Saturday, February 28, 2004

DC Update 4 - NG tube out -- yeah! Low blood count -- pray!

Please continue to pray for Kevin.

All of his vitals, except blood counts, are good, and he seems to be healing well from the surgery. However, he is having two severe side affects from the chemo -- low blood counts, both red and white cells.

The anemia along with continued sleeplessness (for a variety of reasons) has him very fatigued.

His white count is dangerously low at .9 (Should be 4.0-6.0) This places him at great risk for infection. He is now in isolation, meaning he can't leave his room (just when he finally started walking!), and others cannot enter without wearing a mask. I don't have to wear a mask, because he is already exposed to my germs, but I do have to scrub my hands and wear gloves before touching him.

He is getting Procrit for the anemia and received 2 units of packed, red blood cells last night/this morning. Two days ago they began injections of a drug that will hopefully stimulate his bone marrow to begin producing white cells again. As a precaution, they are giving him antibiotics, and they removed his chest port, as that site as a tendancy to become infected.

Good news is that his digestive system is coming along. He got the NG tube out yesterday (9 days post-op) and is now enjoying a liquid diet. Mmmmmm. Pudding.

With this complication, Kevin continues to need 24/7 care. My parents are driving back up from N. Carolina to help me, so I can go back to the hotel and get some sleep. please pray for good health for all of us -- especially me as I have had very little sleep -- as any illness would bar us from Kevin's room. And for Kevin, please join me in praying for a miraculous restoration of bone marrow production and a white count increase ahead of the week or so that it normally takes the drug to take affect.

Thanks for continued support.

Love,

Roni

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