Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Back in an alternate universe

Hi, friends.



It’s an odd life experience to be back in the UCSF hospital. I don’t know what Nancy would say about it -- she is the actual resident, I only visit -- but for me, it’s like visiting a neighborhood where I grew up. I know where everything is, but it’s strangely different. The nurses are familiar even though we’ve only been away from 11-Long for six weeks. I know the protocols, the bathroom locations, when and how to sanitize my hands, where to sit in the room so I’m not in the way. But the room is different (view to to the south, hospital buildings and Mt. Sutro forest) and the purpose of transforming Nancy’s immune system creates a feeling of intention.



So far, things are going pretty well. Her sister Janet finished with stem cell extraction today, so Nancy’s donation is ready. It’s day 2 of chemotherapy, and the docs have already started giving her vancomycin (an antibiotic) because her skin looks a bit red where her catheter was inserted, possibly some infection. She was tired by 9 last night, not surprising as this is a pretty heavy chemo regimen.


-tdc



(PS - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hickman_line for catheter info.)

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