One Full Week After Transplant

Our past two weeks spent here at the hospital have not been nearly as bad as I had imagined they might be. It's certainly not been a picnic but so far Ray is progressing along without any serious issues. There haven't been any signs that his body is rejecting the donors stem cells.  Having said that however, he is beginning to experience side effects from the intense chemo he received, as well as the additional anti-rejection meds & powerful antibiotics they've been giving him as a preventative measure. Among the side-effects Ray is now dealing with they include:

• Rashes that now cover his arms & seem to be spreading. So far those aren't itching yet but they're beginning to be uncomfortable for him. (Treating it with cortisone creams)
• Very flushed skin (looks sunburned)
• Bloating stomach & cramps that comes & goes
• Mouth sores that are beginning to become more bothersome
• Sore throat just starting
• Loss of appetite (the bloating & cramps don't help the matter)
• Developed an intestinal infection
• Fatigue that fluctuates in intensity 
• Occasional headaches
• Trouble sleeping without the aid of a sleeping pill

These side effects are very common & for the most part expected by the staff. As soon as they begin to appear the doctors immediately take measures to ease the symptoms while the conditions run their course. Yes, Ray is having all the above side effects but it's not as bad as it sounds right now. He is not in any unbearable pain or discomfort. We see & hear others in this unit that are going through transplants too that are having some real distressing problems. It makes us realize how lucky Ray is that he's doing as well as he is.

Unfortunately the intestinal infection Ray developed can be contagious & therefore extra precautions are now in place. Any staff entering Ray's room must now don a protective gown & gloves. An isolation sign has been placed on his door. The strange thing to me though is that they still allow him to take his walks out in the hall. They stress that he continue this walking regiment but now require him to put on a hospital gown over his clothing when he does. He is still walking two miles a day. 

Depending on when you speak to Ray, sometimes he feels pretty good & sounds pretty chipper. But then there are other times when you might catch him during a down phase & then he may sound very weak. It seems he's up & down. Unfortunately they tell us that he will probably feel worse & begin to lose his appetite even more than he already has before he begins feeling better again.

Yesterday my friend & backup caregiver for Ray (Donna Holbrock) and I attended the "Caregiver Class" to get educated on the various things we need to know in preparation for when Ray is released from the hospital. There are so many precautions we must take for Ray's safety & well being for the next couple of months. Mostly keeping things as germ free as possible. I'm so thankful to have Donna as my backup if ever I should get sick myself & need to remove myself from Ray's presence until I get well. Donna is a friend & neighbor in the park where we reside here in Florida. And she actually has been volunteering two days a week at the hospital here for quite some time so she is familiar with what we are facing.

But as I said earlier, things aren't nearly as bad as I thought they might be. Praying it stays that way! The hospital room is very nice & spacious. The staff goes out of their way to make us both comfortable. And believe it or not, I'm actually getting some relaxation in! Yes, I attend to whatever Ray needs help with to make it easier on him but I'm also getting LOTS of time to read the novels I brought with me & of course spend time staying in touch with folks via my laptop. AND I don't have to shop for groceries, cook or clean! Delicious meals are delivered to us & the room is cleaned & sanitized daily. We both are always being offered food & drink.

So things aren't so bad. In fact one day while Ray was having a fairly good day, I was able to slip home to do some laundry & I took a little "Me" time & went for a nice swim in the pool before returning to the hospital. Only downside to that was that I missed the prime rib they served Ray for lunch that he couldn't eat because of his lack of appetite! Had I been here I certainly would have eaten it! I'm praying Ray's side effects don't get much worse but if they do, we'll handle it!