MDS Becomes AML and into ICU

The results of the chemo hit Mitch hard this week, and he has been too exhausted to do anything. Thus no blogs, e-mails or telephone chats. Now his blood counts are starting to climb. It’s a good thing, too, because it looks like he’ll need all those newly developed white blood cells to fight off infections.

For a couple of nights he’s been running occasional fevers, and now his breathing seems compromised. When I arrived this morning at 9, he had just thrown up (not that he’s eaten anything to throw up), and his heart was racing and blood pressure very low. The nurses got him stabilized and Dr. I. Sharma felt he needed to be sent to ICU for observation where the ICU physician is Dr. R. Sharma (just to keep you confused with the cast of characters).

So here we are up a floor in ICU with a slightly larger room with a fish bowl effect. A window to the doctors/nurses station looks right into the room and there are screens and monitors and cords all over. He is resting as comfortably as possible given all the wires attached to him and the fact that he feels lousy.

OK, so what gives…..lots of tests and lots of exploration going on. Liver enzymes in the blood are elevated – most likely drug-related. Possibly some pneumonia – he’s getting many antibiotics. He’s had liver scans, chest x-rays, EKGs.

So, we have a new address. I can’t report that Mitch is doing well, but I can tell you he is getting the best of care and keeping all the medical personnel at Valley hospital employed. Keep him in your thoughts, please.

Best, Penny

P.S. ICU rules – no phones, no visitors other than immediate family. He does have Internet access, but does not feel well enough to use it now.