Day 57....let the eating begin!!!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Yesterday Dillon ate twice (cream of wheat in the morning and half of a bagel in the evening, as well as 2 mugs of steamed caramel milk).

This morning upon waking Dillon asked me to order him another bagel.  He ate the whole thing with a mug of steamed caramel milk and a bucket full of pills on the side.  His stomach still acts "strange" when food first goes in....and he has to relax and focus on breathing in order to keep the food down, but if he can hang on for about 20 minutes then it settles and his belly gets busy with digesting, which is a task that his gut is having to "re-learn".  

Dillon's energy is increasing.  He is talking more, doing more for himself, interacting more, joking around with the nurses and doctors.

Sean's folks were here for 3 days and Big D enjoyed their visit.  The extra time off and cleaning help was a great support.  Thank you Pat and Marylin!!!!

My dad is going to head back home tomorrow morning (he has been here for 12 days, his longest stay).  He was here for the increased nausea and vomiting, the readmission, the scope with biopsies, the diagnosis of GVH, and now the response to the treatment.  Riding the waves, the ups the downs as a family, has been the biggest blessing for Dillon and I.  Nana has been holding down the fort with Luca and Sean in Santa Fe, which keeps our family intact and functioning on that end.  Thank you Mom and Dad!!!!!!

We continue to get good news this week. The rest of the biopsy results from Dillon's endoscopy are ALL NEGATIVE.  The only thing they found in his entire GI tract is the mild GVH, which is responding beautifully to the steroids. The blood cultures, nasal wash, stool, and urine continue to be negative for EVERYTHING.  His blood counts are beautiful and strong.  He has not needed platelets and he only got red blood cells at the beginning of this current admission as a precautionary treatment.  His liver functions and kidney functions are all within normal limits.  Today his ANC is 4900.  His bilirubin is back down to normal.  Everything is just falling into place.

The plan, at this moment, is that Dillon will be discharged on Monday, November 19, and we will be back in the apartment.  Sean and Luca are arriving Saturday afternoon, November 17, so Sean will get a couple of nights in the hospital with Dillon and then he will get to be here for the transition back "home".   I have been trained to do Dillon's blood draws so we can do those at home and either Sean or I can just run them over to the clinic....so essentially we won't have to go into the clinic all of next week (unless some of the labs are abnormal, which no one expects to happen because he is so stable).

The last time we were discharged I was nervous and unsure.  I wanted more than anything to get the heck out of the hospital but I was worried.  There was so much to learn and handle, all the IV stuff and the fact that Dillon was still so weak that it was difficult for him to get to the bathroom.  It was just pretty intimidating.  This time....we are both ready and excited. I feel like I am getting my boy back this time!!!