Jan 28, Eve Day +1 Starting the climb

"Just the Facts"--  Feeling very weak, tired, but hard to get good sleep. No immunity at all.
Full of fluids.

So I mentioned about how the transplant went very well.  No reactions to the infusion of new cells.  We need to get rid of some fluid so that was the activity of the day.  We now begin a new regimen of low dose Chemo for the next several days.  This is meant to continue to maintain no immunities and beef up anti rejection ability for the new cells.  They tell us the next few days B will begin to feel the effects of the chemo.  Food already doesn't sound good, taste good, soon it won't feel good.  In the next few days we may not be able to handle nausea that is sure to be there.  Also they take precautions and provide anti-biotics on drip.  Any type of virus B is exposed to he will catch.  So we have to take extreme caution that we are not near anyone ill.  This is hard to do during cold/flu season.  I am told he is just as susceptible before and after a cold as during a cold.  They continue to check his blood levels and he will most likely get more blood in the night.  Of course all new blood will be O neg his new blood type.

I reported a few days back about the amount of type A neg blood B still has in his body, even though they have been pumping him with O neg for over a month and half.  So they have decided to do what is called a blood exchange.  The will pump out all the A neg blood and pump in O neg blood.  They wait a few days after the transplant to make sure the O super cells get fully in and established.  But they may not be working just yet.  This procedure uses the same premise as what the donor went through, actually it uses the very same type of blood collection machine.  The only bummer is that they cannot use B's catheter to withdraw the blood, something about the tube not being big enough.  They have to use an IV, but the clincher is the needle is an extremely large gauge needle.  Sorry to all those needle phobia folks out there.  B recalls earlier in the year a man was poked with this type of needle, he screamed and ran out of infusion.  Of course he later came back.  What choice did he have.  This procedure is scheduled for Monday.  The science of all this is just so amazing.  Still we are all individuals and everyone responds differently.  This is where the prayer comes in, and we desire this prayer on our behalf.  We fully believe that things have gone so well because of it.
Until next time.
Hopeful Believer.