Baby S had tests run last night, and was discovered to be Neutropenic. She had to stay in the hospital last night, but they were not sure til after 9pm, so i stayed home with Tween and the other kids. Until then, they had thought they would give her a Neupogen shot and send her home til Monday, when she is supposed to be checked into the hospital for more chemotherapy anyway.
However, her tests were run again today - AFTER the Neupogen shot, which normally raises her levels above 500 or 1000 fairly quickly -and her ANC’s are around 40. Normal is, I believe, around 4000 … and anything under 500 is a severe risk of infection.
If her levels remain below 1000, they cannot administer her chemotherapy, because her body would not be able to handle the dangerous medications.
So right now, it looks like I will be going to the hospital for the afternoon, and then coming home late tonight or early in the morning because B works (he’s an EMT) tomorrow morning (and usually has to leave the house around 6am, so he’ll need me home about 4 am.
If I can nap this afternoon at the hospital, I can stay awake through the evening and night to take care of Baby S … she is always at her most restless between 1 and 5 am, and that is when C is feeling the crunch of her exhaustion the most. So, if I am awake around 9, C & I can socialize for a couple of hours, then I can put her to bed and take care of Baby S for a few hours, then drive home to C’s house to take over care of the kids from B. My tween will be at the house with me, and will help take care of C & B’s three other kids, none of whom will be in great danger if I nap on and off through the day. Tween is old enough to babysit alone (according to the law, even … she’s been babysitting for years because she is more mature than most kids her age), so helping with a 9, 6, and 3 yr old while I nap will be a piece of cake.
So anyway … I think i am babbling because I am still trying to plan things out in my head while I give you guys the information I have.
What we know for sure is that she is severely neutropenic and she will be receiving antibiotics. She cannot have her chemo treatment if she does not respond and her ANC levels do not raise to at least 1000 by Monday. Postponing chemo is, of course, dangerous, because it gives the cancer cells time to fight back (which we do NOT want). They still cannot determine why her AFP levels are so high, and they cannot see anything on the scans that she has had so far. It looks like she will be transferred back to Shands in Gainesville … which means that I cannot be at the hospital to help. I will be practically living at the house, taking care of the other 3 kids (and my Tween).
There I go babbling again.
She is in danger of infection. Period. ANYTHING can infect her.
Will update you when I have more info.
