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I have two hands again (Watts is napping in his crib!) so I thought I’d write a bit more. I’ve found that writing is therapeutic for me, a way to document this journey as well as semi-process some of this chaos.

On Sunday, Watts began bleeding out of his mouth. He had bled before from his mucositis but this blood was significantly more and did not seem to stop. After a call to the heme/onc. doctor on call, we headed to Brenner Emergency Room. We hoped that he would get platelets and they would send us home in time for Piper’s birthday the next day.

Instead, once we got there, they picked up a slight fever (100.1) so they decided to start antibiotics. He also needed platelets so they admitted us. ANC was around 600, I think. Watts was acting no worse than normal so I was hopeful we’d still get to leave the next morning.

After hours downstairs, they moved us upstairs and Watts and I settled in for a long night. Monday morning we found out that they wanted us to stay another night so that they could monitor his “fever”. I was frustrated because 100.1 is not considered a fever BUT because E.R. started antibiotics we had to wait to see what the temperature was going to do on its on.

Long story short, they were right. His fever started climbing, his ANC plummeted, and his blood cultures came back with growth in them.  He has some sort of blood infection going on and we won't know what it is till the cultures grow some more. In the mean time, he is on two antibiotics and a heap of pain medications for the horrendous mucositis that has now swept all the way down his GI tract to his poor diaper area.

So here I am, camped out again at Brenner, but unfortunately with Watts not doing chemo, but fighting another infection. This is very much par for the course, I’ve been told, but it still triggers some awful memories of the first blood infection that was at the beginning of all of this.

This practice of thankfulness is challenging but a sweet reminder of the good that still surrounds us… 

Today I am thankful for:

 

My husband, who is a rock star.  

The sweetest “birthday party” in the hospital room last night.

My resilient, hilarious, precious 3 year old.

Presents for Piper from the nurses and the RMH staff.

Watts’ strength.

My mom-in-law who dropped everything to come help.

My sister who hung out yesterday, wiped up vomit, and brought me Thai. 

Gas cards from sweet friends and family..

The cool walk this morning with Piper from the RM House.

His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness. Once again, He sustains us.