ITP Update 4/8/08

My platelet count was 201k today! It was 109k last week and 123k the week before, so after several weeks of going down, it has gone back up this week with just the AMG 531 drug and no other meds (Which, btw, the drug has officially been renamed 'Romiplostim' in anticipation of it's FDA approval which they're hoping is this summer sometime)! My dose stayed the same as last week, and I have my 12 week follow-up appointment next Tuesday. If I'm still somewhere in the 100-200 range, we will probably discuss starting at home injections. I'm so happy to finally be at that place with this whole thing. At home injections means only having to go to the doctor once every 4 weeks for a blood test instead of every single week like I have been for almost a year now.

Since about 4 weeks ago, the pain I am in for the couple days following the injection has been increasingly bad and the Doans pain pills weren't working for me anymore. I was given something stronger for the pain and it seems to be helping. It's my goal to take the stronger drug only at night so I can sleep well, and then manage with the Doans during the day so I'm coherant and able to take care of my kiddos. Luckily for me, I have a great doctor who whole-heartedly believes in adequate pain management and is willing to work with me to find something that really does work. I have to say that she's sharp as a tack and really knows what she's talking about. It's comforting and reassuring to talk to her about my ITP because she has so many years experience and she educates herself on everything new coming out.

Here's a random thing: I found out two weeks ago that one of my nurses, Dina, lived in Federal Way for a while. She attended Green River Community College for a year (I went there for a quarter before moving down here and going to PBC) and she volunteered at Auburn General Hospital. Isn't it such a small world? It's fun to be able to talk about things at home and she knows exactly what I'm talking about.

My pediatrician's office is in the same building as my hematologist, so since I had all three kids with me yesterday at the ped's office, I ran them downstairs on the way out to meet everyone at Dr. K's office. They've seen pictures, but haven't met the kids all in person. Since they're all starting to feel like family, I thought I'd introduce the kids to the nurses and staff. The boys shook Dina's hand and then pawed through her candy basket. At one point, Hunter had been digging for a while. I knew he was looking for a chocolate candy and that she didn't have chocolate so I told him to "hurry up" and he replied sternly "I'm looking, MOMMY." Excuse me.