CBC Blood Draw results...
...are posted for 4/8/08. Her hemoglobin is up, a bit, which is cheerful news, I guess. It's still low, though, at 9.1. With this in mind, considering that we have another EPO Shot appointment this afternoon at 1400, I faxed her hematologist the following questions, along with the test results (which were drawn under her Mesa PCP's standing order, thus, I'm responsible for seeing to it that he gets them):

1. Is it reasonable to assume that, on the current dosage of erythropoetin and iron supplements, her hemoglobin will continue to rebound, slowly but surely, or will the current dose most likely simply maintain her where she’s at?
2. If it is likely that the current treatment will simply maintain her, should we consider raising her iron supplementation again? She seems to tolerate it well.
3. From what I read, my understanding is that erythropoetin therapy is not usually extended indefinitely. If this is true, when the time comes to stop it, what then? Do we put her on increased iron supplementation, hope for the best and continue to monitor her in case she needs another transfusion or another course of erythropoetin?
4. Once a course of erythropoetin therapy is finished, can it be administered again in the future, it necessary?

    I will, of course, report back on the answers, assuming I get some.
    I must say, I'm a bit more relieved than I have been. She just hasn't looked all that good to me and I was afraid that her CBC would come back showing that her hemoglobin, while not having dropped, hadn't risen. I'm glad it has.
    I've got some review work to do in regards to her Mesa PCP. I haven't been my usual on-the-spot self, I regret to report, in regard to letting him know what's going on. My anxiety over what has appeared to by my mother's stuck anemia has completely overwhelmed my thoughts to the point where, day by day, I forget to fax her PCP. I haven't even let him know, yet, that she's on EPO therapy. My hope is that her hematologist's office has been faxing him the information, as he asked me to have them do this and I formally requested it, but, well, you never know.
    I remain unusually intimidated regarding Medicine. I can't seem to jerk myself back to my usual take-charge, get the goods attitudes. I don't know whether this is good or bad, but I can tell you, it's certainly uncomfortable and doesn't do my overall mood a lick of good. Someone passed me an editorial, the other day, about Those Three vying for their party's nomination for President. It was clearly of the Republican persuasion, but took swipes at everyone regarding health care policies, insisting that "America's health care system, despite it's flaws, is still the best in the world." It was in an email which I now wish I'd kept, in order to pass along the name of the columnist, although I do recall that he publishes through the New York Star; at least, I think that's the name of the paper. I just shook my head. Jesus. Either the guy and his family have never been sick, they are sick but don't know it because their insurance policy doesn't cover adequate health maintenance and he has no idea they don't because he isn't familiar with standard health maintenance medical practices or they've never been sick enough to have his insurance company go nuts and deny coverage. As well, he seems completely oblivious to all the statistics documenting our country's health failures in comparison with a lot of the rest of the world.
    Oh well. Almost time to awaken The Mom. It takes a good three hours to get her out the door and headed for the doctor's office. Wish me luck. She was up a couple of times last night (which means I'm dragging) so, despite my frequent reminders that today is an appointment day, she'll probably be her usual resistant self. That's not expectation talking, that's experience.
    Later.
- posted by Gail Rae @ 10:25   email  this post