Special Bone Marrow Test Details-Use Caution!

Repeating Today's Stats so graphic pix won't shock anyone-Pix at end of post. Click to enlarge!

Platelets -(Normal range 150-500) a whitish colored component of blood. Low platelets=higher Woozy factor!
CRP -(Normal range = 0.0-10) An indicator of relative health. Lower is better. When the number creeps up, Deb could be getting sick.
Day  White Count  Platelets  CRP

0         0.04               29              12.8
1         0.07               15              77.0
2         0.03               42            140.3
3         0.07               27            144.1
4         0.23               52            206.0
5         1.21               33            168.2
6         2.32               26            214.0
7         2.29               11            209.3
8         2.84               25            230.2
9         2.32               12            234.1
10       2.66               24            220.1
11       2.50               15            196.0
12       2.54               28            186.0
13       1.98               18            181.0
14       1.22               28            199.9
15       0.95               20            138.6
Stem Cells on Day 15
16       0.83               32            129.4
17       0.86               22            121.4
18       0.70               12            110.3
19       0.55                9             159.2
20       0.75              14             162.9
Admitted to hospital Day 20
21       0.36              26             127.9
22       0.53              13              86.2
23       0.34              28              59.6
24       0.29              14              95.8
25       0.38              28            114.5
26       0.40              17            129.1
27       0.37              29              87.0
28       0.41              24              72.6
29       0.35              12              73.3
30       0.59              30              95.4
31       0.37              17              84.5
32       0.19              35              80.5
33       0.25              25              94.3
34       0.05              24            117.0
Stem Cells on Day 34
35       0.17              20            109.5
36       0.16              10            102.9
37       0.18              28            111.5
38       0.11              10            140.5
39       0.10              21            117.0
40      0.13               11             111.2
41      0.19               25             100.4
42      0.10               14               97.1
43      0.13               24             108.5
44      0.12               18             119.4
45      0.07               31             103.6
46      0.06               19               81.7
47      0.04               23               85.8
48      0.01               12               84.3
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 Click on pix to enlarge


These are the slides the tech prepared for the microscope from the marrow. Marrow looks like very thick sticky blood. It is drawing the marrow out of the bone that hurts the most. Deb wants to jump off the table on that first pull.

Some bone samples in the round cup

These are some of the tools used. The thin blue T-handle attaches inside the larger T handle. They push and twist it thru the hip bone like a drill.

First they id the proper site and mark it. Then they clean it and put a surgical barrier over the rump with a 3" hole in the cover to work thru. Then many shots of painkiller are injected all around the site even bumping the bone. The painkiller is rubbed in and allowed to work. A large disposable x-acto-like blade is pushed deep into the flesh to make an entrance down to the bone for the T-handle. The T-handle is pushed and twisted and drills thru the bone. The inner blue handle serves as a 'dip-stick' to see how thick the bone and sample are. The large syringes screw into the top of the blue handle and suck the marrow up thru the metal tube.

Afterwards, large pressure bandages are taped all across the rump for 4 days. It's like sitting on Daddy Warbuck's wallet!

I think this was Deb's 19th or 20th procedure. I've been there inches away during all of them and I really think I could do the procedure myself.

To train techs and nurses, the school pays student docs and nurses $500 each practice procedure. Not for me! Add some zeros!