Drum Roll Please...

I'm getting discharged! Woke up this morning to find that my counts are up high enough that tomorrow I'm out of here! It's all dependent on the counts of a type of white blood cells, my neutrophils - they have to be over 500 for me to be able to leave the hospital. On Monday they were at 93, Tuesday they were around 200, and today they jumped up to 500! So that means my immune system is back up and running (although still not in full force) but enough that I can leave my room without a mask and gloves on, etc. etc. Preliminary results from my spinal tap and my biopsy show that everything is clear, so my doctors and everyone are really happy with how I'm responding. Right now I'm on a 32 day treatment protocol at the end of which will determine whether or not my leukemia is in remission. Today is Day 21 so even though I'll be leaving the hospital I'll have to come into the clinic to get chemotherapy, etc. and I'm still on a bit of a drug regimen that I'll have to keep up at home. Day 32 I'll be having another spinal tap and bone marrow biopsy done and then the results from those will determine whether or not I'm in remission. Then after that I'll be in and out of the clinic getting chemo throughout the summer to maintain everything and keep my cells in check. So yea......

I have to admit it's weird to think about leaving the hospital. This morning when I first got the news I really just started to feel anxious about it rather than happy. I guess I've just gotten used to a element of safety here, you know if anything happens the nurses are right there with whatever I need. So I guess I'm just anxious about going home and then something happening and then having to go through the whole ordeal of going back to the hospital again. At the same time though what's ironic is that if anything I'm safer at home - hello a hospital is the germiest place ever! Sick people are everywhere! As the day has passed though I'm getting more excited to leave - I literally haven't been outside in over three weeks. How weird is that? I'm really looking forward to being able to just go outside and take a deep breath of fresh air.

I'm still working towards my goal though of making it down to Georgetown for graduation (only two and a half weeks!) so my main focus is just resting, building back some strength, and NOT getting sick. It'll be nice to be in Concord, not getting woken up at 4 am, 6 am, 7 am, and 8:30 am every morning....... and the food'll be a lot better! My family has been taking amazing care of me so it'll be nice to settle into a routine with them and continue getting healthy. Just as long as Scamp doesn't lick my face too much... can't imagine that's good for staving off infection hahaha....

Oh! and PS - obviously since I'm being discharged my mail will be forwarded from the hospital, but from now on any mail can just be sent to the Concord address. Thanks!