Tag Archives: patient engagement

Although it is now several days after the event, I wanted to share an update from my weekly TCT clinic visit. I will endeavour to provide clinic visit updates each week as soon after the visit as I can.

Since leukaemia is a form of blood cancer (sometimes referred to as a “liquid cancer” to distinguish it from cancers involving solid tumours), blood testing is used extensively to track recovery progress. While there are many test results of interest to my medical team, key indicators include:

• Hemoglobin. Contained in red blood cells, hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to cells throughout the body and carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs to be exhaled. My hemoglobin is now is the normal range for the first time since my relapse.
• Platelets. Involved in the clotting process. Platelet count, which was in the normal range when I was discharged from hospital, has dropped over the past few weeks. There are several possible explanations for the decrease. My medical team is not overly concerned by the decrease but they will continue to monitor the platelet count.
• White Blood Cells. Fight disease and foreign bodies. There are many different types of white blood cells, each of which protects the body against a different threat. My white blood cell count is just below the lower edge of the normal range.
• Neutrophils. A type of white blood cell that attacks bacteria. Like my white blood cell count, my neutrophil count is just below the lower edge of the normal range.

Another concern that emerged since just before I was discharged from hospital is periodic high blood pressure. Given this concern. I take measurements multiple times per day. At the previous weekly clinic visit Tracy and I reported that that majority of these readings were high, both systolic and diastolic. The two doctors with whom we met that day seemed reluctant to believe us and asked that we record our measurements.

Anyone who knows me can imagine what the spreadsheet I presented the medical team at the most recent visit looked like :). Based on numbers on a piece of paper they now believe us and I was prescribed medication to control the high blood pressure.

Overall, I appear to be progressing well in my recovery. I still tire easily but I am told that I put my body through a major trauma and it needs to time to recover. Rest is part of the recovery process.

Thanks for listening,

Mike

A little over two weeks has passed since I last published a blog post. As scheduled, I was released from hospital on December 20th. I am thrilled to be home, sleeping in my own bed, eating what I want (when I want!), and, getting outside occasionally.

My medical team warned me that I would be very tired my first few weeks I was home and they were right. Up until recently, I was napping at least once per day, going to bed by 9pm, and sleeping in past 8am (which for me is a big deal). What energy I did have was spent hanging out with Tracy and my daughter (Breeze) who was visiting with her husband (Brendan) for the holidays.

Now that the holidays are over and I am slowly gaining back some stamina, I am hoping to post more often. I have been thinking a lot about what happens next and, given that dying is a distinct possibility in the next 12 to 24 months, about my mortality. I am to find the words to express these thoughts so I can share them with you. I’d also like to write more about my experiences as a patient in the Ontario / Canadian health system. 

To everyone who has contacted me in some manner to express their support, a heartfelt thank you. Your kind words have helped me through some low points and made dreary days a little brighter. 

Thanks for listening,

Mike