Pre-lunking

Today I had a blood test, physical therapy, and a team appointment.

The blood test was horrible. Of the 13 items on the CBC, 10 of them were terribly low. I seem to be running on about 1/2 the blood density I should have. Gancyclovir is the primary culprit in this problem. In the words of the PA, "It's a poison."

Yippee.

So they've decided the spelunking expedition will be on Wednesday at about noon-thirty. They plan on having me out of there (conscious) at about 4p. I have a blood test beforehand at 11:45.

On Monday, I have to be there at 7:15a. Yeah, SEVEN FIFTEEN for a blood test before a team visit at 9:45a. I'll probably come home and sleep some more afterward.

My PT session was interesting. It was difficult to get my heart rate up. I wasn't sweating or working very hard, but my pulse only went from 71 to 83 in the entire session. You'd think that my low blood density would make the rate increase rapidly, but it didn't. Odd.

(If memory serves, human pulse and breathing rate are triggered off carbon dioxide levels in the blood, so there might not be a direct correlation between work levels and pulse in people with low blood densities. I need to investigate this.)

Anyway, I guess Monday is pre-spelunking data. Then Wednesday is the expedition. Eventually they'll find out if I have GVHD, CMV, or both.

What's the REAL goal? It's to get me off steroids. Just like back in early '07, the prednisone could be hiding the Wicked Witch of the West inside my body. I really don't want them to open me up again. Really. I mean REALLY.