7-4-16

Well, things were going too smoothly, we had to spice things up! He had just got a red blood cell transfusion yesterday, flushed that line and about to start a platelet transfusion, when he sprung a leak...his line has had a kink and cracked, again (remember back on March?)! So back to surgery we go to get it replaced. But we needed those platelets first so he doesn't bleed out during surgery! They tried to get a peripheral IV in to do the transfusion (his platet count was at 12 in morning, anything under 100 is low), but blew out 3 veins trying to get one in (so hard on a mother to watch), due in large part to the low platelets in the first place. Kind of a catch 22! So after much discussion on what to do, they decided to use the functioning line of the line, we have two, and get the platelets in and everything else we have running, and just skipped the IV. After things settled down, he got sick, and his feeding tube came out also! It was decided to leave it out since, again, his counts are all really low. Over night he spiked a fever, up to 104, so more cultures were taken (so far still negative). He went down first thing this morning for surgery. And all went well, he didn't even need more platelets! And they got the feeding tube replaced while he was out too. Whew, what a busy 16 hours!

Besides the line issue, one of his liver numbers is elevated this morning. One possible cause is a condition that develops during cancer treatment where pressure builds in the liver and it gets congested, causing inproper flow. So we just had an ultrasound to rule out that condition, and we'll find out what that showed shortly. In the mean time they are starting a drug to elevate any pressure in the liver in case that is what's going on. Other explanations for the elevated number could be just the stress of this whole process, taking him from feeds to TPN can stress his system. And also as his body rebounds he could respond with all of these symptoms--fever, rashes, elevated numbers. Which would be great, and could very well be the case as we did see his white count showing signs of the big rebound beginning yesterday! Not there yet, but its encouraging, and days earlier then expected!! Way to go Drew!

So as usual, big picture is looking good, but short term bumps are frustrating and stressful. My dad is coming through our area for a business meeting tomorrow and offered to come up a day early to stay with Drew overnight so I could do the fireworks with Molly, Josh and his parents. What a gift to have a night together after 2 weeks of tag-teaming with Drew at the hospital.

So our prayer requests continue to be that his cultures stay negative, that the liver is functioning properly, and that his numbers rebound soon so we can put transplant number 1 behind us!

Happy forth ofJuly everyone!! Pictures are of a visit from Grandma Becker, and Molly.

~Heidi