05.30.2008 - Still in Hospital

From Julian's COTA journal.

Technically Julian's fever has subsided, but he still feels warm to the touch in his extremities and head. We are waiting for the cultures to come back from the lab on everything they have drawn blood for, and meanwhile he is on antibiotics. He seems in a reasonably good mood, although with everything he's been through and then the trauma of the last few days he has become fearful of everyone who walks in the room. His "nap nap", which is his crib, has become his refuge and his torture chamber, and only when the rails are up is he fully at ease.

My thought is, that if everything comes up negative, it may be a reaction to the mineralcorticoid they put him on yesterday to keep his blood pressure up. One of the possible side effect of the drug is an "unexplained fever" and bloating/upset stomach, both of which he has at this point. I am going to press for them to discontinue that medication if all the cultures come back negative. The drug masks infection, so I don't want him being warm all the time and me becoming so used to that that I miss an actual infection down the road.

Please pray for our little guy, as the docs said shortly after transplant that the whole process can give them post traumatic stress disorder for a time.

Thank you for continuing to be a part of our lives by reading our updates and praying for us. They are saying that if his cultures come back negative he still may go home this weekend. (Home being the Ronald McDonald House for 3-4 month.)

Meanwhile Cheryl had her first follow-up appointment and is doing phenomenally well. I took her to the airport this morning to go to Denver to visit her friends in Denver and in Estes Park. Yay!

Thanks,

Stacy