My Bone Marrow Transplant: Day 6

LOCATION: Vanderbilt University Hospital - Stem Cell Unit
DATE: 8.20.12    DAY: 6
MOOD:  I'm going to make it.
MENTAL STATE:  Optimistic
PHYSICAL STATE:  Stomach is settled, muscles are coming alive again as my walking has increased.

Started the day trying to wake up.  A daily ritual had developed that I'd learned to sleep around.  Around 7:30a, a nurse practitioner would come in and check on me and get a summary of what to pass along to the doctors later.  Around 8:00a, my day nurse would come in and start my cyclosporine and give me any other meds scheduled.  After the nurse left, a waiting game began for the arrival of the doctor, his fellow, the charge nurse, and the NP who checked on me earlier.  Trying to stay awake between all the visitors in the morning had proven to be difficult for me.  Sleeping through the night is impossible in a hospital due to the nightly administering of medications and the taking of vitals every four hours.

My hair had stopped hurting as bad so I was able to give it a good wash - again, not an easy task while trying to keep the dressing around my port dry.   Once showered and dressed, my mother and I walked at a much quicker pace than I had been walking for about twenty minutes.  I surprised myself with how fast I felt like walking and then how at the twenty minute mark I was out of breath and ready to stop.  Once back in the room, my mother fixed me a serving of instant mashed potatoes that could be microwaved.  They tasted like heaven; I just love mashed potatoes, instant or not.  I ate half a cup of potatoes and made myself stop eating.  The last thing I wanted to do was put too much on my stomach, but the potatoes settled well and I was excited that real food was in my near future.

My platelet count had dropped to 14, a dangerously low level, and I was given pre-meds of Tylenol, steroids, and Benadryl before a bag of platelets were transfused.   I settled in for the inevitable nap that would accompany the Benadryl and thankfully the platelets behaved themselves and I did not have a reaction.

My mother joined me again in the evening and we walked for another twenty minutes.  I felt a million times better although my mouth was still a train wreck.  I managed to eat some peaches that night and my stomach stayed calm.