Sleepy Austin....

Today was a long day I clinic but I can't complain, we could be stuck in the hospital. I would rather go to clinic every for all day then be stuck in the hospital. Once again Austin did not have a good night. I finally gave up about 2:30 this morning and gave him tylenol. He must be in pain is what I am thinking. After about thirty minutes of tossing and turning he finally driffted off to sleep and stayed asleep. He then didn't want to get up this morning but I don't blame him. We got to clinic where Austin didn't even want to watch Wiggles he just wanted to sleep. Austin's counts came back with red blood cells at 11.1. We thought wow we don't need blood. He isn't drinking much and so they hydrated him with fluids. He is still very fussy and doesn't really want to be messed with. Dr. Grimley came by for his rounds and said he thought that the counts were off and that he needed blood. So they ordered blood but there was a shortage so we had to wait. They re did the CBC and it did come back that his red cells were at 6.5, so yes he indeed needed blood. They gave him benadryl and a steroid before the transfusion so he wouldn't have reaction. Right after the Delores started the trasfusion Austin became really fussy and couldn't get comfortabel so she called Dr. Grimley in. He said to go ahead and give him some morphine. So after that Austin passed out. About almost half way through the transfusion Austin broke out into a rash. OH NO! They all rushed in tryig to make a decision but he started to fade away. They were actually excited because all and all it is the NEW cells making the rash. He is grafting and not a reactoin to the blood. Yeah Austin. He slept the whole time. We are on watch for a rash that appears really fast and doesn't go away. Daryl the nurse practioneer said they don't usually get to see this because this usually happens in the bone marrow transplant kids and at this point they are still in the hospital. So this is all an experience for them. He said it is such a miracle. Boy it is. We didn't finish up until about 5:15 and then we stopped to get Jason a card because it is his birthday today. We wasted some time so we wouldn't have to sit in traffic. So we are home and enjoying it.

Elizabeth