Platelets Low and Laying Low

Restless night in the apartment. Being Friday night I was aroused twice from my sleep. The first was 2:20 when some loud people came home. We not only hear the front door buzzard when someone rings it to be let into the building but our apartment is on the 2nd of 5 floors so you can hear everyone as they walk up the stairs. The second interruption was at 4:30. People came home and then I continued to hear them talking for awhile. Jimmy didn't sleep well either. The steroids they gave him during chemo along with espresso coffee contributed to his insomnia. He got out of bed earlier than me. His stomach was a bit nauseous and he started to feel chilled. Closely watching his temperature it climbed to 100.7 by 10:00. He sent an email to Peggy, the nurse practitioner, took 2 Tylenol and went back to lie down.

Any fever of 100.5 is cause for concern when undergoing chemotherapy. Since Jimmy's platelets are already low a high fever can eat them up dropping them dangerously low. One good thing going for him for now is his white blood count is in the normal range. At least he is not neutropenic so we don't have to worry as much about him catching something.

By 12:15 Jim's temperature was down to 99.4 so I was happy the Tylenol was working. He continued to rest in bed and encouraged me to go outside so I did. I wished he could have come with me. It was so nice out. Temperatures were close to 60. I walked to the post office first and then to the bakery to buy Jim a loaf of cinnamon bread but they had already sold out. I kept walking until I got to Central Park. There were so many people out and about. It was Saturday and it was a beautiful day. I entered the park and walked north passing the playgrounds full of children, people sitting on the benches chatting and lovers strolling hand and hand. Of course there were lots of dogs. I didn't want to be away too long so I exited when I could and walked past the Nuts4Nuts cart. The streets of New York City are peppered with these vendors selling fresh candied nuts that you can smell a block away.

Not an uncommon site

On my walk back towards our neck of the woods I passed a church that caught my attention. It was called All Souls Church of New York City. I walked in and luckily peeked through the crack in the sanctuary doors before opening them. Glad I did. A Celebration of Life ceremony was being held for an 80 year old member named Emily Blake. Quietly I exited. I did notice that the church runs a soup kitchen every Friday. It serves 400 lunches each week for approximately 250 neighbors in need. 

When I got home Jim was up watching college basketball. He was feeling better and his temperature has stayed normal. Just for precautionary measures he took 2 more Tylenol at 3:00. Luckily he has a two week break now from the IV chemo and his oral chemo break start Thursday. Hopefully during that time his body will recover some.