How Low Can He Go?

Every day before transplant they test Jim's blood and we see the counts for cells and platelets dropping.  After transplant, we want to see new cells growing.  Right now, T -2 (transplant minus two days), the chemotherapy is wiping out the white blood cells (WBC).  That's what it is supposed to do.  Normal folks have WBC counts around 4.5 to 8 or 9.  Our boy has 0.3 today, down from a whopping 0.7 yesterday.  This is why everyone entering his room washes their hands, wears a mask and gloves, is healthy and unless they need to, stays across the room from him.

On a personal note, yes, I do miss kissing my husband and would not recommend sleeping in a mask.  Very itchy.

On the entertainment side of things, John Grusd came by today with the mother lode of motor head DVD's.  See picture.  Jim is delighted. This is the sort of thing he enjoys and with the drugs working as they are, his concentration is limited, so burbling over car videos is perfect.

More about the drugs.  In addition to the Fludarabine and the ATG rabbit, Jim is also getting the immune suppressants sirolimus and tacralimus.  He is handling them very well so far.  We are early in the game.  Side affects may pick up next week, but the team here (raise your voices in praise, high praise) know what to look for and are brilliant at treating symptoms early.  It is great to hear them ask questions, and make something useful out of Jim's responses.  They do not want him in pain, sleeping poorly, not eating, feeling any bowel distress, none of that.  They stay ahead of the issues.

One of the neat things you see here on the 6th floor village is the patients walking laps around the halls. Tonight, I'm watching a daughter walk with her mother, mom is the patient.  Both look happy, but what really strikes me is how much better the mother looks now than she did  4 days ago.  She is walking faster, with better balance and obvious good cheer.  That's healing and it sure looks good.