Day +8 Part 2

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.

Day +8

Mike has reached rock bottom it seems. Not only is he now off his food, but the endless runs have taken their toll too. I'm grateful to everyone offering moral support. I'm sure you are all right when you say it only lasts a few days, just seems like an eternity to us at the moment. It might not seem so bad if Mike could sleep, but the aforementioned problems combined with the endless disturbances because of the other residents means just as he nods off something or someone wakes him.

This is one of those few times when I wish we had private medical care, if only to get Mike a room to himself.