 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Diana,
low RBC is normal. The radiation zaps the blood cells passing through the carotid during treatment. The red blood cells replace themselves every 120 days so the levels will return to normal eventually. If they get low enough, then sometimes a transfusion is warranted. Transfusions have their own risks. Make sure he really needs one and its not just a marginal issue.
In all fairness to the nursing profession, I doubt would have made it without the fine care I received from my advice and infusion nurses.
It still doesn't sound like he's out of the norm for this kind of treatment. Nobody ever said that radiation and chemotherapy are a walk in the park.
Are you sure they are doing blood cultures? I had many blood chemistry tests but I never had a blood culture test. They can usually infer bacterial loading via elevated WBC levels.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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