The first week

Today is Day 7 and I've been on a steady decline since the transplant.  The first couple of days were okay, then as my blood counts began to drop the problems started.

A couple days after the transplant was when the 'tummy troubles' started.  At first I thought this was just a side effect of the chemo, but a test showed that it was Clostridium Difficile.  I won't go into too much detail about that, I'll just say that it has been horribly unpleasant.  My nurses now have to wear a gown and gloves in my room so that they don't transfer it to any other patients with compromised immune systems.  Visitors are still allowed and don't have to don the hazmat suit, but only if they're healthy and don't have anyone at home they could pass it to.

The next round of excitement was on Day 5 when I couldn't keep any food down.  I also noticed a little blood in what was coming up, but that was attributed to the sore throat I'd had coming on for a few days and the retching can cause tares.

Day 6 brought even more excitement when I spiked a fever.  Once I get a fever they have to do blood cultures and they have to poke me for that.  They do one set from my Hickman line, but a second set from a vein to make sure that there isn't an infection in my line.  After 3 needle pokes, they were able to get blood from a vein, only when my nurse tried to get it in the bottle for cultures, it had already started to solidify and couldn't be used.  Two more pokes later and they were finally able to get a sample they could use.

Day 6 also brought worsening of the sore throat caused by Mucositis.  I've experienced this before, but this time it is at the back of my tongue and down my throat.  It is also causing burning all the way down into my chest.  It is incredibly difficult to swallow and I now have a spit sucker (like at the dentist) at my bedside.

And today, Day 7.  The C Diff seems to be getting better.  I'm still running a fever quite often.  The mucositis is even worse, so they have switched all my meds to either liquid form or IV so I don't have to worry about swallowing pills and as of tonight, they've started me on TPN - so I am now getting my food through my IV too. Oh... And as of today, my hair has started to fall out.

Things can start getting better any day now...