One step forward, two (baby) steps back

It's transplant day 55, and Troy has had a setback. He went in to do a consult for his port removal last week, and it turns out that he was running a fever. (Fever=bad news.) So as a precaution, he was admitted to Northside and administered antibiotics and anti-fungal medications. The good news is that his fever is going away, and the bad news is that the doctors still have not pinpointed the cause of the fever. They have done a CT scan and they saw a black spot on his lungs, which they think is a fungus. A pulmonologist is supposed to be stopping by this evening to check it out. More news later.

A Belated Happy Mother's Day!

I know that it's been a while since the last post, and they seem to get farther apart, but Troy's treatment is less day by day, and more in-for-the-long-haul.
It is Transplant Day 39, and other than a re-occurrence of shingles last week, things are coming along well. He may have his port removed on Friday, which means that he has progressed enough in his treatment that he doesn't need to go into the clinic for fluids and such on a daily basis. His white blood cell count is way up into the normal range. His kidney function is returning to normal, and there are even wisps of eyebrows growing back. Yay facial hair! He's working towards transplant day 100.

I know that I was thinking about my momma when I visited her this past weekend, and it got me to thinking about how awesome Momma Henson has been. She has been the center of the family as they deal with the rammifications of Troy's disease. She has been the producer of unexpected moments of hilarity, and a source of stories about Troy and Tim. She has been at his side, nearly around the clock when he was in the hospital. (I really don't know how she slept in those chair-bed recliners things. ) She knows more about Troy's treatment then the doctors do, and has helped coordinate his care between his many doctors with her amazing notebook. She rocks! So, in honor of Lucary, tell your momma how much you love her, and know that she would be there in the middle of the night, sleeping in the chair-bed-recliner thingie with the weird bump in the back while you were getting better.

Mon. April 14 - ZZZZZZZZZs

Troy got out of the hospital today. The sores in his throat got progressively worse throughout last week, but he started to turn around this past weekend. These sores, as well as massive fatigue, are all "par for the course" the doctors say - so no need to be alarmed.

The good news is that he is home now, feeling much better, and can swallow liquids again.

The great news is that his white count is jumping by leaps and bounds. For instance, it was .8 yesterday and 2.6 today! The doctors say this is a good sign and officially declared that Troy has "grafted!" That means the stem cells have taken root in his bone marrow and that things are on the up and up!

He will be in isolation for about another week (which means those pesky trips to the doctor's office everyday at 7:00 AM!) - so please send emails, cards, and love to support him during this difficult time.

I'm not vein enough

So I had this plan about telling how easy the platelet donation process is, and how you can just walk in and after a movie, you walk out, but my veins aren't big enough. You have to have big enough veins for the needle so that when the machine collects the platelets, it can put the blood back. But what I did see was awesome. The chairs are really comfy, and they have a long list of DVDs that you can watch while the apheresis machine whirs softly in the background. (They even had The Goonies. "I can't tell... if it's an "A sharp" or if it's a "B flat"! ) There's a blanket warmer, so when you get a blanket, it's like it just came out of the dryer (one of my favorite things.) And if you want to ride MARTA, you can get off at the Northside station, and it's right across the street. If you are like everyone else in Atlanta and will drive, Atlanta Blood Services validates your parking.

I was able to give blood, and I got a t-shirt, a bottle of Gatorade, and peanut butter crackers. Cassandra, my nurse, was wonderful. I have been told that I am a hard stick, and she did a wonderful job of finding a vein, and in about five minutes, I had a unit of blood going towards Troy. If you have done the platelet donation, leave a comment about how easy it was and how everyone who can do it should. (I'm jealous of you and your big, easy-to-find veins.)

On the news from Troy front, he is at the stage of his chemotherapy when mouth sores are appearing. They have progressed down his GI tract, so he has been admitted to Northside for IV medications and fluids to help get them under control. It is transplant day 7, and this is a common occurrence. He's understandably a little bit down about being back in the hospital, but his doctor has told him that the next two to three days should be much better.

New immune system anyone?

Well, it's finally happened! The transplant has landed. Troy received his cleaned stem cells on Wednesday, and is feeling good. So far, he has no medical side effects, but one of the side effects is that the solution that the stem cells are delivered in smells like garlic and that smell seeps through the patient's pores. I don't think that Troy will have to worry about vampires anytime soon. Don't worry; the odour de garlique will go away.

In other good news, the doctors have found a perfect match for the next transplant. 10 of 10 markers. That will be in three to four months, so keep sending those warm and fuzzy thoughts his way.

All I can say is, "Whoo-hoo!"