Only a visit today!

Ethan and I arrived at the Jimmy Fund Clinic @ 9 a.m. today, his vital signs (temp, pulse/oxygen, blood pressure, weight) taken first, as usual. His temp was 38.2…YIKES! That’s over that 38 (remember if you hit 38 twice you’re back in the hospital for 48 hours). I took his temp prior to leaving the house, and it was 37.6…not over 38!

We chat with his primary doctor, who is slightly concerned, and wants to get to the bottom of this. She orders 2 abdominal and 2 chest x-rays. We go over to Children’s immediately to have those done, and come back to our room at the clinic. On our walk over, I explain to Ethan that there’s a possibility we have to stay at Children’s for 2 days, if his fever persists. This disturbs him greatly, rightfully so, and he cries for 5 minutes about it.

Back at Clinic, labs come back. Ethan’s counts are fantastic! Platelets, STELLAR! ANC, 4300! White blood cells, not elevated, meaning no infection/virus, etc. Red blood, a bit low, which could explain his lack of energy for the last few days. 11:30a.m., they retake his temp…37.1 c! It dropped an amazing amount, and this is with no Tylenol/medicine. Somehow Ethan was determined not to be readmitted. Thank you for the prayers!

X-rays look “gorgeous”. Aside from a “lot of poop”, the abdominal x-rays show nothing. (Those were ordered as Ethan has been complaining for 2 days of tummy pain.) We stay to get extra IV fluids over one hour, and then an IV dose of Darbepoetin, which will tell his body to start producing more red blood cells. Hopefully over the course of the next 2 weeks, this med will take affect and boost his red blood cell levels, giving him more energy.

So, we’re due back on Friday for a quick “check”, and then next Wednesday for our weekly visit. We’re keeping the IV fluids at night for now. Unless his temp rises again, we’re staying AT HOME!

Knowing that Ethan is doing okay, and there is nothing major going on with him, eases my mind greatly…relieves some stress. I want to get in touch with so many people, return calls/e-mails, say “hello”, say thank you…and I will…it’s just taking more time than I had imagined. So many friends, and so many acquaintances, even strangers, are doing so many wonderful acts of kindness…it’s very touching…so very thoughtful…thank you…

Yesterday’s blog entry wasn’t meant to alarm anyone, or raise great concern. It is, as I said, reality…And we’re okay…I’m okay. We have our good days and our bad days. Just like we had before this all happened…just like all of you have…good days and bad days. And we have created this blog as a communication mode, but it has also turned into a therapeutic mechanism, an outlet of feelings, mostly for me. Perhaps some days you’ll get more than you bargained for during your “read”…but keep reading…’cause Ethan’s getting better, and better, and BETTER!!!

I’m off to the grocery store to buy LACTAID milk. The doc thinks that maybe Ethan’s large milk intake (20-30 ounces/day) is bothering his tummy. We’ll see…Stay tuned!