T + 30, Return of the Taste Buds

It wasn't a day after I wrote the last entry when I broke out in hives all over my body.  Very itchy and almost a burning sensation.  In addition, the last two weeks have seen a few bouts of nausea, chills that pop up at irregular intervals, and some major blisters on the bottoms of my feet simply from walking around the neighborhood.  So my body is still at war with itself as the new cells take up home. 

All of the trips to the clinic have been fine.  I receive a bag of IV fluid to continue to keep my body hydrated.  But other than a little magnesium yesterday, I haven't need any other transfusions.  Most of the battle is dealing with the side effects of the transplant.  In talking to the doctors and sitting in the clinic hall with other patients, nothing I'm experiencing is unexpected, just unpleasant.  Yesterday they took a marrow biopsy at the clinic, so add a shank wound to my lower back to my list of ailments.  From this biopsy they'll test that the AML is still in remission, and they'll also test to see the percentage of blood inside the marrow is from the new cells vs. the old cells.  A high count from the new cells is expected which shows that the engraftment was successful.  From here I continue with my office visits 2-3 times per week up through 100 days when they will take another (and hopefully final) biopsy.

My taste buds are slowly returning although food still tastes dull.  Joanne continues to make all my meals as I'm still on a restrictive diet and I'm not allowed to eat restaurant food for fear of contamination.  I was doing a pretty good job walking a few times each day until the blisters developed on my feet this past weekend.  My skin is obviously more sensitive than usual since walking two miles should not have normally caused such damage.  They're feeling better now, so I hope to resume my exercise soon.

The kids have stayed busy with camps here in Orlando.  Brenna is even going back to Vero to stay with her best friend this weekend.  We've been someone limited to watching TV / Movies since I can't really go out into crowds.  But we've managed to entertain ourselves so far.  Our plan is to remain in Orlando through mid-August, then head back to Vero when school begins.  I will be up around day 60 by then and hopefully will be down to two visits per week to the clinic which we can commute to from Vero.

T + 17, Independence Day

I had a great week after being released from the hospital.  The kids were all away still with camps, it allowed Joanne and I to get into a routine out of the hospital.  The best part of course was eating my wife's great cooking rather than hospital food.  I was also able to start with some mild exercise and stretching as I begin to rebuild.

I had two follow-up visits to the clinic and both went well with no need for any additional fluids to on-board.  My mouth and throat were the last sore spots remaining from the chemo treatments, they are healing slowly.  I'll continue to visit the clinic 2-3 times per week with the next big milestone coming up at Day T + 30 when they'll take another marrow biopsy.

All the kids will be back today, really looking forward to seeing them and being together for the fourth.