Thank you to everyone for all of your generous gifts and words of encouragement. I definitely have enough things to do to fill my time to #beattheboredom. I have about two more weeks of recovery before I’m allowed to go home, but I’m hoping I’ll be out before then!

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This video does nothing but make me happy.