busy week...

we have found this week to be both frustrating and enlightening.

as you all know i work in the hershey medical center and more specifically in the lab...because of this i feel that i am a bit more aware of some of the "blood" issues that tim deals with and have a pretty good grasp on the way things really are. we are constantly watching his platelets and they rise and they drop. recently they have taken a dive.

the oncologist ordered tim's bloodwork-but to him the low platelet count was really not an issue.

the general surgeon knew that the bloodwork was done so he didn't order it himself (therefore also didn't receive a copy).

the oral surgeon doesn't routinely do bloodwork (therefore had NO IDEA that tim's counts were low).

SO...the last few days have been spent talking to surgeons and anethesia staff and transplant coordinators and the final solution to this dilemma was to have tim go in the day of his surgeries and receive a dose of platelets to help him thru the procedures.

thursday at 9am he has to be at HMC to get a dose of platelets before his 7 teeth are extracted at 2pm. then again next week on tuesday afternoon (the day before they attempt to remove the tumor) he will go in and get another transfusion.

the frustrating part of this whole thing is that if we would not have said anything things could have gone south really fast in either procedure...tim always says we have to dot our "i"s and cross our "t"s...but it would be nice if they would do the same. we are certainly pro's at all this stuff by now, but the hours spent trying to sort it all out was frustrating.

the enlightening part is that you MUST become your own patient advocate and stay on top of things...don't just assume that someone else has done it.

thursday is pretty much full...transfusion in the morning and oral surgery in the afternoon...any suggestions for "gummy" to have to eat. the usual...soft eggs, puddings, cream soups, milkshakes are already in the making. i will be open for any ideas...i think he will be pretty sore for a few days.

thanks for all your prayers and concerns...i am feeling a little better...somewhat of a scratchy throat still, but now the kiddos are getting a cold...ick...

i will shoot out an update either tomorrow or friday and let everyone know how he made out.

thanks for checking in

tim and tammy