Trip has pneumonia. We went to the ER on Wednesday night because of a high fever. Trip got a lung x-ray they said was clear. We went again last night with a fever thinking he’d get rocephin and we’d go home with no major news, but suddenly the lung x-ray from the night before showed pneumonia. (I never got an acceptable answer on why there were different results from one night to the next and if I would have learned about the pneumonia if he hadn’t had fever the second night.) We luckily got to come home. His counts have dropped since we were in clinic on Tuesday, so the worry is that we will end up in the hospital if things don’t improve. His ANC was down to 1000 last night, which isn’t terrible, but it has dropped from 3200 since Tuesday. If it drops below 500 and he has a fever, we get admitted. So far today, his fever has stayed below the threshold of having to take him in, so I hope we stay on that path.
Disease can be tiring, lonely and overwhelming for the patient and the caregiver. I woke up with thoughts of feeling incapable of doing what needs to be done to take care of my son, work, and manage life. A phone call with my mom reminded me she would drop her life to be here for Trip and me. An early morning text asking how we are doing reminded me people care. A friend who offered to bring us dinner and one who offered to go to the store for us reminded me I’m not in this alone. The wonderful friend who actually needed help himself but offered to take care of Trip just so I could have a moment to catch up with myself reminded me how good people are and that they want to help. Near and far I know people are rooting for us and would do what they can to make things easier. Those gestures can never be repaid. Saying thanks doesn’t seem to be enough. Just know that you each have my humble gratitude.
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