Update

First off: Get out and vote. I already cast my ballot as an absentee since it seemed like a pretty good possibility that I'd be either hospitalized or restricted from being around crowds. So I'm done!

Second, an update: Yesterday was a very long day at Hopkins. My appointment was for 9:00 and I was there until 6:30! The first order of business is to draw blood and test the blood counts. Very little can happen until they know that I won't bleed to death. They found that my white blood cells are pretty much nil and that I needed more blood transfusions--platelets AND red blood cells this time. I received two pints of platelets and was able to get the levels in my blood up to the absolute minimum needed to do the spinal tap. The spinal went well (at least judged against other spinal taps). It required only one stick and the pain felt was fleeting. My back is a little sore today but otherwise I'm glad to be 1/3 of the way through my scheduled spinal taps.

I'm scheduled for a quicker visit Wednesday. They are going to give me another pint of red blood cells (they wanted to give me a second pint yesterday but it was getting comically late) and of course test my blood counts. As soon as they get into the normal range again they'll start talking about when I can be readmitted for round 3, AKA A2 of my treatment plan.

Thank you all for easing my worries regarding the need for transfusions. I asked my head nurse about the further need for transfusions and she said that in her experience most patients need more of that sort of thing on the B-components of my treatment plan and that she'll let me know when I have something to worry about. Good to hear.

Finally, very early on I got asked about the possibility of donating blood and I directed the question to my primary physician. Her response was that with blood testing the way it is today they don't feel that such burdens (travel, time spent for donors and I'm also guessing administrative for the hospital) pay off. She said that Hopkins' blood supply is routinely strong and that if blood donation is a way that you'd like to support me you can do so by bolstering your local blood supply. So I guess the answer is no, you really don't need to donate blood directly to me but donating blood is a good idea and would support a regional system on which I am currently relying. If you decide to donate please let me know--I'd like the chance to say thanks.