Eric has the strength, patience, persistence and good humour of a saint. The days go on and they are pretty boring, yucky and lonely - yet he justs keep on trucking.
He still sounds like he has a really bad cold - and maybe that is exactly what he has. Multiple CTs and broncoscopies are showing that his lungs are clear (thank goodness) or the myriad of IV antibiotics and anti-fungals are keeping anything from growing. I think his ear and throat are somewhat better - or else the pain meds are doing a better job of keeping the pain in check. He said his ear finally 'popped' yesterday so that must feel better.
Food has become a major issue. Between a sore throat, no appetite and unappealing hospital food that just doesn't want to stay down, he can't get the calories in that he needs. He agreed to try tube feeding over the weekend, but the first time he threw up, the tube came too. His doctors prefer the naso-gastric tube to TPN, but I think for Eric, TPN might be the answer. We'll see what happens over the next few days. Big advantage to an outpatient transplant is that you have more of the foods of your choice 24*7 and Mom is the cook! Some of the nurses are really good to put something new in front of him to sip on several times during the day. Then there are others who should not be allowed in a hospital let alone looking after people. Second big advantage to an out-patient BMT, the out-patient nurses are the best in the hospital - every one of them is simply outstanding.
So this week, we start watching for blood counts to rise. And hope that he starts to feel just a bit better....
Updates of Eric's chemo and Allo transplants for Hodgkins Lymphoma.
5 comments:
There is no better food than a mom's food and certainly no better nurse than a mom. There really is some shoddy nurses out there, so unfortunate as they have such an impact on everything. I remember when I was in hospital after having Abigail, my first born. The overnight nurse was absolutely horrible. She almost single handedly ruined the whole experience. She was mean, pure and simple. Because of a little complication I was on IV meds, which limited my ability (not to mention kept me up because an alarm kept going off every hour - cheap equipment), I hadn't slept in forever and I had all the emotions that go with birthing and how to take care of this little one. Anyways long and short is that she treated me horribly, instead of helping me she tested me on my abilities, she wanted me to show her how to change a diaper and I remember I was crying so hard I couldn’t even see Abby. What a nightmare. Unfortunately there are too many unsavoury nurses out there, and sadly they keep jobs cause there isn’t enough nurses to replace them.
Wishing you the best of luck and praying,
Kathryn
Hi Kathy........I suspect that Eric's saintliness is inherited from his mother.....:0)
Hope everything improves from hereonin and that the worst is past........thinking of you both as always.............Vx
Hey Kathy,
I hope Eric's rough and tough days are just about behind him and that he starts feeling better soon.
Always thinking of you guys,
Jane
Hey K -
Truly hoping these will be the worst days, to speak of. And, we'll be all watching and waiting with you for these counts to go up...
Sending love, love, love...
B
Despite the sore throat, Eric seems to be doing amazingly well. What a trooper!
Thanks for keeping such detailed accounts of his journey. Hoping that the sore throat is the worst of his transplant and that it will pass soon.
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