Next week is Eric's big doctor's appointment where they reveal how well his stem cell transplant is doing. Today, in anticipation of that, and to collect pertinent information, Eric had not only a large number of blood draws but also a bone marrow biopsy and a chest x-ray. Next week he will have a pulmonary function test before meeting with his doctor.
If everything is going well, and it is anticipated that will be the consensus, Eric's central line will be removed right after his doctor's appointment. They will also start tapering him off of some of his anti-rejection medications. I am not sure which Eric is looking forward to more--getting his central line removed so that he can bathe and shower without restrictions or reducing the medication that makes his hands shake and his legs swell.
I will try to remember everything that we learn next week so that I can post it. Of great interest to me will be how far Eric's type A blood has transitioned toward his sister Debbie's type O blood. It will probably be somewhere in the middle of the transition. Right now the conflict between the two blood types is what keeps Eric's hematocrit (red blood cell count) low and flat.
Stay tuned.
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