Well, we are excited to have some good news! Drew is starting to have some counts! The team came in on rounds and confirmed that engraftment is beginning, or the stem cells are starting to grow in his bone marrow! If you ask me this is as big a day as the transplant itself! His total white count is at 310, up from zero this whole last week. Anything under 500 is still a pretty compromised immune system, so he's not 100% yet by any means, but it is definitely a start! And all of his symptoms will get better and better each day now as his body gets stronger. And we are welcoming the positive outlook!! Since his surgery on Monday to replace the line, he has been pretty sad. He's gotten really itchy from the morphine drip, and still is having a lot of diarrhea. But the fevers haven't been quite as high, and he hasn't gotten sick very often. He's playing a little bit more already this morning, and I even saw a smile! I haven't seen his smile for a couple days now, so you know that he hasn't been feeling very well! We know that we are not out of the woods yet, but it is certainly more than just a ray of hope! Each day he should get better and better, as his body recovers, and we are that much closer to being home! When I asked they said by the weekend would be pretty early to be released, but early next week is likely as long as nothing else arises. Such great news to hear! Our family is ready to get this over with, and recover ourselves!
Molly is in Emmetsburg with Josh's parents this week, and will come back with Josh's dad on Saturday, who plans on staying in the hospital with Drew for a few days after he's here. Josh has Friday off, and is planning on coming here Thursday night to releave me. I'm REALLY looking forward to being home alone, kid-free for 36 hours!! So if I can just make it to tomorrow at 5, I could be done with the hospital this transplant!
There are 3 of us on the transplant unit here getting bone marrow transplants. An eight-year-old girl that is a few days ahead of us, and then another little girl under 2 who is getting her transplant today! Listening to everyone else's story just reminds me how much we have to be thankful for. Both of those families are from Arkansas, and are here because Mayo is where their insurance would cover the transplant. They had to leave their families, take a leave of absences from work, and be totally away from all that is familiar to them. I think about how much I complain, and I'm tempted to feel sorry for myself with what we're dealing with, but God keeps reminding me that we have so much to be grateful for. I, like always, I'm so glad for the support you all show through your comments and your prayers! As we are seeing the end of this first transplant, I am filled with hope that we will get through this!
Here's Drew's first smiles in a couple days!
~Heidi
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