Day Zero Plus Two

Jeff did not have a good night’s sleep last night.  He thrashed around, then got up and walked and then sat in a chair – just trying to get comfortable.  His shoulders hurt and he has numbness in his elbows – his elbows can’t feel the bed when he rests his arms at his side – and it is painful.  By this morning the pain had traveled down his right arm (not his PIC line arm) and tingled in his fingertips.  The nurse was puzzled because neuropathy usually begins at the far extremities – fingertips and toes - and spreads from there.  Dr. Perl thought it had more to do with the amount of time Jeff is spending in bed, that he’d pinched a nerve in his back that goes down both arms (Mother had something like that happen). 

Judy, Mark, Amy, Sarah and Becky visited.  We were all in the room at once for a short time while Jeff held court.  The entire Rilling family is to be commended for the speed of their exit as Jeff’s morning  muffin came back up.  These episodes come on suddenly and pass quickly.  Since Jeff has become such an expert at vomiting he happily discusses in detail why a part of the muffin came out whole and why it might look like he’d eaten red peppers when he knew he had not…   He ate no other food the rest of the day but he did sip water.  Nurse Linda is determined to get his anti-nausea meds regulated so that he can eat.  She already has a plan for tomorrow so we hope she will be assigned to him again.

In the condition he was in today, I didn’t think Jeff would be getting on the bike.  He slept a lot and when he wasn’t asleep he looked drugged.  He pointed out that his hand tremor is back.  It was caused by his general weakness when he had it before and it went away when his strength returned.  While we sat talking quietly, he told me to “put the bolt in the washer” and when I asked what he meant he shook his head as if to say, “Ignore me; I’m babbling.”    He asked some questions about his blood counts and the counts at which exercise is allowed.  Then he got up from his chair and shuffled slowly to the bike.  I thought he was just strolling around the room out of boredom.  I asked him, “What are you doing?”  He said sleepily, “I’m going to ride the bike.  Ten minutes.”  And he did.  I had to keep talking to him to keep him awake and I suggested that it might not be a good idea to ride while impaired.  He said groggily, “How did you get that bump on your head?  I fell asleep riding my bike.”  He did his 10 minutes and we logged it for Dr. Lee’s study.

I hope he can eat tomorrow, Day 3.  As his counts go lower, he may feel lousy.  Any day now he may need blood transfusions which will help him feel better.  The next big milestone is around Day 18 when engraftment happens.  Engraftment is when Jeff’s new marrow begins to grow and make new blood cells efficiently.  It is measured by blood counts.  See: http://www.marrow.org/PATIENT/Donor_Select_Tx_Process/Waiting_for_Engraftment_Days_0/Measuring_Engraftment/index.html

Please pray for a settled tummy so he can eat and for his continued determination to exercise.