Day +6

My counts seem to have started their downward descent. WBCs are still hanging on a little bit, but my hemoglobin dropped to 7.7 (transfuse at 7) and my platelets to 12K (transfuse at 10K).  I would be surprised if I don't need at least one transfusion tomorrow.

My magnesium again dropped into the supplemental level, so I got that via IV this morning.

I got #3 of 4 methotrexate pushes. The last one will be on day +11.

Today was a cap change day, so I was able to spend a few blissful hours not hooked up to the IV. I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it's just such a nuisance! Although I was very tired, I was able to do one walk of ten laps in a row when I didn't have to deal with the IV pole and a hospital gown.

Pretty happy to be wearing my own clothes!

Speaking of hospital gowns, for the last few days I've had increasing itchiness on my torso, neck and upper arms. At first I thought it was just due to heat/sweating. Then I wondered if it was a contact thing from the horrible hospital gowns. Whatever it is, I apparently clawed the heck out of my back in my sleep, so they brought me a new topical to help with the itching. It has camphor and menthol and does not smell great, but it seems to help somewhat. With my platelets as low as they are, I shouldn't be clawing stripes in my own body. After I was wearing my own clothes for 5 hours, I noticed that I wasn't itchy, so I mentioned it to the nurse and she said she would see if they had some gowns for sensitive skin. Apparently now all laundry is washed in detergent for sensitive skin, so maybe it's just how horribly rough the hospital gowns are. At any rate, I've got a connection and hope to have some snap-shoulder regular shirts soon. Hoping it will help with the normal-feeling.

Today is the staff team change for nurses and CNAs. At Froedtert they work seven 10 hour days on, then seven off. It was nice to see familiar faces in the hall, and to think of the passage of time so obviously marked in that way. A few of last week's nurses and CNAs stopped to say goodbye yesterday and one who I had last week stopped in to say hello today. I wonder what all will be different by next Monday!