03-27-2011

Jeremie is doing pretty good. His White-blood cells and neutrophils are all within the normal range. Still waiting for the stubborn platelets to start growing on their own. They are trying to stick around longer, which is a good sign. Having platelets about every other day now. Red-blood cells are starting to increase on their own! Yay!

Jeremie still struggles with eating and keeping food down. It is the one hold-up that is keeping him at the hospital. Right now it is the only thing still hanging on his I.V. pole. They have made everything else pill form. The worry is, if he can't keep any food down he won't keep pills down, and that can cause any minor graft vs host disease to become a major problem. So cross fingers we can figure this nutrition nightmare out. We are going to try some Ensure today. He has tried the boost, and has never done well with it. But we use Ensure at home and he does much better.

If we can get him to keep 1200-1500 calories going and staying with him, he can possibly be released tomorrow!  I think he has several problems that contribute to this eating-keeping-food-down-problem. I think it is his pain patch. I think it is too high. I think it is the cyclosporine (the anti-rejection med). And I think it is because his little tummy has shrunk from the lack of trying food for the last month. They are going to decrease the amount of medicine the patch is giving him (yay!), and I think moving him to nutrition with large amounts of calories for a small size is the way to get all his calories in.

Another theory...I just don't think the pain patch is the best thing. I know he is achy and sore. But he isn't moving a whole lot either. Siting/lying all day long is going to take a toll on your body. Covering it up with pain meds is not the greatest idea, in my opinion. So we went walking this morning, and I have given us an assignment to go this afternoon and evening as well.  Pray he doesn't divorce me after this!

Well things are going relatively well for the most part. Just fine-tuning the details. Your continued prayers are so appreciated and needed. We know this is what is getting us through these challenges. They are felt, and I feel so thankful for all of you...

Love,

Cori