[Al's Wife]

Beth,

Thanks so much for sharing your nursing wisdom. It is invaluable.
I was so tired last night when I wrote the post I put hemoglobin and it should have been hematocrit. His Hgb was 7.1 when we got to Emory and 9.2 after the two units of blood.
Hematocrit was 20.3% before transfusion and 26.2% on discharge.
His platelets are still at 4, but other than the blood blisters in mouth (which are much better) and the petechiae he is not bleeding.
I'm going to get one of those pulse oximeters today, as you suggested. In the hospital they kept having to put him on and off as his oxygen level would get down in the low 80's and after being on the oxygen for a while it would go back up to 95 or so. I'm also going to get him to do the deep breathing. I was a secretary and then a court reporter during my working years. I'm wishing now I had been a nurse! lol

Sally, Patti, Cathy, and Kim - Words of support and encouragement are greatly appreciated. I know each of us is going through our own hell.
I honestly feel like I could deal with this better if it was happening to me instead of having to watch my love and my life of 40 years go through it. I am just so scared. Didn't expect things to turn bad this fast.

Thank all of you just for being here. This is the greatest forum with such sweet, caring, and super knowledgeable people. You all rock!

Hugs,