Day +10

The vast majority of the day, frankly, were crummy.  The break was towards the very end of my stay at OHSU.  In order.

The numbers: white blood cells continue at zero.  Platelets and red blood cells are transfused daily or every other day.  Kidney and liver indicators are rising.  Still within the normal range, but near the upper edge of it now.  Either way, the only thing that can be done for kidneys and the liver is making Zev pee, and the pee medicine was tripled today.  It is having affect - Zevi is not retaining water.  He did for a day or two, and trend is reversing.  Small, short fevers come and go.  Tylenol was given once or twice and took care of it.  This too is normal for someone getting blood products on regular basis.  Those of the highly optimistic persuasion may see this as a first sign of the new immune system working.  Or it could be small infections flaring up and being suppressed by antibiotics.  Blood goes to analysis (culture growth) regularly.  Nothing so far, yet this is not a reason to relax - cultures take up to four days to grow.

Over all condition: most of the weekend it was weak, all as expected.  Diarrhea is mostly gone.  The skin looks better, I think, though no real healing can happen without white blood cells.  The intestine still seems irritated and the mucus coming up is what seems to be bothering Zevi.  He spits it out, a lot.  Swallowing hurts.  If he sleeps - he does not spit, which in turn means the stuff accumulates and makes him more nauseous.  As you can imagine, between the spitting and the pee medicine, sleep was in short supply both night and day.  Quite frankly, one rather healthy adult was also tired, beaten, and unresponsive by mid Sunday.  Most of Zevi's hair is gone, but the process has stopped and, at least for the moment, he seems to be retaining a fuzz.  I do not yet have permission to post pictures.   Stand by.

The break came Sunday night, just after Alla came back to the hospital.  Zevi was just waking up from a Benadryl-induced nap.  Suddenly he became alert, more energetic.  He played with mom and I saw him smile for the first time in 48 hrs.  He then proceeded to perk up some more.  By the time we were washing him he was sitting, then standing (for the first time in 4 days), playing with things in the room, showing interest.  The change was remarkable.

Alla, the more optimistic one, may choose to see this as an early improvement step.  I am inclined to be much more careful.  Even if the two hour respite attributable to the right drug combination - I will take it.  It sure was good to see Zevi playing.