I met with Dr. Dad-Jokes this morning, and we agreed to hold off on a transfusion for as long as we can. The doctor explained that the "Amphoterrible" is literally poisoning me — "It's the worst, most torturous thing we could be doing to you, and we know that, but we're doing it for ethical reasons," he said. (Encouraging.)
The bottom line is one of the awful side effects of Amphotericin is it acts as a marrow suppressor. So it prevents new blood cells from forming, or kills them as they form.
There is only about a 2% chance my marrow suppression will continue beyond a few weeks past the end of the infusions. So we'll continue to keep a close eye on my counts, and I'll have weekly blood tests until I stabilize. (The daily blood work I undergo now will continue through the end of the infusions.)
The doctor says I should "start feeling like a human being again" about a month after my infusions end. By my calculations, that's June 13...I'm marking it on my calendar under the heading "Party!"
XO
-Molly