It gets better

Our Rockets: They did it! We all got decked out in our Rockets hats, Vlad, Bill and I, and watched them pummel the Lakers for No. 22.

Milestone #1: The better news is that Vlad's nephrologist is history. His kidneys are back to normal; no damage. One doctor down, several more to go, eh?

Milestone #2: First blood transfusion tonight.

Some vitals: Lost 4 pounds; blood sugar back up tonight over 250 so he had to take some insulin; temp 97.2 (normal for him); BP up to 133/something tonight. (I left notes at the hospital).

The big number du jour: white blood cells at 1.8. When he's below 1 he is technically neutropenic. He'll probably hit neutropenia tomorrow. I thought I was told he was neutropenic earlier today. Sometimes we get conflicting interpretations from different nurses/doctors, but the general drift is usually about the same.

Neutropenic: The non-technical definition is that your white blood cells are almost non-existent, ergo you have virtually no immune system. So any little germ can set you off on a life-threatening infection. With this chemo treatment it usually lasts about 2-3 weeks, which is why patients on this type of chemo are in for about a 1-month stay in the hospital.

If you visit now (and please do!): There will be a sign on the door with instructions like: No plants/flowers, no children, no fresh fruit or cheese or sausage. You must wash your hands with the anti-bacterial goo by the door. And you may be required to wear a mask: for instance if you have a sick child at home, you'd need a mask because you may have a germ or two. If you think you're coming down with something, please visit when you're well. Or call. (713-778-7073 is the room; or call Vlad's cell.)

He's already starting to get a little weak. When he gets tired, the coughing begins. So I try to get him quiet for awhile, when we're alone. Try to relax. Wash his feet. Comb his hair. Watch the tube. It seems to help temporarily. He gets a little dizzy sometimes. It's to be expected. He's reacting very normally to everything so far.

Visitors: My personal hero, brother Bill, and John & Lana, Valiya & Sasha, and Alex came in from UTSA in San Antonio about 9 pm. He brought a chess board. Lana brought borscht and mashed potatoes and silatka (salted herring), but he couldn't eat that. Verboten.

Nurse tale du jour: Judy from Baton Rouge. Not a Katrina evacuee, but she prides herself on saying she stayed (well, it was Baton Rouge, bad but not NO). I think because she housed a bunch of people who were devastated by the storm. She moved to Houston later with a bunch of her family, some of whom were already here. She tried to get her 80-year-old Papa to come, but he had too many friends over at the casino in Mississippi. So he stayed and is building a house. Himself. At 80. Yea, baby!