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Friday, March 25, 2011
Today Jeff's blood counts were up and he was feeling much better.  With his head shaved and patchy, he definitely has the look of a cancer patient.  His energy level was good; he and Mike (oncology PT) walked the entire 3rd floor of the hospital.  He didn't need pain meds until the afternoon.  The Typhlitis is still present but "40% improved," he thought.

When Dr. Terzian (from Dr. Kennedy's office) saw Jeff, he used the "H" word!  Jeff was ready to pack up immediately and head home but the decision to release him would ultimately be made by the infectious disease physician.  Jeff tried to find out when Dr. Poporad would be expected so that he could look the most alert and well that he possibly could.  About two looong hours later, Dr. Poprad came.  When he saw that the wound from Jeff's PICC line was greatly improved (and Jeff bravely did NOT wince when he touched it), he declared him ready to go home tomorrow - as long as there are no setbacks overnight.  Woohoo!  I packed up his gifts and some of his belongings and Judy and Mark helped me haul it out to the car when they visited at dinnertime.  Harry and Linda also visited.  Everyone was relieved to see him walking and able to sit in the family room for awhile.  Judy could not believe the difference between his condition on Tuesday and today.

I headed home to clean the dog and the house.  I wanted Giblet to look pretty for Jeff; they will be very, very glad to see each other tomorrow.  Giblet spent the last three days at Mother and Pop's house and Kerry planned to pick her up after work.  When I mentioned Giblet today, Jeff thought that we would pick her up on our way home and he was concerned his belly would be too sore to hold her in his lap in the car.  I think he was hoping he'd only have to travel to Bensalem to see Giblet, and not all the way home.  I explained that she would already be at our house.  He nodded his understanding of the logistics.  I think that he might have been close to tears; he is so eager to see her.

I think I will cry with joy when we leave the hospital tomorrow.  Twenty-three days is a long first-hospital-stay-ever.  Jeff has already invited me to take a nap with him tomorrow.  That's why I married him; he's so romantic!