Day Three

I am a little behind...sorry. Monday night and Tuesday night Tom spent the night at the hospital with Clara and I came home and stayed with the girls. Then in the mornings after Lillie and Emma had gone to school and I had dropped Della off with a friend, I would head up to the hospital.

We were frustrated because we kept getting different information. We thought the ANC (absolute neutrophil count) had to be 500 to go home. Then we thought that there had to be two tests, both showing an increase in numbers. Then we heard that she had to be fever free for 48 and have two tests with increasing numbers. Clara had been fever free since the middle of the night on Sunday, so we were happy about that. But her ANC was only 220 on Sunday night and they hadn't checked it again, so when Wednesday morning rolled around, I had no idea what to expect.


Wednesday at about 11 the nurse came in and told me that her ANC was only 300. She didn't come out and say it, but I don't think she thought they would let us go home. Then an hour or so later the doctors come in and say, "so, do you want to go home today?" I was surprised but they said that we could. Then it got a little weird. I asked when we needed to come back and have her checked again and they said that we didn't. Ummm...OK???? So they tell me they'll get the paperwork ordered and they leave.


Clara Jean wanted to go down to the playroom so on our way down the hall I asked if our nurse could come down there and talk to us. We were playing Connect Four, Clara was beating me for the third time, when she came in. I asked the nurse when Clara Jean could go back to school, she said when her ANC was 750. We talked for a minute about neutropenia and how many kids it effects. Then I asked her how long it would take before we could leave. She said, "well, that still depends on her numbers." Then I realize that she doesn't know we've been released. I told her and she was surprised, "really???" she says. I told her that the doctor told me that we can leave and that she isn't planning on checking her again and that I am concerned about knowing when she can go back to school, if they aren't going to check her counts again. She tells me she'll be back in a few and leaves.

When she comes back in she tells me that she has talked to the case manager, a lady over in oncology. They have scheduled appointments for Friday and Tuesday to have her counts checked. If her counts are good enough on Friday, they'll cancel the Tuesday appointment and Clara can go to school.

Later, after we are home, I am worrying. I don't understand all the conflicting stories and I am feeling unsure about her being home. So after talking to a friend or two about it I decide to call Dr. Whitlock and talk to him. He calls me back pretty quickly and does a nice job of explaining the decision to let CJ come home and the risks that we are still facing. No school, no public places, lots of hand washing and Lysol wipes.