Day 23 Post Transplant - 32 Days in Hopital

Jim is still doing well. Got here today and he was just snoozing with conference playing on his TV. He is still pretty tired but we try to get him up a couple of times a day so that we can help him increase his strength.

It is very strange for our family this weekend. For at least the last 10 years we have headed to St. George for Easter weekend. It has always been a wonderful family time for us to enjoy being together and enjoy the outdoors. This was Jim's family home since he was 16 so it is rich with memories and heritage. It is always wonderful to go there because it feels like home away from home. So we feel a great loss not being down there this weekend. I guess it just feels strange anyway with Jim in the Hospital and no real plans. I guess our plans are to get him better and get him home soon.

Today I Am Thankful for spring flowers popping up everywhere reminding me that there are new beginnings.

Day 22 Post Transplant - 31 days in Hospital

Jim is back up on the bonemarrow floor and doing well. He is still very weak and tired but other than that, everything looks pretty good. He is obviously still recovering from his respiratory illness. The doctors told me that his counts look great and if he hadn't gotten RSV he would be home by now. They said it is possible he could go home this next week. The plan now is to get him eating and watch for graft vs. host. So, hopefully no more surprises and he can get out of here.


YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA YEA

Day 20 Post Transplant - 29 days in Hospital

HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! Tube is out and Jim can speak. He sounds like a 2 pack a day smoker but regardless he can speak. Yesterday when they pulled it out the first thing he did was take a deep breath and say "Ahhhhhh." It was a sigh of relief. He was like a little kid just learning he could talk and kept trying things with his voice, just because he could. One of the first things he said was "you have alot of control when you can speak." Amazing the things we take for granted. Now he just has a mask with O2 and moist air going in.

Today, Jim has been cruising around the unit. Getting the tube out really gave him a boost in his spirits and some hope of getting better. He is much more lucid now. He said today that the whole experience has been strange because he can only remember some things and he said the whole time he wasn't sure what was reality and what wasn't. He has memories of things that didn't happen and no memory of things that did happen. I asked him if he was more clear headed today and he said "yeah, I was Wacko." (Couldn't agree More!)

The doctors told us today that if Jim continues to make progress, he will be back up on the bonemarrow unit tomorrow. Yea! That was great to hear. A week ago, I did not expect that I would ever hear that.

Speech Therapy will come up today and do a swallow test. After having a tube in your throat for two weeks, your swallow reflex doesn't work very well. So, now he just uses the spit sucker to clear his mouth. Once he can swallow they will begin to let him have some things like water or ice chips. He asked me today how long it has been since he last ate. He said he feels hungry. I told him it had been almost three weeks. I can't imagine going three weeks without eating. He really did not lose any weight though because he gained so much in water weight.

Well, I am a firm believer in Miracles. I have no doubt that this is one. I think that Jim must have more to do on this earth. I kept telling God last week that Jim surely could be more useful here than with him. Maybe I convinced him. (Ha Ha). Regardless of the reason, I am so glad he is still here with me.

Today I AM THANKFUL FOR the opportunity to hear my dear Jim's voice again.

Day 19 Post transplant - 28 days in hospital

Today is a much better day. The ICU doctor told Jim yesterday if he would walk around the unit once (with a walker) he would take out Jim's breathing tube. Today, Jim walked around the unit and waved while walking past the room the doctors were having rounds in. He wanted to make sure they all saw him. So, the tube gets to come out. They are doing a scope (roter rooter)first and then he will walk again at 4:00 and then the tube comes out. It's a little scary because he still is sick and has alot of secretions. I don't want him to have to be reintubated, but I think it will be a nice motivator for Jim. Also, then he won't have to be restrained anymore. He will be able to scratch his own itches.

Labs all look pretty good. In terms of the bonemarrow transplant he is doing well. The doctors suspect he is having a little bit of graft vs. host disease. They scoped him today so that they could rule out an infection causing his stomach distress. A little bit of graft vs. host is not a bad thing. It will actually attack any lymphoma left in his system. But, if he has a flare up of graft vs. host they will have to treat it with steroids. It is very hard to wean bone marrow patients off of the steroids once they are on. He is still being fed through the IV. Yesterday, he wrote on a piece of paper wanting to know when he could have a cookie. Poor guy, hasn't had a drink or even an ice chip in 2 weeks.

Jim is less confused today. He seems to be a little more clear. I don't know exactly what has been causing the confusion. I think it is probably a mix of sickness, medication, sleep deprivation and a little chemo/radiation brain. I am glad to see him clearing. I was getting a little nervous. I am starting to see more and more of "My Jim" and less of "Strange Jim." Don't get me wrong, I would take "Strange Jim" but I have really missed "My Jim." You think it would be nice just to be able to talk to your spouse, have them listen and not be able to give you any guff, but I have really missed the sound of his voice. A couple of times I have called his cell phone even though I knew it was turned off, just to hear the sound of his voice. I can't wait! Yea!

Today I AM THANKFUL FOR progress! Yea!

Day # 17 Post transplant - 26 days in Hospital

Today we are doing well. Slept here last night. Jim had a bronchoscopy this morning to check and make sure his breathing tube was not blocked. They put in a little smaller tube while they were in there. So, he has been pretty drugged up today. It will probably take him a few days to wean him off of the ventilator. He has been having a few belly issues due to the stimulating of the bone marrow so soon and the tube feedings. So, they just kind of watch and wait on those issues. Overall, things are looking decent. I am really getting impatient about getting back up on the bonemarrow floor. ICU really hasn't been my favorite place. I guess it isn't anyone's favorite place. Tuesday, Jim will have been in the hospital for 4 weeks. Two of those weeks have been in ICU. I look forward to him getting stronger and coming home.

Today I AM THANKFUL FOR Hope in the future. Hope gets us through the current days that are not quite so fun.