January 12, 2009

Blood test at 10:30 am and doctor's appointment at 2:30pm. Larry's HGB counts were 9.4 and his platelets were .4 so the nurse set him up to get a platelet transfusion after his doctor's appointment. You can probably guess that Larry wasn't a happy camper and I really don't blame him as I'm sure he feels like a human pin cushion.

The first tech wasn't able to get a good vein and had to call in a more seasoned tech which also had a hard time getting a vein but with a great deal of patience was able to find one the first stick. Larry was getting impatient because it was taking a little longer than he thought it should. I didn't come prepared and he was becoming quite a hand full. I searched the room for something......anything that would distract him at least for an hour or so but there wasn't anything in that tiny cubical to keep his mind occupied except the TV. I was very afraid to turn it on as I remember what happened the last time but I though what the hey!!!!!! I reluctantly gave him the remote. He turned the TV on an slowly started flipping through the channels and guess what, he couldn't find one station with Elvis on it?? What a relief.....he suddenly calmed down and was very content just flipping through the channels between a couple of naps and before we knew it his transfusion was complete and we were able to return to the park.

I must say that today was very tiring so we ate supper as soon as we got back to camp and he rested in front of our TV.