What’s Worse than Chemo?

What’s Worse than Chemo? Drum roll…Chemo while you have pneumonia!

As you know, Karen’s been struggling with a cough for a couple months now, and that’s now turned into pneumonia. We were having trouble keeping her temperature down Saturday, so on the Clinic’s orders I took her into the ER for a late night visit. Her white blood cell counts are still at a reasonably safe level, but x-rays showed the pneumonia. She had chemo last week, and that will start suppressing her immune system around now, so there is some concern, and we’re following up with the Clinic this morning.

It was a rough week for her last week. She was in bed for days after the chemo. Short trips to another room would leave her gasping for breath, and she had a bit of trouble keeping much food down. The coughing exacerbated her pain, and she has a new side effect to add to the list, skin rash and painful itchiness.

She seems to be on the other side of the chemo, but we aren’t really sure what to expect from the pneumonia. I’m watching her closely, and have a call with the Clinic in a few.

Even worse than that, we have two brand new Flexible Flyer sleds, plenty of snow, but can’t go out and play.