Low Counts

 Monday blood draws.

Brendan's counts are still down.  ANC (absolute neutrophil count) is still 100  (critical is below 500, 1000 is fairly safe, normal is like 5000 or more).  I'm hoping this means that his 100 ANC last Friday was heading toward 0, and now it is 100 and heading up.  But we won't know if I'm right until blood draws on Thursday.

Other numbers-- sodium = 140 (yeah! Nice to see it this high - normal 135-145) and hematocrit 37% (those 3 units of blood last week sure helped).  The scary number (besides the low ANC) today was platelets = 20.  (Normal is >150,000 -- Platelets help the blood to clot.)  The care coordinator asked if Brendan's had bruising or bleeding anywhere and told us to watch his gums.  If they start bleeding we may have to take him in for a platelet transfusion.

When the nurse checked Brendan's temperature it was perfectly normal.  I gave a sigh of relief, and quit worrying about taking his temperature every 30 minutes.  He's been active and perky all day and enjoying home.

 In between snowstorms, Brendan soaked in a little bit of sunshine.

This afternoon Heather Nath and Sariah Summers dropped off more Charlie Brown pillowcases.   Everyone at the hospital asks where he gets his wonderful pillowcases.  It's so great having a fun variety.  They brighten up a dull hospital room, and since we change pillowcases often, there are lots of fun ones to choose from.

Tonight Brendan planned Family Home Evening.  Landon helped carry the plan out.  We made treats and took them over to Baylee Summers and her family.  Baylee just got home from Primary Children's Hospital where she had a difficult surgery on her back and spine.  Brendan has worried about her all week and understood what she was going through.  He knows the recovery won't be easy, but she's on her way.  He was glad to see her home-- we all were.  I was impressed with the amount of empathy he had for what she's been through -- and will go through.