Day 16 - Have a Snickers

     Today has been a very good day.  Evan has been fever free since Thursday night, so we know the antibiotics are doing the trick.  The doctors decided to reduce him to just one, Zosyn.  In addition to that, the Lasix has helped with his breathing and bloating and he's slowly weaning off of the oxygen.  With any luck he'll be off it completely this evening.
     The results from the CT scan came back as inconclusive for any stomach, bowel or digestive organ issues.  The doctors are attributing the stomach pains to the steroid treatments creating irritation and enlarged organs.  This was also why the Lasix was so helpful in his recovery as it allowed for more room in his stomach area.  Once that was confirmed the doctors gave us the go ahead to begin with a basic diet and Evan couldn't be happier.  He had been several days without food and was about to lose his mind.

Enjoying some chicken noodle soup.

     The Infectious Diseases doctors, from this point referred to as ID doctors in this blog, are still troubled by his foot/leg issues.  They've ordered up an MRI for Monday to make sure his bone marrow isn't infected in those regions, but will call it off if he is more physically able by then.  The Oncologists aren't convinced it's necessary, but all parties are moving forward with this plan due to an abundance of caution for Evan's health.

     Evan is to work with two different types of therapists this week, occupational and physical.  They want to make sure that his motor and cognitive skills stay sharp while remaining on bed rest for the foreseeable future.  I know he's not feeling great, but all the doctors have commended Evan for being so cooperative with their requests even though it's obvious he's not feeling well.

Checking his joint health due to the chemotherapy.

     The doctors approved the order to move us from the ICU to the In-patient units.  This was welcome news to our ears for a number of reasons.  It demonstrates that he's rebounding and also gives us more space and freedom.  The accommodations are much better in the IPUs as well.  I'll miss some of the doctors and nurses up there as they were able to quickly help get my little boy feeling better when things were a little dicey.
     Evan's body has so many drugs and injections going on hourly that I'm surprised he's not more off kilter.  He has times where he's himself, but others when he's down.  He's either choosing to stay private or doesn't know how to articulate how he's feeling.  I'm not going to push the issue for now and will let him work through it in his own time.  Until then Cristy and I will continue to foster communication and try to make this experience as positive as we possibly can.

After a dose of Hydrocodone.   

     To summarize, I think we're through the worst of this particular episode.  We've been moved from the ICU since the risk to his health is greatly reduced.  Breathing has normalized.  Blood pressure and heart rate are a bit erratic after steroid ingestion, but the doctors seem to have a handle on that now.  The infection, which was the most dangerous part, is being treated with the proper drug(s) and is no longer causing concern.  Blood work over the next 48 ours will show conclusively.  MRI in the next couple of days to validate the health of the bones in his legs.  Chemo treatment will continue as scheduled for the next few weeks.  After that his blood work will dictate the frequency and strength of future treatments.