Wednesday, February 28, 2008
Update # 97
Day Plus 78
Hi,
My, instead of our usual 1 1/2 hour drive this morning, we had about an 8 minute walk. We were able to sleep past the time we had originally planned to leave home! Jeff slept well and had no fever or problems during the night.
"You look good for having pneumonia", the nurse practitioner told Jeff when she saw him. She said his right lung definitely sounded worse than the left which is why he had that pain in the back and around the front. Another interesting comment was -- transplant people may not exhibit the same symptoms as usual, therefore, no fever is not unusual in this case. She ordered an x-ray taken today to make sure the pneumonia is bacterial and not fungal.
Jeff will have these 2 antibiotics for 7 days -- through next Monday, March 5th. So tomorrow after the ophthalmologist appointment, he will return to Siteman for treatment. We then plan to return home to Hillsboro. Barnes Home Care will come to the house on Friday to bring equipment and meds for treatment on Fri., Sat., and Sun. (I assume the equipment will be similar to when I had to administer IV meds at home when Jeff had shingles with his Hodgkin's in 2001.) Monday is a scheduled visit in StL so the last treatment will take place after the appointment time.
Jeff's counts were all better today. The white count is almost back to its usual level. The anti-rejection medicine level was a tad bit higher today but still within the limit they want so his dosage did not change. Jeff received a unit of blood so he's had his 2 units to last him for 2 weeks. The blood test showed that the red is still fighting. So today was a scheduled shot but the lower dose again. Jeff commented on the walk back to the hotel room that his legs already bothered him.
We have not heard when the procedure to change the trifusion will take place. Jeff has requested March 19th after the Bone Marrow biopsy.
Jeff is definitely doing better - no pain and those counts are improving. We thank you all for your faithful prayers. We rely on you so much and keep asking for your help. God sent you into our lives and we are so grateful He did.
I'll email again tomorrow about the eye appointment after we return home. Take care of yourselves, too.
love,
Marcia