Stem Cell Extraction: Day 10

It appears that bend in the road was a hairpin turn. We’re around the circle coming out the other side now, but we have no idea what may be ahead.

Just after I posted the blog last night Karl’s temperature went to 38, and as directed we went to the Emergency Department. I don’t know if it was because Karl was wearing a mask, but immediately we were taken into triage and as soon as the nurse did the vitals and took the history she led us around the corner to an isolation room. While we greatly appreciated both that service and being kept away from people who were sick, I have to say the room was filthy. Shame on you Eastern Health. We took pictures but I won’t post them. I digress...

By the time we got to the hospital at 1030, Karl’s temperature was back down to 37.6. But his blood pressure was up and his oxygen was down, so they took blood, did a urine test, and sent him for a chest X-ray. His white blood count was down, but we knew that. Otherwise the tests came back without showing problems. The ER doctor decided to give him a course of iv antibiotic to be safe since the fever must have been caused by something, and he said that he was going to ask for an internal medicine consult.

We finally saw the internal medicine doctor at 330 am, which negated the efficient care Karl got at the beginning. She did an exam and said that she was going to seek a consult from the Hemotologist on call, who was Dr. MacIntire. 420 am she returned to tell us that Dr. MacIntire wanted to be cautious, and asked that he be admitted. While Karl was going through that process and getting transported upstairs to a room I went back to the house and got a few hours of sleep.

I returned to the hospital at 1030 this morning. Karl had seen Dr. MacIntire by that time and was on his 4th bag of antibiotics. He had the fifth bag at noon, and the 6th is being hung up now. The doctor told Karl that he would be kept in the hospital at least until Monday when the extraction is supposed to start. He was given his Neupogen (and the morphine to curb the bone pain) today, so that indicates that they think he is still on track to have the stem cell extraction, which is a big positive. His temperature hasn’t spiked since, but it has remained steady in the 37.4 to 37.6 range despite all the antibiotics. His normal at home temperature is 36.5, and we know because we have been taking it at least twice a day every day since March.

We’re both hoping for a boring Saturday night.

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