Monday, 16th February

Day 47 - Stem Cell Transplant

I do so look forward to my first blog when I don't have to add this heading and stem cell transplant is all behind us.

Jimmy's mouth and specially his tongue is very swollen today.  He is barely managing to sip water.  I got a message last night to bring organic coconut oil to the hospital today which they used during the day to spread over his tongue, lips and gums.  Because he cannot eat or drink they are going to continue to feed him via the tube in his nose but when I left they were going to hook up another line and feed him additional nutrients via the IV line.  He is still quite bloated but they are worried that he will have lost too much weight by the time they flush the last of the fluids and I know this is a concern as he will not be discharged until he is at the weight he was when he was admitted, or as close to it as is healthily possible.

They upped his morphine today to 10ml per hour and although he can't speak he is having funny dreams and talking funny things when he wakes up.  One of Jimmy's pet hates is if I tut and he opened his eyes today and asked me why I am tutting.  It is very hard to understand him as he is talking around his swollen tongue but I told him that he must have been dreaming.  I actually don't know how he is managing to breath properly.  His nose is full of dried blood and he has 3 tubes going into his nostrils and his tongue is so swollen that he cannot close his mouth.  I can't think that there is much space left for any air to get in but he is managing.

His white blood cell count is coming on in leaps and bounds which is such good news.  The reading of 1.2 must have been correct over the weekend because this morning they were at 2.3.  It is good that his immunity is building up as it will help fight any infection that he could get from the sores in his mouth.  Although he was zonked out most the day today he was in bed and in an almost upright position which I am very happy about as he needs to make sure he is using the bottom half of his lungs in order that he does not get Pneumonia.

I though I would give you a tour of the hospital.




This is the tunnel that connects the entrance of the
building with UCTPAH

The entrance to UCTPAH

This is the entrance doors to F4 Isolation ward which is
a protected environment.  You get buzzed in.

And this is the 2nd set of doors but these are used to exit by.  To the right are
the cubicles where you change into theatre clothes and wash your hands and then
you come out a side entrance on the other side of these doors.  Jimmy's ward
is the first one on the left hand side on the other side of these doors.

Yesterday was 10 months since Jimmy was diagnosed and tomorrow will be 4 weeks that Jimmy has been in isolation already.  All that's left to do is be there for company and keep him re-assured that everything is and will be okay,  trust in the fantastic medical staff who are doing a wonderful job, be positive because this way Jimmy is more positive and pray for healing.