Friday 14 August 2015

Neutro bounce-back

Well, well, well.

I injection of Grafeel 300 ncg (filgastrim) at 9.30 PM last night + prayers of various kinds and intensities =  an increase of Dad's WBC from 3500 to 7200 in and his neutrophil percentage shooting up from 18% to 56% in 12 hours.  

So we saw Dad's neutrophils go up from about 630 per cubic mm of blood to a healthy 4200 or soso at 9 AM this morning.  This is well above the 1500 threshold that chemo is given at.

Meds and prayer go well together it seems.

And so after meeting Dr. Bakshi at 11 AM, Dad was admitted for today's dose.

I stopped by with lunch - including fresh baked bread that Mum had made.  There is a blessed normality to it all - with the Bethany Hospital a second home to Dad.  Mum was picking up Yohan from his classes and will be joining Dad later after she has her afternoon nap.



Needless to say - Dad is really doing great.

"You just don't know that he is a cancer patient" is what many people tell me as they marvel at his cheeriness.

Sheba and I wish he would eat more (I ended up eating two of the pieces of bread) - but we are happy that Dad's weight is slowly increasing with him hitting 74 kgs last night!

I popped down to the Bethany Cafeteria to get some coffee for Dad and myself and when I got back he has already been hooked up and was taking a nap himself.

The first course is some normal saline and then there is a small bottle of the blessed poison gemcitabine.  Dad had taken a small nap by the time I was back with the coffee.  A peaceful sight - Dad in a room on his beloved 5th floor of Bethany, with the meds seeping into his body - and his very person upheld by the prayers of many. 


This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel says:  "In repentence and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..."  Isaiah 30.15a

Dad's neutrophils have certainly bounced back.  We are grateful for another step on this journey. 

3 comments:

  1. Encouraged as we pray. Thank you Lord!

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  2. Thank God for His mercy and grace in this, another answer to prayer!

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  3. Thank you for writing these with such detail Andy. We stand together in prayer for him with our family here in Mussoorie.-Dr. R. Abraham.

    ReplyDelete