T+291 Clinic Update of the Day

Once again, Torie has surprised everyone.  Over the weekend she seemed to be a little puffy in her hands and feet, and so much heavier to lift.  She has also had a little cough for the last week, and it seemed to have worsened a little.  Today her weight was up from 14.7kg to 16.1kg.  That's just over 3 pounds.  And she's not eating like she was last time!  Her labs, which have been so good for the last few weeks, weren't as hot as they were.  Her Total Protein dropped to 5.2 and Albumin dropped to 2.0.  When she was diagnosed with Nephrotic Syndrome in May, she only went down to 2.2.  Her BUN and Creatnine are fine - 10 and 0.24, so that's something.  Dr. Orchard is concerned, too.  He ordered a chest X-Ray that showed her lungs were a little hazy, but her heart has increased in size since her last X-Ray.  So tomorrow we go for another Echocardiogram (Echo) and she is back on Bumex (diuretic).  At least Torie doesn't mind Echos.  When we clean her chest with Betadyne, we call it peanut butter paint.  And they use ultrasound gel for the Echo.  So Torie calls it the "Jelly Test."  One of the (numerous) times she was having an Echo, Torie told the tech "Torie had peanut butter paint, now the jelly test.  Torie a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!"

The good clinic news:  Engraftment levels are back....CD3 is 47% (from 35% in September) and CD15 is 100%.  Yippee!  Her hemoglobin and hematocrit are stable, but her platelets dropped again to 99.  I'm not trying to be greedy, or seem ungrateful, but it sure would be nice if her hematology AND her chemistry would be normal.  At the same time!  But, that's our Mys-Torie....she likes to keep everyone guessing!  If you've got some spare happy thoughts and prayers laying around, maybe thawing in the fridge with the turkey, send 'em her way....we appreciate all you do!