Much Ado About Nothing

I've taken liberties again with the title of this entry.  I'm afraid my love of reading and teaching Shakespeare may have influenced my editing.  Michael's response to reading the title was, "Huh?"  I have my work cut out with him.

Michael's routine blood work this last Tuesday showed that he has a virus.  (I don't dare try to type the virus' name.  We've only heard it in conversation, and I'm sure to slaughter the spelling.)  We spent the majority of Wednesday on the phone discussing Michael's condition, the options for treatment, and an available study drug with all its benefits and side effects.  We quickly tried to prepare for anything from an immediate hospital stay to weeks of medication and monitoring.

Michael was having none of the symptoms of the virus which could range from signs of a cough/cold to more serious intestinal issues.  Since he was feeling so well, the doctors decided to delay treatment and bring him back for more indepth blood work.  With his weakened immune system, they needed to know how much virus was actually present and how quickly it was growing in his unprotected body.  Over the last days, the results of those tests have come back to show that he only has a small amount of the virus present and that it is not growing.  Both were good signs.

Given such positive news, both the hematology/oncology doctors and the infectious disease doctors agreed to just watch him closely for any symptoms over the next weeks and repeat the blood work often.  So, after a flurry of activity, we are thankful to be able to just sit quietly at home together to welcome the new year.