Post-transplant Day 28 (10/13/06) -- The Rise of Morning Star

Yes, his prayer for mommy’s freedom from headache had been answered! Charley’s neutrophil count (ANC) was 290, increasing from 250 of Day +28. For the first time since Day 7, he was out of IV pumps for several hours. Charley just could not wait fto go outside without holding the IV stand. He rode a toy taxi car and waved to everyone along the hallway.

Charley was still weak. As the second day of morphine discontinuation, the nurse had to give him two oral doses of morphine to relieve him from the withdrawal. This morning, the clowns played with Charley and made him extremely excited .

His appetite was not good until he heard of “pizza” in the evening. It was late to order pizza. We promised him to have it next day. The oncologist and practitioner, Dr. Sallan and A. Androkites were quite impressed with Charley’s improvement. We discussed the prevention of recurrence. Its detection will reply on the blood report and early signs and symptoms, instead of routine bone marrow biopsy. We are so grateful for every effort Dana-Farber has done for Charley. In the late afternoon, the nurse gave parents home-care lesson and practice: i) to change the dressing of central lines once a week and maintain the flow of lines twice a day, ii) detailed lesson of discharge at home. Brian and Paullina came to take care of Charley so that Deborah and Nehemiah could have an outside dinner which was the first time since Charley’s hospitalization.