I arrived to find that Mike had gone for a chest x-ray as his temperature had spiked. They have obviously taken bloods, urine sample etc. to check where/if there is an infection. I know absolutely nothing about this stage although I have read other peoples accounts and I seem to remember it being mentioned. Still it causes a fair old panic when you're new to it all.
They have put him on a couple of antibiotics. The nurse actually said changed, but he wasn't on any yesterday, there again he didn't get much help during the day at all yesterday.
I spoke too soon it seems about the ice lollies, in fact I think I may have jumped to too many conclusions about how Mike would be feeling at this stage. His mouth is now sore and his throat is sorer than that. The mucositis seems to be working it's way North. He has been given a new mouth wash called Difflam which is supposed the numb the mouth slightly.
At 3 pm his temperature was 37.4 and he started with the shakes and kept complaining he was cold. By 3:30 pm it was up to 38.2 and he is obviously very poorly. The nurse has given him his caspofungin and said they have ordered some platelets as Mike's own are a measly 22. The antisickness he was given at 3:30 knocked him out and he's been asleep for most of the last couple of hours.
The consultant reckons Mike will be feeling ill for another week to ten days. I'm trying very hard to stay positive, but I'm not cut out for it.
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It is very common to get a fever just when stem cells are setting up house in the marrow and starting to make cells(engraftment fevers). It's also common to get them from very low white counts(neutrapenic fevers). The mucositis could be stressing his system too. Unless Mike is coughing, it's probably nothing. I don't know many transplantees that got through without a fever to be honest. They'll do the cultures, give the antibiotics and the fevers will probably go away as quickly as they came. I understand your "not being cut out for it" feelings. Around here, Tim is the "glass half full" kinda guy while I am the "WTF, I don't even remember getting a damn glass!" kinda girl. Nothing to be gained by worrying, but I know it's hard not to. Mike's in good hands though and he'll get started on that upswing soon.
ReplyDeletePlatelets look like wee! :D
ReplyDeleteLorna, what Denise says is true. Spiking a fever can be common when the stem cells start to engraft. So maybe Mike's fever is a sign of that. Platelets are the first thing to go and the last thing to come back following the transplant. These are infused fairly quickly and usually with no side effects. Mucositis will hit when the white count is the lowest, but will resolve quickly once the white count starts to come back. You've made it this far, not much further to go. Don't forget to take care of yourself during all this. It will get easier.
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