Let's get some ANC!

We've gotten a lot of questions about when Faye will be able to go home and why she hasn't been able to yet if her chemo ended so many days ago.  The chemo essentially wipes out her immunity and drastically lowers her white blood cell count.  On top of that she regularly needs blood and platelet transfusions. The thing to track is her ANC.  When her counts begin to recover and are on an upward trend they will let her blow this popsicle stand.  Below is an explanation of what ANC is and how it is calculated: 

"The ANC is a way for doctors to scientifically determine the stage that the immune system is in after response to chemotherapy.  ANC is the real or actual number of white blood cells that a patient has to fight an infection. White blood cells are the part of the patients blood that work against possible bacteria, fungus, or viruses that may make the patient sick. A normal ANC is greater than 1,500. A safe ANC is greater than 1,000. After chemotherapy a patient's ANC may drop low as 0. When the ANC drops below 500 , it is important that patient's remain away from crowds and people who have colds, flu, or runny noses. If a patient is in the hospital with ANC below 500, he will be placed in protective isolation. This is to protect the patient from being exposed to possible infections.

Doctors are able to determine the ANC by using the CBC (Complete Blood Count) results drawn from a patient’s blood labs. In determining the ANC, the “WBC or White Blood Cell Count, ” Neuts or Segs”, and “Bands” should be identified from the lab printout."

I will spare everyone the formula to calculate the ANC because doing math was bad enough in school.  No need to relive those bad memories.  As of this morning her counts look like this:

White cells: 0.53

Segs: 3.4

Bands: 0.0

Hemoglobin: 9.8

Platelets: 62

ANC: 20

Before today her ANC had been zero for 17 days.  Hopefully within a week it will climb and get us out of here.  And now onto to the visuals.

Faye got the nurses in on her Hat wearing!  Faye wanted them all to be cowboys! 

 When Grandma Mary Ann came she brought some corn from Grandpas garden on the plane with her (who knew you could do that?).  Anyways, she left some for Faye. We cooked it in the microwave...turned out pretty good!  Of course we didn't have any corn holders so we had to improvise, the knifes worked out great!

Sometimes I will get Faye peas at the hospital.  She doesn't eat them and I say "Faye you like peas" and she replies with "I only like peas from Grandpas garden."

Once a week all of the tubing has to be changed!  Faye has taken on the task of helping the nurse change it!  This last week when the nurse was doing it Faye asked if she could help.  So the nurse said sure and gave Faye the old tubing, so they could throw it away!

 Loading up all Nixon's milk!  Just because she is in the hospital doesn't mean she doesn't have to earn her keep!

 On Saturday, Mitchell, Nixon, my Mom and I went down to the Hospital!  My mom was nice enough to stay with Faye while The Boys and I went to an Astros game.  Faye was just as excited to hang out with Grandma as Mitchell was to go to the game!

Of course before going dad had to get in his teasing time!

 And play a little catch the ring on Faye's Legs! 

(This picture cracks me up Nick with his tongue out, and Faye closing her eyes...serious concentration going on here!)

Nicks sister Katie told us about Kid History.  You should check it out, it's hilarious. My mom took a picture of us watching it!  Everything is much better watching it with Nick.  He has this contagious laugh, that when he thinks something is funny you cant help but laugh!

One day when the doctors came in Faye was playing Doctor with Dad. She was bandaging him up and asking him if she could listen to him, so the Doctors went and got Faye her own stethoscope and flashlight.  It's hilarious to see her "listen to people".  She asks them to take deep breaths while listening to their lungs, heart, and stomach.  Then puts the stethoscope around her neck and grabs her flashlight to look in your mouth!  She has got it figured out! 

 At the game.  The Hess Corporation sponsored the event for the patients of the cancer center and their families.  It was a great time and very generous of them.  It would have been even better with Faye but we were grateful that grandma could hang with Faye for a couple hours so we could spend a little time with each other outside of the hospital.

There was a giant screen right behind us and as you can see Nixon was mesmerized!

 The boys loved it!

 Typical Nick picture!

So there you go, we have been having a great time!  Getting excited to all be home!