Cancer College

Yesterday, my temperatures decided to fluctuate with a range from 100.8 with a productive (yellow, green, with red streaks = infectious) disgusting cough to 96.6 (I have no idea what that’s about, hopefully an error).
Either way, I decided to err on the side of caution and call my NP Melissa.
Melissa decided she didn’t like what she was hearing and consulted Dr. Alyea. Dr. Alyea, playing bad cop, insisted I should come do Boston immediately.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m packed and out the door. Who can beat that record? We left at 1:48 and arrived around 4 pm.
Me, being who I am, got on the phone and notified three separate people I would be in town so they could hang out at my bedside while I’m miserable. Thanks ladies. You rock. You also make my life that much happier and easier.
I’ll be receiving fluids and an IV cephalosporin for pneumonia. I may need to be increased to vancomycin depending on the effectiveness. I had blood cultures drawn first, of course, and a nasal lavage.
I don’t care that is has lavage in the name and sounds nice. I put my head back, one person puts saline up one nostril and another sucks it out the other side. It’s uncomfortable.
I finally made it to my bed on 4c about 7 pm to get myself cozy. What an adventure.
I’ve been trying to prevent or fight off pneumonia from the day of transplant. I’ve taken Mepron, Bactrim, Levaquin, and when those failed, I’m not taking IV Ceft something, with the possibility of vanco in my future.
See I'm learning a lot. I have the exact process that should be undertaken with a patient like me memorized. Let's think of this like cancer college.
I’m blessed, this was caught early. It is a manageable side effect. Early detection was priceless and fast action on the part of the hospital is fabulous.
I’ll hopefully be out of here in 48 hours.
Keep Saying those prayers for me.