No Calls, No Visitors, Please - Day Two!

Hospital & Rest, Not Equal


Toward the early afternoon yesterday, Rene was beginning to settle down mentally and medically. She is responding to the antibiotics and dietary mapped out a strategy for how she will receive her nutrition via her IV connections. Her infectious disease physician stated that she looked 100% better after one day in her mouth.

So that she continues her improvements, the physician stated that she will continue to receive a broad number of antibiotics until her white blood platelets and counts increase. This meant that last night she received no rest due to the nurses constantly administering new IV hookups every hour! The vacuum she is using to remove the phlegm is aiding in this because it quickly removes any infected particles out of her mouth.

Strategies Vary

Medically speaking, Rene is living in the world of gray with very few absolutes for answers. Everyone responses to chemo differently and therefore known side effects exist and their impact to the individual could be small to extreme. This round of chemo proves that to her mouth ulcers; her previous chemo treatment, the impact of the sores was minor.

Since her recovery is based on rest and nutrition, this is a big blow at the moment and I hope that within the next four days, she becomes stronger both physically and mentally. She stated to me yesterday that this cancer will not beat her! This is the right attitude to have and I am glad she is still fighting and can see herself has a cancer survivor when this is all over.

Next Steps

Relax and let the medicines, antibiotics, and nutrition take over and therefore she won't be taking any calls or visitors today. I must still show up, how else will anyone know her condition!