Induction II, Day 38, ANC = 640

Today was the day that they forecasted Ethan would have received Eliot’s bone marrow. Eliot would have gone into the OR today…Would of, could of, should of…we now know we can not project too far, more than a day?, as things change so quickly. It’s a sick cliche on this floor, that almost every parent here does not like to hear, “Take it one day at a time”…

So, given it is Friday the 13th, deep down I am kind of glad we don’t have life-altering procedures occuring on this day…not that i’m superstitious really…it just seems like there could be a better day for a bone marrow transplant…don’t you think?

And back to forecasting…a few months ago I would have forecasted that this was a day I would be at Sandy Point, Plum Island, exploring the tidal pools with Em, Ethan and Eliot…finding our beach treasures, slathering on sunscreen, drinking lots of yummy summer-time lemonade, climbing rocks, wading in the rough surf, rinsing three little sand-covered bodies in the salty water…guess what…I’ve learned you can’t forecast anymore…

August 2006

Ethan technically has enough neutrophils (bacteria infection white blood cells) to fight infection now (ANC > 500). We hope to see him kick this pneumonia’s butt over the next couple weeks.

Yesterday, due to his unexplained persistent abdominal pain and vomiting, they order an abdominal CT scan for him, and while they do that, get another chest CT. The abdominal CT involves ingesting liquid contrast every half hour for 2 hours prior to the scan. Thankfully Ethan’s NG tube is still in, and makes this process successful. He managed to keep all the contrast down, without vomiting. He proves to be a champ, once again, at CT. Entering the same CT room that he’s been in 3 times before, he’s not nervous…he knows the drill. His only uncomfortability is moving from his cart/wagon that he went down on, to the CT bed. And of course the dye they inject into his 8 day old peripheral IV in his hand (old for an IV life). We’ve kept it in this long, for this purpose. This is the last time it’ll be used before it’s pulled. He lays completely still, putting his mind somewhere peaceful hopefully. One would think he’s asleep. I stay in the room with him, and he lies still for the duration of the process and scan. The scan itself is only a minute or so, but the transport to and from the room, the transport to the bed, the set-up, the trial scan, the injection of the dye, etc., take about 30-45 minutes. The radiology technician was so patient, and worked with all the equipment so well. Ethan’s chest tube and numerous lines connected to his IV pole posed no problems, as this guy had a place for everything and felt confident about what he was doing.

We headed back to our room to hang out with Grandma and Eliot who came in to visit for the day. Eliot and Ethan pass time making birthday cards for Emma and watching movies. The brotherly bickering does not subside for more than a few minutes here and there.

A couple hours later we receive word the abdominal CT looks normal….phew….and the chest CT shows a bit of fluid still, and pneumonia. They have to analyze more and receive the final report, but nothing new, and the pneumonia is still present. We’ll report the conclusive findings later.

Ethan has a productive late evening, as his favorite nurse and I sponge bathe him, she removes his 8-day-old IV in his right hand, she removes the 7 day old incephalon (thing in his thigh that he receives his daily injections in), and puts a new incephalon in his other thigh (they only last 5-7 days). He gets a new clean oxygen tube. He’s a new man…

Then he proceeds to vomit airy mucus for 1 hour (11pm-12am), taking short breaks in between. He feels yucky, and just wants to go to sleep. Finally he does…and sleeps well for the entire night…