After several days without food or water, Mark was finally able to get some jello and chicken broth to stay down today. Not much though ... only about ½ of a jello cup and an ounce of broth, but it's progress!
Mark and Dianna are still going to the Huntsman every morning for fluids and antibiotics, and Dianna continues to give him antibiotics through his IV every few hours.
Each days seems to get a little better but Mark is still very weak.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
A Tiny Bit Better
Today Mark is feeling a little better. He has not thrown up since yesterday afternoon, but riding home in the car from the hospital today was a minor form of torture. He is still not able to eat or drink anything but has been able to use a spray bottle filled with water to moisten his mouth.
Mark and Dianna will continue to go to the hospital every morning to get fluids and meds. Dianna will give Mark his meds through the IV a couple of times at night.
Andrea, the physicians assistant, thinks the worst of it will be over by Sunday or Monday and engraftment should have taken place by then. Mark will be evaluated on Monday to make a determination.
Mark is officially neutropenic so he is back to wearing a mask.
Mark and Dianna will continue to go to the hospital every morning to get fluids and meds. Dianna will give Mark his meds through the IV a couple of times at night.
Andrea, the physicians assistant, thinks the worst of it will be over by Sunday or Monday and engraftment should have taken place by then. Mark will be evaluated on Monday to make a determination.
Mark is officially neutropenic so he is back to wearing a mask.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Lingering Sickness
Unfortunately there has been no change for Mark today. It has been 4 days now with no food or water for him. Anything that goes into his mouth, including water, comes right back out. Dianna will hook up an IV for Mark every 8 hours now instead of every 12.
There was a misunderstanding last night with Home Health. The delivery man showed up at their house at 8:30 pm without a nurse. Dianna got in touch with Home Health and found out that they thought Mark and Dianna were staying in SLC instead of at home so they hadn't scheduled them with the local service in Tooele. Knowing that Mark needed his fluids and meds, Dianna bravely decided to hook Mark's IV up without any direction, hoping and praying that she was doing it right. Home Health from Tooele finally arrived at 10:30 pm, but thanks to Dianna's efforts, their help wasn't needed. Good job, Dianna! Now hopefully they won't charge the insurance company for services that Dianna ended up doing.
Unfortunately it is possible that Mark's sickness could last for several more days until engraftment takes place -- that could be about 8 more days.
There was a misunderstanding last night with Home Health. The delivery man showed up at their house at 8:30 pm without a nurse. Dianna got in touch with Home Health and found out that they thought Mark and Dianna were staying in SLC instead of at home so they hadn't scheduled them with the local service in Tooele. Knowing that Mark needed his fluids and meds, Dianna bravely decided to hook Mark's IV up without any direction, hoping and praying that she was doing it right. Home Health from Tooele finally arrived at 10:30 pm, but thanks to Dianna's efforts, their help wasn't needed. Good job, Dianna! Now hopefully they won't charge the insurance company for services that Dianna ended up doing.
Unfortunately it is possible that Mark's sickness could last for several more days until engraftment takes place -- that could be about 8 more days.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Side Effects of Chemo
Unfortunately the news isn't so good today. Mark has been throwing up almost constantly and has lost about 15 pounds in 3 days. Dianna took him to the Huntsman today for fluids and medication through his IV. Mark is so sick that Home Health will be bringing IV supplies to Dianna at home so that Mark can receive saline and his meds in the evening. Mark will also go to the Huntsman every day for fluids and medication until he gets over the nausea.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Successful Transplant
Mark's stem cell transplant was today and everything went off without a hitch!
Once Dr. Tricot signed the orders to proceed with the transplant, the frozen stem cells were brought in inside a capsule and then warmed up prior to injecting them back into Mark. He was then given two bags of saline. The entire process took about 4 hours.
Mark was given a bunch of meds to help his nausea. If he continues to be sick, he will be given more saline tomorrow. Apparently most people tend to get ill around day 5, but Mark's sickness started right away after the chemo. He has been very nauseous this afternoon, along with being exhausted. Hopefully he'll get over it soon and without contracting any infections.
For about the next 48 hours, Mark will smell like sweet corn! He will also have a nasty taste in his mouth. This is from the chemical that he was injected with that preserves the cells.
Once Dr. Tricot signed the orders to proceed with the transplant, the frozen stem cells were brought in inside a capsule and then warmed up prior to injecting them back into Mark. He was then given two bags of saline. The entire process took about 4 hours.
Mark was given a bunch of meds to help his nausea. If he continues to be sick, he will be given more saline tomorrow. Apparently most people tend to get ill around day 5, but Mark's sickness started right away after the chemo. He has been very nauseous this afternoon, along with being exhausted. Hopefully he'll get over it soon and without contracting any infections.
For about the next 48 hours, Mark will smell like sweet corn! He will also have a nasty taste in his mouth. This is from the chemical that he was injected with that preserves the cells.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Chemo Day
Today Mark was given the Melphalan chemo IV. Unfortunately he has been very sick from the chemo and can't even keep the pill to help combat the nausea down.
The transplant will be tomorrow. He will receive two bags of cells along with 2 liters of saline. He will then do lab work every day to observe his blood counts. This is when his counts will drop and he will become neutropenic again (highly susceptible to bacterial infections).
Mark will begin an antibiotic IV on March 15th (in addition to the three antibiotics he already takes) and will continue that for several days. He will also be given a Neulasta shot to get the blood cells brewing.
By the 5th day of the process, Mark will become very ill and that will likely continue for about 3 days. Once his white blood cell count stays at 500 for 3 consecutive days, engraftment will have taken 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. Engraftment usually occurs 12 to 15 days after the stem cells have been given back.
Mark's and Dianna's friend, Kim, is still in the hospital fighting a very nasty staph infection that he may have contracted in the cardiac ward. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kim and Denese.
Please pray that Mark will not have to fight a staph infection like two of their friends have had to.
The transplant will be tomorrow. He will receive two bags of cells along with 2 liters of saline. He will then do lab work every day to observe his blood counts. This is when his counts will drop and he will become neutropenic again (highly susceptible to bacterial infections).
Mark will begin an antibiotic IV on March 15th (in addition to the three antibiotics he already takes) and will continue that for several days. He will also be given a Neulasta shot to get the blood cells brewing.
By the 5th day of the process, Mark will become very ill and that will likely continue for about 3 days. Once his white blood cell count stays at 500 for 3 consecutive days, engraftment will have taken 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. Engraftment usually occurs 12 to 15 days after the stem cells have been given back.
Mark's and Dianna's friend, Kim, is still in the hospital fighting a very nasty staph infection that he may have contracted in the cardiac ward. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Kim and Denese.
Please pray that Mark will not have to fight a staph infection like two of their friends have had to.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Ready for the Transplant!
Mark & Dianna met with Dr. Zangari today. While he's still being very cautious, he gave Mark the go-ahead to start the transplant process. However, instead of four days of chemo, Mark will be given one day of a chemo drug called Melphalan.
Mark is still scheduled for the stem cell transplant on Tuesday, March 10th.
Mark is still scheduled for the stem cell transplant on Tuesday, March 10th.
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