The stage that Jon is in on this transplant journey is called ‘’engraftment”. It is when the new cells begin their job and start building new blood cells for Jon. The chemo/radiation wiped Jon’s WBC (white blood cells) out -- his count has been at 0.1 since Day +4 (5/8/12) -- this is as low as their machines register. Yesterday, Day +11, they jumped to 0.6 so ‘engraftment’ has begun. The WBC today is 0.4 and the doctors were actually happier with that. They want to see small increases. Counts that jump too fast can be a sign of another of those problem syndrome/diseases that we want to avoid.
The first goal is to see WBC at 500 -- typically by Day +30. Then Jon will be in a ‘recovery’ stage while his counts continue to build and his body heals and recovers.
They are not trying to keep Jon in a sterile environment. Clean, very clean, but not sterile. I come and go from his hospital room, I do not have to wear a mask or gloves. I wash my hands frequently and use a hand sanitizer every time I walk through the door. The hospital staff uses gloves when they enter the room but that is because they are going from patient to patient. Jon is encouraged to leave his room and walk around as much as he feels up it – he is tethered to an IV pole, so that limits him a little. Jon wears a mask when he leaves his room and will wear a mask until day +100 whenever he goes out around the public.
Our primary goal right now is for Jon to be able to drink and eat enough on his own to be able to stop the IV fluids/nutrients. Then Jon will be able to leave the hospital again and go back to the Gift of Life Transplant House. He’s working on it – each day gets a little better. The sores in his mouth are healing and there isn’t much pain in his mouth. The thick mucus that his saliva glands are producing is also getting a little better. The problem is some nasty ulcers that are still in his throat.
The nurse on duty here in the mornings is very good. She’s funny, thorough, and challenges Jon. She asked how many walks she could put on the board for today. Jon said he would try for 2. She put up 3 plus a shower. Jon said “hey!” and she just laughed. Jon thinks she and I are plotting together but he said it with a laugh - his mood is definitely lighter too. So Jon & I went for walk number 1 around 9th floor. In the hallway there was an older gentleman wearing a mask (a patient), when he saw Jon he said, “That’s it, that’s it. You gotta keep moving.” We did walk #2 this afternoon and I'll convince him to do walk #3 this evening so Nurse Kristin will be happy with him tomorrow.
thanks everyone for your comments and prayers.
Crys
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