This will be the day I get my line removed. It's a tricky situation because my body hasn't begun producing platelets yet. So they'll pump me up with platelets before the removal. The incisions are small and the tubes are supposed to pull out easily.

The doctors believe it is the source of the infection. Apparently staph bacteria like to glom onto plastic and other foreign stuff in your body and it is hard to get rid of them without removing the plastic. The past four days in the hospital have all been the same. I wake up with a headache and my temperature hangs around 99-100. In the evening I start to feel worse and my temperature rises above 101. By midnight, my fever breaks and I feel good. The antibiotics seem be holding the infection at bay but they haven't gotten rid of it.

Last night my chest cavity started to fill with fluid due to the immense amount of intravenous fluids they've pumped in to me over past four days. This makes your breathing very shallow and your heart starts to race. The nurse called my doctor and they gave me a drug called Lasix that clears the fluid. Feels a little like drowning...Not a good experience over-all! My lungs still don't feel right this morning.

My white and red blood cell counts are disappointingly low, but my neutrophil count is 180 today. This is good news and the first sign that the bone marrow is starting to ramp-up its cell production. 

Gina and I are going to watch the French Open this morning and try to relax. The next few days are important. We'll see.

I know this all sounds depressing. I'm optimistic but worried.