The first few weeks were exciting, but now we just avoid germs while we watch and wait for Ryan's new bone marrow to engraft (set up shop in his bones and start making new cells). Things are kind of boring right now, which in the transplant world is exactly where you want to be. You don't want any excitement (unless it is counts going up), and you definitely don't want to be "interesting" to anyone in the medical community. We did all that pre-transplant and now we want to be textbook.
Ryan and I are both going a little stir crazy being in isolation. At least I can go off the unit to grab food or get some fresh air. Ryan is completely confined to his room. Since I am technically in isolation with Ryan, I can't use any of the common areas on the cancer unit. Therefore, I am not even allowed to get ice and water for us, or use the microwave. We have to ask for anything we need - water, ice, towels, bedding, cups, etc. The nurses are really busy and I hate having to call them every time we need something. I have resorted to hoarding clean towels so that we don't run out. They came in handy tonight when I accidentally sent a bucket of melting ice flying across the room while trying to get to the phone.
I am also feeling way more guilty the last few days about trying to balance all of this with my work. There are things going on at work right now that I would really like to be in person for and more directly involved with. I have been staying connected with people online and over the phone, but it would be nice to be in person occasionally. If Ryan continues to do well, I may see if I can schedule a couple hours next week, when Ryan has someone else with him, where I can pop into the office for awhile. With Ryan being awake more and feeling better, he has caught on to the fact that I am doing some work remotely. In the past 24 hours I have been "busted" three times. All of the sudden I will hear "Mom! You're not watching the movie with me!"
Today Ryan's nurse commented on how bruised Ryan is on the left side of his chest, and all the way up his neck. It is where they removed his port and placed the Hickman line. She said "I heard he bled ALOT in surgery." Um, What??? That was news to me. Nobody told me. The surgeon came out and talked with me while Ryan was in recovery and didn't mention anything about it. However, Ryan was in recovery for a really long time, to the point where I got worried and asked the receptionist to call and get an update. Loss of blood during surgery definitely would explain why his hematocrit dropped from 26 to 21 overnight and he needed a red blood transfusion the following day for the first time in almost four months.
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