Day +4

My mother said there would be days like this…  Yesterday evening was very rough.  No one should have to go through this.  Today isn't much better but the doctor said he would start to feel better in a couple of days and that the first 1-2 weeks are the worse.  It's hard to see someone you love go through this but I believe in the process and know it will get better every day.  Thank you for everyone's thoughts and prayers!  And thank you for driving to Duarte to donate platelets/blood!  He will most likely be receiving platelets tomorrow, maybe they will be yours! :)

Steven hasn't eaten today.  More anti nausea and Lomodium medications.  Since day 1, everything gets measured, in and out or his body, and I mean EVERYTHING.  They are constantly checking kidney function because of the toxicity of the chemo and GVHD drugs.

The good news is the Bears won by 1.  The day could have been worse. :)  What would we do without DirecTV and Sunday Ticket??

When he wants to take a shower, he has to be untethered from his Hickman line.  That gets taped up with a bag and secured with tape since it can not get wet.  The PCA comes in and changes all the bedding while the patient is showering.  You can bounce a quarter off the bed.  I think they send the PCA's to boot camp so they can learn to make perfect corners.

And speaking of the Hickman line, I will learn to "maintain" it when Steven goes home.  Most BMT patients get a picc line (peripherally inserted central catheter) placed at the elbow.  It is inserted into a vein via X-ray.  Steven needed a Hickman (named after it's inventor) inserted because he had to be plasmapheresed, it is larger.  It is also inserted into a vein but it exits his chest wall and is stitched in place.  There is a little more risk of infection with a Hickman.  Both are used for blood draws, blood products and chemotherapy/IV fluids.  I will have to attend a class to learn how to flush the line with heparin and change the dressing, which is more involved than I ever thought changing a dressing would be.  I'll have to demonstrate in order to pass muster and get a hall pass to leave.  I'm up to the challenge and won't think about how close this is to his heart!