Bob,
A post by another forum member reminded me of something else you might want to keep track of: transfusions your dad receives. It's pretty simple recordkeeping: blood or platelets, how many units, and the date.
If he's gotten or is getting transfusions then there are a few reasons to keep a list:
- You can see if the need for transfusions is increasing or decreasing in frequency.
- His CBCs (blood counts) don't tell the whole story unless you note when transfusions were received.
- You can determine how long a transfusion lasts him.
- If he receives many transfusions, the total number of them becomes important. It affects iron buildup, which can eventually become a problem, and receiving many transfusions can be a negative factor when considering a transplant.