It's a Happy Birthday they let Mark out of the hospital today. He is fully engrafted and whatever was causing the fevers is gone. He is still very weak and tired, but happy to be home.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK
Please leave your name on the comments so we know who you are, Thanks
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Update to hospital stay
Today the doctors came in to visit Mark. He wants to keep Mark one more day. So far there is no infection showing. His kidneys are being a little tricky, his body also may have been trying to rejecting the new stem cells. It is possible one or both have caused the fevers. Because he also has a low blood pressure which is normal for after transplant, they will watch him another day.
He has been pretty stubborn with the nurses and me about getting up. So they had to call in reinforcement, the physical therapist. They had to make him get up and walk.
The good news is he has engrafted, and his white cell has tripled in two days.
As of this afternoon he is filling much better and walking when he is suppose to.
Thank you everyone for the calls, prayers, thoughts and offers.
There is nothing anyone can do, even me. It is Mark’s body that has to do the work now. Shane and I have everything else under control.
So thanks again everyone.
He has been pretty stubborn with the nurses and me about getting up. So they had to call in reinforcement, the physical therapist. They had to make him get up and walk.
The good news is he has engrafted, and his white cell has tripled in two days.
As of this afternoon he is filling much better and walking when he is suppose to.
Thank you everyone for the calls, prayers, thoughts and offers.
There is nothing anyone can do, even me. It is Mark’s body that has to do the work now. Shane and I have everything else under control.
So thanks again everyone.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
To soon
I am sorry I posted to soon. At 10:00pm Mark spiked a fever. He was admitted to the Huntsman Hospital by 11:30 pm. They are doing test to look for infection.
I will update more as I find out.
I will update more as I find out.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Day seven
Today is day seven post transplant and most everything is still going well. Marks white blood cell count hit bottom and now is back on the rise. Still no immune system right now.
Last night Mark broke out in a rash that had welts the size of silver dollars. I gave him some Benadryl, and we talk to Andrea the PA today. Mark is allergic to the Neupogen shot they give him to boot his stem cell production. As long as he takes the Benadryl he doesn’t itch and the rash calms down. So we can continue to boost the cells this way. He was tired before, now he is really tired.
Tomorrows visit Mark will receive platelets, his platelet count has dropped, this is normal. Mark didn't need platelets with the first transplant. So Mark will get platelets, the neupogen shot and the daily antibiotics.
Well Mark’s hair all came back in so nice. Bad news it is all going to fall out again any day now .
Mark is on the up hill side of this. Lets all hope it stays on this good side.
Last night Mark broke out in a rash that had welts the size of silver dollars. I gave him some Benadryl, and we talk to Andrea the PA today. Mark is allergic to the Neupogen shot they give him to boot his stem cell production. As long as he takes the Benadryl he doesn’t itch and the rash calms down. So we can continue to boost the cells this way. He was tired before, now he is really tired.
Tomorrows visit Mark will receive platelets, his platelet count has dropped, this is normal. Mark didn't need platelets with the first transplant. So Mark will get platelets, the neupogen shot and the daily antibiotics.
Well Mark’s hair all came back in so nice. Bad news it is all going to fall out again any day now .
Mark is on the up hill side of this. Lets all hope it stays on this good side.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
After Transplant #2
Mark has been a little sick with this transplant, but that is to be expected and nothing like the last one. His white blood cells have started to drop so he is going into the neutropenic stage. This means highly susceptible to bacterial infections.
Starting Sunday we will be going into the clinic everyday to start watching for infection and for engraftment to take place.
Engraftment is the point at which the body starts to reproduce the white blood cells and platelets it needs and can once again fight infection.
Once again on the weeekends I have been giving Mark medication at home to save him the trips everyday into the Huntsman. This is the Dexamethasone which is helping him from getting so nauseated. He did not receive this medication with the last transplant because of the air in the belly.
Mark is very weak and tired and sleeps a lot that is to be expected.
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
Starting Sunday we will be going into the clinic everyday to start watching for infection and for engraftment to take place.
Engraftment is the point at which the body starts to reproduce the white blood cells and platelets it needs and can once again fight infection.
Once again on the weeekends I have been giving Mark medication at home to save him the trips everyday into the Huntsman. This is the Dexamethasone which is helping him from getting so nauseated. He did not receive this medication with the last transplant because of the air in the belly.
Mark is very weak and tired and sleeps a lot that is to be expected.
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Transplant #2
Hello Everyone, I am happy to say Mark went through chemo very well. Last time Mark was given one dose of Melphalan and was very sick one hour after that and didn’t let up for 16 days. This time Mark got the extra drugs to help prevent the sickening side effects and has done very well. Mark has not been sick at all yet.
.
Mark eating ice before and during the melphalan. Eating ice prevents mouth sores.
Look he has hair again, not for long.
Mark has been eating so well that the Doctor even teases him about his weight. He has gained back most of what he lost the first time.
Today was transplant and Mark has done so well with this also. Dr. Zangari signed the orders to proceed with the transplant, giving him four bags of stem cells. Again the frozen stem cells were brought in a capsule and then warmed up prior to injecting them back into Mark. He was then given two bags of saline. This took about four hours.
Again from the preservatives they store the cells with he smells like burnt corn. Thank goodness that only lasts a few days
.
This is Marny hooking mark up.
Mark giving Marny a bad time. Not a good idea when Marny hold the needles.
Much better than last time.
His next appointment is Thursday. Let's all hope for no infections.
.
Mark eating ice before and during the melphalan. Eating ice prevents mouth sores.
Look he has hair again, not for long.
Mark has been eating so well that the Doctor even teases him about his weight. He has gained back most of what he lost the first time.
Today was transplant and Mark has done so well with this also. Dr. Zangari signed the orders to proceed with the transplant, giving him four bags of stem cells. Again the frozen stem cells were brought in a capsule and then warmed up prior to injecting them back into Mark. He was then given two bags of saline. This took about four hours.
Again from the preservatives they store the cells with he smells like burnt corn. Thank goodness that only lasts a few days
.
This is Marny hooking mark up.
Mark giving Marny a bad time. Not a good idea when Marny hold the needles.
Much better than last time.
His next appointment is Thursday. Let's all hope for no infections.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Ready for Transplant #2
Mark & I met with Dr. Zangari today. All his test came back great, so he gave Mark the go-ahead to start the second transplant. However, last time Mark was given just the double dose of Melphalan. This time Mark will be doing the Chemo drugs starting Friday. On Friday he will get them at the Huntsman, Saturday & Sunday he will take pills at home and Monday he will go in to the Huntsman again. He is scheduled for the stem cell transplant on Tuesday, June 16th.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Wow on to High School
Well Shane graduated last Wednesday afternoon from the Grantsville JR high school. We are proud, way to go Shane!
Just another 8 months and Shane can have a learners permit for driving. I am not ready for this.
He started his new job only a day after school let out. He likes it so far.
As for Mark, he is dreading the time getting closer to the second transplant. He has done most of the testing and will meet with Dr. Zangari on the 10th.
Just another 8 months and Shane can have a learners permit for driving. I am not ready for this.
He started his new job only a day after school let out. He likes it so far.
As for Mark, he is dreading the time getting closer to the second transplant. He has done most of the testing and will meet with Dr. Zangari on the 10th.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The change
Okay everybody, Steph has got so busy building a new company for her job and trying to spend some quality time with her family we have decided to let me take over the blog for a little while tell Steph can come back.
First we would like to thank Steph so much for all she has done with this page and hope that I don’t mess up all her hard work. Thank you Steph we love you.
So I would like to let everyone know I am not as great as Steph at this stuff. So if you will bear with me I will try to keep you up to date as things happen with Mark and his treatments.
Any questions or advice please e-mail or comment me, I will take any I can get.
So let’s back up to Memorial weekend.
Mark was given the okay to go to the dunes. That made him real happy sense he missed Easter weekend. Three of his brother’s and their families came out. Even his Dad & mom came for a day. A lot of our friends were there to help him out.
Mark took his rail to Delta on Saturday to some sand drags that were in town just to see what it would do. He said he heard the Doc say “no riding” he didn’t hear “no driving”. He was careful though.
Mark said he was happier to be driving his semi down there than to be going to the dunes.
This is how Mark likes to travel
This is what friends and family have to do when you brake your toy's
Okay funs over.
Mark has his schedule for the second transplant. He had his new port put in last week and know he is doing all the testing before transplant. He did labs, pulmonary and ECHO today. Thursday is MRI and CT’s. Friday is the bone biopsy. We meet Dr Zangari on Wednesday the 10th .On the 12 he will start the chemo for four days. If all goes according to schedule then he should transplant on June 16th.
Again Thank you Steph and bear with me everyone.
Also thank you to all of you who do watch Marks blog page.
Okay everybody, Steph has got so busy building a new company for her job and trying to spend some quality time with her family we have decided to let me take over the blog for a little while tell Steph can come back.
First we would like to thank Steph so much for all she has done with this page and hope that I don’t mess up all her hard work. Thank you Steph we love you.
So I would like to let everyone know I am not as great as Steph at this stuff. So if you will bear with me I will try to keep you up to date as things happen with Mark and his treatments.
Any questions or advice please e-mail or comment me, I will take any I can get.
So let’s back up to Memorial weekend.
Mark was given the okay to go to the dunes. That made him real happy sense he missed Easter weekend. Three of his brother’s and their families came out. Even his Dad & mom came for a day. A lot of our friends were there to help him out.
Mark took his rail to Delta on Saturday to some sand drags that were in town just to see what it would do. He said he heard the Doc say “no riding” he didn’t hear “no driving”. He was careful though.
Mark said he was happier to be driving his semi down there than to be going to the dunes.
This is how Mark likes to travel
This is what friends and family have to do when you brake your toy's
Okay funs over.
Mark has his schedule for the second transplant. He had his new port put in last week and know he is doing all the testing before transplant. He did labs, pulmonary and ECHO today. Thursday is MRI and CT’s. Friday is the bone biopsy. We meet Dr Zangari on Wednesday the 10th .On the 12 he will start the chemo for four days. If all goes according to schedule then he should transplant on June 16th.
Again Thank you Steph and bear with me everyone.
Also thank you to all of you who do watch Marks blog page.
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