Routine Status

It has been 2 months since my last status since things have been pretty routine.  I continue to have Phlebotomies every week though now on Thursday afternoons instead of the morning.  This gives me time in the morning to babysit my new grandson (born Jan 10) and then take my nap later in the afternoon.  Otherwise, having the Phlebotomy in the morning wasted most of the day.I take a nap every afternoon since I am also up until 1:30 or 2:00am every night watching the new baby.

I also saw my BMT Dr on Tuesday this week, a full 9 weeks since I saw him last.  My ferritin level is down another 495 points to 475.  The rate of reduction is slowing, now at 55 ng/ml per week instead of 76 in the previous 2 months.  The slowing rate seems natural since the iron is less concentrated, less is taken out with the same volume of blood.  Normal levels are 12-300 ng/ml for males so I may only have another 4 weeks to be back in the normal range.

I also continue to have the Pentamidine nebulizer treatment every month.  A few weeks ago I had a Hepatitis B vaccination and need a few followup shots as well.  I just stopped taking the Leviquin antibiotic so need to be cautious of any signs of bacterial infections.  I was on Leviquin for 8 months after my BMT, then off for most of 2008 and back on it since my hospitalization in Dec 2008.