It makes it even harder to face - if that's even possible...

As some of you know, Jacqui is back in the hospital.  She started feeling a bit feverish on Friday, but nothing over the magic number of 38 degrees, so we weren't too concerned until Saturday evening when it was finally over 38 and she called the "Chemo Line".  They told her she should go in to an ER to get checked out.  Thankfully when you have chemo, you get a letter that let's you by-pass the line up and you get right in so we didn't have to wait at all.  

When they were getting her checked in her temperature was up to 40, rising that evening to 41 at one point - pretty scary.  After many samples of blood were taken, she was given 4 different antibiotics to fight off whatever was bugging her (literally).  Blood tests came back in about an hour showing that her white blood cells (the ones for immunity and fighting off bugs) were completely depleted.  Not so surprising after having chemo, but she'd had an injection to prevent this - I guess it just wasn't enough. 

They fought the fever all night and it took till Sunday evening before it came down to a more normal spot, but then went up again a little bit. 

She spent the night and most of Sunday in the ER, but in the brand new South Hospital it was a very nice private room so we weren't too concerned.  Sunday evening she was moved to a regular huge private room and is currently very comfortable there. 

After the little spike last night, her temperature has been pretty normal and she's feeling quite good.  The doctor today said she has to go about 48 hours without a fever.  The blood tests haven't been conclusive about what has caused the fever, but they aren't too concerned as long as it doesn't come back and her white blood count improves - which it has - to .6, they would like to see it at 1 (around 2 is normal). 

So she will likely be in a least another day or two - which is very discouraging for her.  She had lots of plans this week on what would have normally been her good week, so it's pretty disappointing (and scary and stupid too). She is accepting visitors - gowned, gloved and masked visitors  -  she has to be protected from any germs.  

It's also hard knowing we have more rounds to look forward to and wondering how she will react to them - it makes it even harder to face - if that's even possible...