Hit a small bump

Well we have hit a bump in the road. Caitlin is back in hospital, they have said for at least 48 hours. She has haemorrhagic cystitis, so needs lots of fluids and pain killers. She's back in the room she had originally. I don't think we will decorate it as we aren't planning on staying long.

 She managed to do her "vomit up the NG tube" party trick again so another one has to go in. They will do this under sedation as they don't go into her stomach easily.

She is currently watching random stuff on YouTube, which is giving her a giggle!

Our first week at RMH

Our first week at RMH has gone quite quickly. Caitlin had clinic on Monday and Thursday. Now she has to come in each day for IV antibiotics to get rid of a pesky infection. She has also started on steroids, she has mild GVH. This is all quite normal though. She is doing very well and is managing to eat a bit more.

This afternoon we are going to a mid winter christmas party being held at the other house, might get to see Santa!!

I forgot to mention, the transplant room we have at RMH is the same one Logan had when he got out of hospital. 

Out of hospital

We are now at Ronald McDonald House, and it is great. What a
mission it was to move though. Caitlin had accumulated so much stuff!!

She is doing very well. Tomorrow morning we have to be at the hospital
early for a blood test and to have a check up.
She is managing to eat very small amounts, nashi pears are a favourite at
the moment. Energy levels are improving also. It's amazing what a
couple of days out of hospital can do.

Here's Caitlin and Logan enjoying a game of Jenga.

RMH here we come

Great news, Caitlin's counts are doing really good, so good
it looks like we will be going to Ronald McDonald House on
Friday!! That is when she finishes her course of antibiotics.
All her medications except for one have been changed to oral,
I have started giving them to her through her NG tube.
Roll on Friday!

Leaps and bounds

Caitlin's transplant has been full of ups and downs, we are now on

the other side of a down. Who would have thought a tube up your nose

could cause so much trouble. 3 tubes later and all is well.

Her morphine pump has been taken away, she no longer needs it.

Her white cell count is coming up nicely, but the best news of all came

today, she now has neutrophils! this means she is getting an immune system.

It also means it shouldn't be too long before we can leave the hospital and go

to Ronald McDonald House. Tomorrow she starts taking her anti rejections

orally, that's a step closer to leaving also.
                                          

Another wasgij has been completed.

Auntie Caitlin got to spend a bit of time with Fleur, that put a huge smile on her face.

Day +13

What a day!!!! We have white cells!!!! the count this morning is 0.13

When she can keep her neutrophils at or above 1.0, we are out of here!!

Waiting, waiting

Thought it was about time I updated the blog, having been asked a few times
when the next post is happening.
 I was hoping to have good news today, we have bets going as to when Caitlin's counts
 were going to come up. I thought today was going to be the day. Caitlin has a calendar
on her wall and some of the nurses have put their name on the date they think it will happen.
There's a chocolate bar in it for the person who guesses correctly. Caitlin thinks tomorrow.
For the last four days she has had a constant fever and her blood pressure is all over the
show. Then in the middle of the night she does random things and the doctor gets called
to come and review her. 2.30 the other morning she was put on a heart monitor then at
4 am a lady arrived with a portable x-ray machine to give her a chest x-ray.
12.45 this morning we had another visit from a doctor, I think she just likes to keep them
on their toes. She has another infection in both lumens of her Hickman line.
Today was her last day of chemo yaaaay!! Since the last post she has had 3 platelet
transfusions and 2 blood transfusions. Everything seems to be going to plan.
So now its a waiting game!

This has been our project for the last
3 and a half days, even the nurses
would stop to put a few pieces in.
 Caitlin now has a thing for wasgij puzzles.
It has now been pulled apart and the next
one has been started.

                                                                 
   

                                                                   

Jasmine and her family came to visit for the weekend.Caitlin was really happy to spend some time with them. They were showing the nurses how you make loom band bracelets.

Jasmine helped do the finishing touches on the puzzle.

 In the background you can see some

of the bunting her class made, it has really brightened up her room. Everyone comments when they come in.

Here is Amber, Caitlin and Jasmine wearing their very cool matching beanies.