8/26/2016-Steven has had a rash on his chest, neck and face. Maybe he needs a new razor... :) I'm guessing it is more than that but we shall see. We got a letter from our insurance company saying they aren't supporting the glucometer that we have been using any more. We can continue to use it but they won't pay for any of it. We see the endocrinologist next month and will ask what he recommends. I hope Steven won't have to check his glucose for much longer since his increased glucose levels were medication induced.
The blood draws have been amazingly easy. We were worried his veins would give out with the Hickman gone. Phlebotomy was my least favorite part of being a med tech. I have to compliment the phlebotomy team at City of Hope. They haven't had to stick Steven more than once at his clinic visits.
Steven's counts are pretty awesome...RBC, WBC and platelets are all in the normal range. He has made a point of drinking more water and it paid off. His kidney tests are normal. They were off last month and he was instructed to drink water even if he didn't think he needed any! In spite of this good news, we still have the same restrictions. Our oncologist is reluctant to let us go to a Rams game because it will be flu season and those pesky childhood immunizations are still gone. I asked about the vaccinations and were given a schedule. Looks like we will be able to start them at 1 year post BMT and follow......a baby immunization schedule. What I didn't realize is I can not receive any live vaccines. After receiving a live vaccine, you shed the virus for 8 weeks and Steven can not be exposed. His young immune system is still feeling it's way around a foreign body. And that rash I was mentioning, is graft vs. host disease. A little is ok but they will keep a close eye on it. His new bone marrow is attacking Steven's body and presenting itself as a rash. We can put hydrocortisone on it if it itches and call if it gets worse.
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