Day + 8 -- admitted to hospital

The day started off with our usual visit to the clinic and blood draws, various drugs given, etc. When the blood counts came back, Doug's platelets had fallen to 9,000 -- below the cutoff for platelet transfusion. Not really surprising as we had been told that most transplant patients receive transfusions. We had to go across the street to P/SL hospital where they handle transfusions. It had been a long clinic visit because they opened late due to the storm the day before. So by the time we got to the hospital infusion center, it was past 5:00 pm. Doug's temp had been okay at the clinic -- but (perhaps predictably) by the time his temp was taken, it was 101.4. So the nurse had to page the transplant Dr. on call. I'll cut out some of the details. The doc came to see Doug and decided that he should be admitted. His reasoning was to admit because of several things: continuing fevers in spite of IV antibiotics, vomiting whenever Doug tried to eat, and the severe mouth and throat sores. I have to agree with that decision. Doug needs a couple of days in the hospital now to get him more comfortable.

By the time we got him admitted, the most recent blood results came back -- Doug also needed red blood cells, which were running when I left at 11:00pm. A new antibiotic, Vancomycin, has been added to the drug arsenal. Doug is on the transplant floor, in the care of a very capable RN who is very experienced with transplant patients. She is responsible for two other patients besides Doug, which is a pretty good hospital nurse/patient ratio. All the nurses gown and glove every time they enter a patient room. Of course they are all private rooms. So I can relax a little and know that he is getting good care while I get some sleep.

I do have some good news -- the chest X-ray results came back -- no pneumonia!