News on Richard

Last week did not go as expected (not good or bad - just not expected).

I had made the mistake of getting my hopes up which I don't normally do. I had really thought that when Richard came home last weekend, he would pretty much be home for good.

6 months of having your husband live somewhere else (give or take 1-3 weeks at a time about thrice) really gets you missing the guy. Not just missing Richard, but missing the marriage, missing 'normal' life.

Anyhow, he had headed to the lodge last Sunday night with his mom so that he wouldn't have to commute Monday morning for his appointment. His appointments were supposed to be Monday and Thursday that week.

Something happened. Not sure if I fully understood/listened. He was supposed to be getting a bone scan, I think. The hospital thought that he booked it and he thought that they booked it.

Anyhow, long story short, it resulted in him having to have appointments on Wed., Thurs., and Fri., bummer.

Richard's results came back from his bone marrow biopsy, and the results were good. No Leukemia and I'm guessing, no other bad stuff.

Richard's platelets had been low (unexplainable, but no one seems alarmed), and then, Friday, his haemoglobin was low (also unexplainable, but no one seems alarmed). He was WAY down at 82. They transfuse at 80 and lower. They decided to transfuse him that day so that he would have enough to get through until Monday.

He came home again this weekend, as I already mentioned. Norma stayed back at the lodge this time. According to Richard, she had a fun weekend planned.

Richard still headed back Sunday night again, to avoid the commute. His numbers were better today, so that was good news. Last I remember, he had a Thursday appointment scheduled once again, and I'm not sure if that's changed or not. He's going to relax today, and he said he and his mom are going for dinner tonight. He'll stay one more night at the lodge tonight, and then should be coming home.

For good?
I hope so. Of course he will still have appointments each week, but hopefully, only once or twice a week. Yes, they will still be at VGH because he needs to go to the Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant ward (and they don't have that in Abbotsford). He needs people (the oncologist and nurses) who are familiar with and specialize in Leukemia to be checking on him regularly. They know what to look for. Plus, each Monday, that I know of, he still needs to get checked for Epstein Barr (due to the research drug), and that happens there at VGH.

I'll let you know as things progress. He's nearing Day 100 (the acute phase of the transplant recovery period).