Hospital, cycle #6

Well, I'm in the hospital but this time went a different route than before. Just when I had everything typed and ready for emerg, I ended up not getting my usual fever on Monday night/Tuesday AM. I was obsessively checking my temperature during the night as I wasn't sleeping due to the bone pain and was shocked when it stayed below 38. I would've sworn I had a fever as I was shivering, getting hot flashes, and feeling generally unwell. Only the thermometer stayed below 38, I thought for a bit that maybe it was broken.

However, when I went to the day unit for bloodwork and IV magnesium (the levels keep dropping on me), their thermometer showed the same numbers as mine so mine wasn't broken afterall. The magnesium took about 3 hours to go through in which time I was able to nap a bit and woke up freezing. My temperature started to climb but never got over 38.

The nurses on the day unit were not comfortable sending me home with a rising temperature so called the doctor who promptly admitted me to the VG. I spent most of yesterday sleeping and while being pumped full of saline. I thought that since I didn't get a fever, I was also going to avoid the jaw pain side-effect but it hit full force yesterday. This time with some throat pain. It means even when my nausea is under control and I am craving food, it's hard to swallow anything more than some brothy soup.

Last night, at 4am, my temperature did go up to above 38 and the nurse was about to start the 'fever protocol' (ie, take blood cultures, urine samples, x-ray, start antibiotics, etc...) until she was told that the policy here is that it has to be above 38 twice in 12 hours. Spiking once doesn't cut it. And I was fine the next time she checked and haven't had another temperature above 38 since so hopefully I'm in the clear.

The downside of 'fever watch' is that the doctors don't want me to be taking Tylenol as it tends to suppress a fever. The upside is that means that I get pain medication that actually works. My bone pain is mostly gone (possibly because of the pain meds) and all that's left is the jaw/throat pain. The pain meds mean that I've been able to eat more than a noodle at a time but it also means I'm a bit stoned all the time. I brought mindless books to read and things to do with my hospital kit and instead, I just promptly fall asleep. I'm probably also still making up for the last few nights of zero-to-little sleep.

If all goes well tonight and no fever, it looks like I'll be discharged tomorrow. My white counts are coming up nicely which my 'fever danger' zone is shrinking. Fingers crossed on a three day stay!