Status Quo Is The Way To Go

Not much to report, which is good.  He has been an inpatient since a week ago yesterday, 2/21. 

I have a misty memory of high school science labs, where testing and elimination helps derive the answer.  I do remember being impatient with the Scientific Method and, honestly, had forgotten the term and definition until I started typing this tonight.  I like accounting better.  Add the numbers and get an answer right away unless you want to be creative ;-)

Steve has had both a liver biopsy (negative) and colonoscopy.  C-Diff testing (look it up, please, I'm pooped, no pun intended) was negative.  The assumption was that he has Graft-versus-Host-Disease.  GvHD can be of the liver or "gut," which is term you hear a LOT with chemo and stem cell transplant.  The visual assessment of the colonoscopy confirms the GI (gut) version.  Molly found a nice summation of GvHd from the National Cancer Institute:

"Patients who undergo donor bone marrow transplantation may develop graft-versus-host disease(GVHD). Stomach and intestinal symptoms of GVHD include nausea and vomiting, severe abdominal pain and cramping, and watery, green diarrhea. Symptoms may occur 1 week to 3 months after transplantation. Some patients may require long-term treatment and diet management."

His risks of getting GvHD are in the lowest group (30-40%), as Mary was an identical *and* related matched donor.  Labs take a few days, and the colonoscopy was just yesterday.  AMAZING amount of traffic and loud, melodious farting in that GI recovery room.  How much fun it would be to work there?  My favorite moment was a male nurse belting out a fine rendition of the theme song from Love Boat.  Steve's nurse (Patty?) brought him both a heated blanket and a heated tummy woobie.  She had a great personality and it sure made my job easier.

Steve's current Christmas Tree IV

His nursing care in Prentice, if this is possible, has been even better than before.  He is the Mick Jagger of NW Stem Cell Transplant.  "Oh, Reppen is back??!!  Why didn't you TELL me?" has been heard in the halls.

Steve has been catching up on sleep and trying to get "the north and south ends" to halt their overzealous activity.  Things are settling down, and he is amazingly content to be there, which helps my outlook as well.  When he has resisted his stay my nerves are on end.  They have a PCA pump with Dilaudid going for him, he can hit the game show button every 15 minutes for pain if needed.  He is getting liquid "food" and a lot of steroids to combat the GvHD, as well as medicine to protect his liver.  His regular labs, the reds/whites/platelets are excellent!

No word on discharge plans or on surgery.  That is fine, and we are at peace with it.  My gut feeling (sorry) is that they will get him to a good point, then go in for the surgery while he is an inpatient.  Or not.

Now, a very THANKFUL shout-out to my "Anonymous" friend that so generously gave me 4 one-hour massages in the mail via a gift certificate yesterday.  When I woke up on Monday morning, rested, my back was SOOOO bad.  I am one of those people that carry their stress in their neck, shoulders and back.  Better there than my heart, right?  When I got home from the hospital, there was my gift.  I sat and cried.  THANK YOU.  

A few photos from this past week.  Almost recorded the sounds of the GI recovery room for your blog hearing pleasure, they were Grammy material.

iPhone vending machine shopping in Oncology :)

GREAT healthy, tasty lunch from Fresh Market @ Prentice.