May 24th, +28, Goodbye Port #4

Well we've had a bit more adventure since my post Wednesday afternoon.  I last blogged while Hunter was sleeping and Jana escaped for a little "retail therapy."  When he woke up, he had blood dripping from his port.  So, we got to load up and go back to clinic to change his dressing.  Mark might have been glad that Jana's shopping session was cut short.  I must say, she deserved a little break:)  She's a good nurse and momma!

Warning:  bloody picture ahead!  

Central lines have NOT been our friends!  They aren't supposed to look like this!

We made it up to the 8th floor just in time for a power failure.  They cleaned his port and redressed it in the generator light.  Then we discovered the elevators were down.  It would have been a good workout for Jana and I, but there was no way Hunter could make it down 8 flights of stairs.  Thankfully, they found a staff elevator that ran on generator power and we were out of there!  Hunter's gift of the day this day was a hat with fake hair.  He wore it proudly to the hospital.  I'm so glad for sweet friends and a sense of humor:)

We made it out!  Our nurses were jokingly showing us the fireman hold.

When we got all cleaned up and back to the RV, we had a survival package waiting for us.  We all enjoyed some cookies and chocolate.

 We had a pretty boring day Thursday.  We noticed a little bit of swelling in Hunter's hand and wrist, but he was able to move it around enough it to decrease.  He even walked all the way around the lake.  We were happy for a relaxed day at the RV!  If we could have just gotten rid of his shoulder and neck pain, it would have been a great day.  He was having to take quite a bit to keep his pain under control.  We went a little long in the evening between pills, and paid for it in the night.  I woke him up at midnight for a pain pill and noticed he was running fever.  Our discharge instructions were to immediately call for fever, and our nurse wanted us to give him meds for pain and fever and come to clinic first thing.  After a couple hours his fever broke, but in the morning his neck and shoulder were way swollen.  His face had his "pre-chemo" fullness, and his neck looked like a bodybuilder's bulging out.  His clavicle was nowhere to be found.  It was no big surprise that they pulled port number four first thing.  Big thumbs down from me.

Goodbye, port #4

 We were really bummed/frustrated/tearful/hacked off.  Hunter experienced a lot of muscle pain from Tuesday all the way until Friday morning, plus had to recover from another surgery.  It felt like a lot of extra pain was wasted.  People usually keep their lines for about 60 days after transplant.

But, Hunter is doing incredible in his recovery.  Little by little his appetite is increasing, and he hasn't had a lot of the unpleasant digestive difficulties that all chemo patients have.  So, the new plan is for Him to try and go without IV fluids.  He will need to eat more magnesium in his diet, tolerate a few more magnesium pills, and drink a lot more water.  On days he goes into clinic, he will probably get an IV along with a blood draw.  At this point, Hunter is ready and willing to do all he can to be free of a central line.  We are so thankful that he is far enough along to try and get by!  Pray that he can keep up his magnesium levels!

Not five minutes after his line was out, we got pictures from home.  Our fabulous friend Debbie had sent the boys little Team Hanner shirt that she had made.  Jana and I went ahead and cried some more.  I love these four boys more than I could ever say!  It was a fitting and well timed reminder from God of why we decided to have a transplant.    

One blur, two not looking, but Hudson sure looks cute:)  Love #1, #2, #3, and #4

How cute are they???

After a few minutes of reflection, we all agreed that it will be lots of extra freedom for Hunter to not have the worry of keeping his line free from infection, clean and dry,  and functioning without any swelling.  He is ready to be able to sleep on his side or tummy, and to take a good shower.  His level of blood thinners allowed him to decrease to only one shot a day instead of two.  He was one happy camper!  His blood counts are all good, and he is slowly gaining strength each day.  There are so many positives and blessings for Hunter right now.  We have been given a great deal of blessings, and choose to celebrate those today!

I'm calling all of Team Hanner to pray for Hunter's appetite.  Pray that we can tolerate the extra magnesium pills, for all this swelling to go away, and for Hunter to stay free from infection.  Also, if you know of a delicious place to eat, not too far from the med center in Houston, be sure and let us know;)