Jimmy has had a good day; he still has a fever, but it's not as high. His blood counts are low, so he had to get two more units of blood this afternoon, and that made him feel better.
As we understand it, the brunt of the side effects of the chemo doesn't really hit until after Day 4, when the blood counts are the lowest. (Yesterday, the day of the transplant, is considered Day 0, so today is Day 1, and tomorrow Day 2, etc.) Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and everybody experiences them differently, and not all patients experience all side effects.
The next phase of the transplant process is called the waiting for engraftment period, and all the blood counts will continue to be low, increasing the danger of anemia, bleeding, and infection. In this phase, the stem cells circulate through the bloodstream, and relocate in the bone morrow cavities. Until the stem cells engraft in the cavities, the bone marrow cannot produce its own blood cells, so Jimmy will be closely monitored, and will be given blood and platelets as needed, as well as oral antibiotics to prevent infection. The waiting for engraftment period generally takes two to four weeks.
And yes, I AM going a little stir crazy.
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