Tuesday 10 January 2012

Upper respiratory tract infection

Chemotherapy compromises the immune system, which means colds are bad.  Especially since if you've got a high temperature you have to go to hospital to make sure you're not suffering from neutropenic sepsis, which can be fatal.

H has had a cold for the last three weeks.  We went away to Yorkshire for a week over Christmas, and hence had a late evening visit to York General Hospital - H's consultant had kindly given us contact details there before we went.  And on Saturday she spent most of the day at the hospital here.

Colds are worse if you've got lytic lesions in your ribs and spine, because coughing and sneezing can  break weakened bones.  H was in agony yesterday (and she doesn't complain lightly) from rib pain, presumably due to a pathological fracture.  All the rest of us were shaken by it.

She's in bed today, in less distress.   She's hoping to be active again later in the week.