Released from Bone Marrow Transplant Unit

For several days my absolute neutrophil count was zero as I tried to get a new immune system jump started.  On the 26th of December it jumped to 400, and I needed it to be 500 or more for three days in order to be released back home.  On Tuesday, the next day, it jumped to 4300!  That was unusual.  The normal range is 1900 to 7000, and I was well past the minimum.  That seldom happens, or at least I would judge that it seldom happens by everyone's reaction at the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.  Usually it bounces around 300-1000, going up and down as it tries to stay above 500.

They took me off of the nupagen, which was stimulating white blood cell growth.  That caused my count to go down to 2160 on Wednesday.  But it was still good enough to convince the attending Dr. Boyor that I could go a day early.

I felt like a prisoner being released from a low security federal prison.  I couldn't be happier.  Then they went over the home care and release instructions with Mary and I, and I realized I was getting a task master for a parole officer.  Within two hours I had haphazardly broken several rules and felt I was very close to violating my parole.  Since then I have refocused, and made sure that I kept all the rules, or at least was far more discrete about my violations.

We left the hospital and went straight to a Great Clips to get my hair cut off.  It was driving me crazy, falling into my clothes, into my eyes, and everywhere.  Mary tried to persuade me to keep some of my hair,  convinced there was hope.  There was no hope.  It had to go.  Sorry all you women who have long admired my long locks of beautiful hair.  It will eventually grow back.

My impersonation of a person who is happy to be bald.
Halo hole, evidence of past adventures.

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