Just Di

Drain the veins in my head
Clean out the reds in my eyes to get by security lines
Dear x-ray machine
Pretend you don't know me so well
I wont tell if you lied
Cry, cause the droughts been brought up
Drinkin' cause you're lookin so good in your starbucks cup
I complain for the company that I keep
The windows for sleeping rearrange
And I'm nobody
Well who's laughin now

I'm leaving your town again
And I'm over the ground that you've been spinning
And I'm up in the air so baby hell yeah
Well I can see your house from here
If the plane goes down, damn
I'll remember where the love was found
If the plane goes down, damn

Damn, I should be so lucky
Even only 24 hours under your touch
You know I need you so much
I cannot wait to call you
And tell you that I landed somewhere
And hand you a square of the airport
And walk you through the maze of the map
That im gazing at
Gracefully unnamed and feeling guilty for the luck
And the look that you gave me
You make me somebody
Ain't nobody knows me
Not even me can see it, yet I bet I'm

I'm leaving your town again love
But I'm over the quilt that you've spinning
And I'm up in the air, so baby hell yeah
Oh honey I can see your house from here
If the plane goes down, damn
I'll remember where the love was found
If the plane goes down, damn

You keep me high minded
You get me high

Flax seeds, well they tear me open
And supposedly you can crawl right through me
Taste these teeth please
And undress me from these sweaters better hurry
Cause I'm keeping upward bound now
Oh maybe I'll build my house in your cloud
Here I'm tumbling for you
Stumbling through the work that I have to do
Don't mean to harm you

By leaving your town again love
But I'm over the ground that you've been spinning
But I'm up in the air, said baby hell yeah
Oh honey I can see your house from here
If the plane goes down, damn
I'll remember where the love was found
If the plane goes down, damn
I'll remember where the love was found
If the plane goes down, damn
Well I'll remember where the love was found
If the plane goes down, damn

Who do you
Think you are, are, are, are
To keep me so oh cold, cold
You keep me high minded
You keep me high minded

You get me high minded
You get me high

What to Watch Out for After Discharge from the Hospital

Emergencies
M. D. Anderson has an Emergency Center on the first floor of the clinic building. At the time you are discharged from the hospital you will be given detailed instructions on how to contact this facility. Any time you are very ill, come directly to the Emergency Center. A physician there will evaluate you, begin treatment and contact your clinic physician.

At the time of discharge, you will receive a list of phone numbers to call if you should develop problems at home.

Problems That Should Be Reported Immediately:

Temp over 38.0 C or 100.3 F
Chills, sweating
Changes in appearance of the skin around the central line i.e. redness, swelling pain, discharge
Bruising, bleeding i.e. nose bleeds, blood in the stool, vaginal bleeding, petecchiae
Cough, or shortness of breath, chest pain
Persistent nausea or vomiting
Frequent or painful urination, blood in the urine
Weight loss greater than 5 lbs. 9 oz.
Painful blisters on the skin
Skin rash, diarrhea, abdominal pain, yellowing of skin or whites of the eye
Nausea and vomiting without being able to keep fluids or medications down
Graft-versus-Host Disease
You are at risk for developing acute GVHD as an outpatient. The best way to avoid GVHD is to take your medications as prescribed and stay out of the sun. Wear a hat, long sleeves and long pants when outdoors during the day whenever possible. Always apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) and limit the amount of time spent in the sun.

Despite all precautions, a percentage of patients will still develop acute GVHD. It is important to watch for signs and symptoms of GVHD, since outcome is best when treatment is instituted early. If you should develop fever, rash or diarrhea, notify your clinic physician, the transplant clinical nurse specialist or your clinic nurse immediately.

Keeping Healthy
Your risk of infection will remain higher than normal for about 12 months even though your body is again producing white blood cells. To help prevent infection, do the following:

Take your temperature twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. If you have a fever, call in.
Wash your hands after using the bathroom, before eating, and every time you return home.
Avoid large crowds and people with contagious infections, such as colds, rashes, and the flu. If you must be in these situations, wear a mask and wash your hands.
Don't have any immunizations and avoid children who have been immunized with live virus vaccines within the previous 4 weeks.
Avoid direct contact with plants and pets as much as possible in the first three months. If you have pets, be sure to wash your hands carefully after petting them and do not clean up animal feces. This includes cat litter boxes, your dog's yard, etc.
Avoid swimming in lakes, rivers, swimming pools or hot tubs, public or private.
If you have an intravenous (IV) catheter, clean its site carefully. A nurse will teach you now to do this and what problems to watch for.
Bleeding Precautions
Your platelet count may not be back to normal levels when you are discharged. If it is low you should take these precautions to avoid injuries which could cause bleeding:

Use an electric razor, rather than a straight edge razor. - Do not use scissors, nail clippers or other sharp objects until the platelet count is greater than 50,000.
Do not blow your nose forcefully.
If you tend to be constipated, use a stool softener so that you will not have to strain when having a bowel movement.
Do not use rectal thermometers or suppositories, enemas, tampons or douches.
Avoid activities and strenuous forms of exercise which have potential for injury.
If you have an injury which bleeds, apply pressure over the injured area. Keep applying pressure until the bleeding stops, which may take several minutes (5-10 min). If the bleeding does not stop, apply ice, maintain the pressure and call your clinic physician or go to the Emergency Center.

Good Nutrition Habits
Your appetite may not have returned by the time you leave the hospital, so you may have to try harder to get the calories you need. Your dietitian can help you plan meals that are satisfying and that will meet your nutritional needs. Here are guidelines to maintain or improve your nutritional status:

Eat small snacks and five or six small meals daily instead of three large meals
Eat high-calorie, high-protein snacks such as milk shakes, cheese and crackers, nuts, high-calorie supplements, etc.
Add gravies and margarine to the foods you already eat. Drink eight large glasses of fluid daily. Try to include fluids with calories (instant breakfast, sports drinks, etc.) and avoid excessive amounts of caffeine (i.e., colas, coffee, tea).
Avoid alcoholic beverages. They can have some unpleasant interactions with your medications.
Do not eat from salad bars or buy foods from bulk containers in the grocery stores. Such food may contain bacteria that can cause infection.
Do not eat raw meat or raw seafood (including raw oysters and raw fish or sushi).
Consult with your doctor or clinical nurse specialist before adding raw fruits and vegetables to your diet. Usually you will be able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables when the neutrophil count is greater than 1500. Once you have been told you may eat raw fruits, make sure to wash them thoroughly.
Weigh yourself twice a week. Let your doctor and/or dietitian know if there is a loss of five pounds or more.
Watch for stomach cramps, diarrhea, or gas after eating or drinking milk or milk products (ice cream, cheese, yogurt, etc.). These problems may mean that you are unable to properly digest lactose, an ingredient of milk. If you think you have this problem, ask to speak with a dietitian.
Caring for Your Skin
Your skin will be drier than usual after treatment. Use a soap that contains a moisturizer, and also us a moisturizing lotion, especially after bathing or showering. Use a cream rinse or conditioner after shampooing to moisturize your hair and scalp.

Resuming Sexual Activity
You may have questions regarding issues of intimacy and sexual activity after bone marrow transplantation and should feel free to ask your doctor or nurse. Your partner may also have questions and want to be involved in any discussion.

You may feel free to hold, kiss, or hug your partner, unless they are ill or have recently been sick. You may resume intercourse once your platelet count is over 50,000 and your neutrophil count is over 2000. The risk of bleeding increases with low platelet count, and infections may be more frequent when the neutrophil count is depressed. Anal and oral intercourse may increase the risk of infection. The use of a condom is recommended to avoid infections.

You may also develop infections that can be passed on to your partner. If your doctor tells you that you have an infection, ask if it can be transmitted or if your family will need to take special precautions.

You may also notice a change in desire or interest in sexual activity, which is usually related to hormonal changes as a result of the chemotherapy that you have received. You and your partner will want to discuss this and need to know that this is temporary and not a reflection of a change in your feelings of love or need for closeness.

The American Cancer Society has a booklet called "Sexuality and Cancer" which may be helpful and can be obtained through the patient education department on the first floor of the hospital.

Infertility generally follows high-dose chemotherapy or TBI treatment. Sperm or egg banking should be done well before admission for transplantation if this is a concern. An interruption in the menstrual cycle is common in women, and longterm estrogen replacement may be recommended. However, fertility may recover in a small percentage of both men and women. Birth control measures are recommended while you are taking any of the medications related to transplantation