Thursday, March 12, 2009

Waiting in limbo..

Another day at the bottom of the world.

Platelets 10, and all other counts are statistically much the same as the previous two blood samples.

What does this mean? Well I'm guessing that I'm producing a tiny amount of platelets, about the same as is being naturally destroyed each day. The fact that the counts aren't getting any lower is a good thing but not conclusive proof that I actually have any marrow to speak of. It is possible for them to be produced elsewhere in the body, such as in the liver. Platelet destruction is carried out by the spleen. It's a very fine balancing act that seems to have settled at around 10, right on the point that a transfusion is recommended here in NZ. In Europe it's 20.

I had a new nurse take my bloods today, she came back with the results and said I should be transfused. I said I didn't agree, she said she would speak to Dr Helen. She phoned Helen and seemed surprised when Helen told her to ask me what I wanted to do.

I replied "I think we should leave it for another two days. The counts are stable and a transfusion would obfuscate the readings" She relayed my opinion to Helen who didn't object.

I was given the standard warning about watching for signs of bleeding and sent on my way.

There is one other reason I didn't want to transfuse now. That is that I am wanting to race at Mount Victoria Hillclimb on Sunday and by holding off to Saturday for any possible transfusion it means I can enter the event with a safer blood count. I didn't tell them that though.
I'll make my final decision after my blood tests on Saturday. It may just be a case of me doing one timed run up the hill at a sedate pace in order to stay at the top of the points table.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So when will we see you at shop, Ron? (not at all I would push you to work of course!!!) we wish you all well, and good race next time you go racing. I have couple questions to you as well (and couple of Up&Go but probably you hate them by now!).
get well!
Tatiana