Now for today's events...
We had to get up early and arrive at the hospital for 3 different tests. The first test was the pulmonary function test in the PFT lab. We have tried to make up funny names for this acronym for years. I won't tell you them because most of them are obscene. Anywho... we started out at the PFT lab. This consists of a two room space. Both labs look equal. There is no check-in counter, no nothing. You would totally miss the door if you didn't know what you were looking for. Basically Alex sits in the chair and blows into this thingy. She has to hit a desired field and she has to do it 3 times in a row. SO.. the woman administering the test would do the coaching "BLOW BLOW BLOW.... A BIG HARD ONE!!!" For The Office lovers out there... Alex and I both said "That's what she said!"
After the PFT lab we had to go to Cardiology. This is where they do the EKG and the ECHO. Alex wanted to go there alone so no photos. It seems that they have all the views they need of that stuff now.
For a few updates since yesterday...
Alex's CSF results from yesterday's lumbar puncture were excellent! No blasts present! This is great news for her BMT. The better this stays in remission, the more successful this will be. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a set of laboratory tests that examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
On a not so great note... We have learned from Alex's x-ray last inpatient visit, that she already has some Osteonecrosis. Some of her bones have literally died from the prolonged steroid use during the course of these last 3 years. So far, they are finding this on her hips. SO... hopefully we will have more luck with the other steroid that they will use after transplant. They will use steroids to battle the GVHD (graft vs host disease).
The strange breathing chamber
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