Blood

This is a picture of Critter getting blood! Let me explain what the Hematocrit is and how it work. In our blood we have red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout our bodies. So if we don't have enough we will be tired, pale and may be requiring oxygen. This is measured by our hematocrit (Hct) level. Your hematocrit is the percentage of red blood cells in your body. Normal is 35-40%. When I had Critter I went into the hospital with a Hct of 38 after I had him my Hct was 31. I was exhausted. I slept for days to make up for it. When Critter was admitted to PCMC his Hct was 17! Because the cancer cells are producing so quickly and there are so many the body has no room or energy to produce regular blood cells. I used to brag about what a good napper he was...well now we all know why! So when the red blood cells are low they transfuse. Because cancer patients are used to functioning on a lower Hct their bodies have compensated for this and Critter functions very well with a Hct of 25-30! Even though the cancer should be gone or almost gone by now the chemo will kill red blood cells too so they watch his levels and when he gets low they give him more. His Hct came back at 20 the other day and he was starting to require O2 while he was awake so they decided to give him blood. This is his second transfusion of red blood cells since we have been here. The only problem is it gives him so much energy! He doesn't go to sleep until midnight and wakes up early! The night before his transfusion he slept all night! I knew when the nurse came in at 8:30 and we were still asleep that his lab results were back and he would need blood!