Day -5 - First Day in the Hospital

Today Jason received chemotherapy for the first time. He also received a drug called ATG (Anti-Thymacite Globuline). He has had ATG before and his previous reactions were not all that calm; he shook violently while being infused. However, this time the drug was slowed and he was pre-medicated with Tylenol, Benadryl, and Steroids. There were no real reactions this time around so we can be thankful for the anti-climactic infusion.

Along with all of the medications Jason still needs blood so he has received three units today.

Jason needs blood because one of the many awful problems with his syndrome is that his lymphatic system (part of the immune system) reacts to his blood as an infection and then destroys it. Sometimes the reactions can be small when his body is infection-free but if Jason contracts a cold, flu, a cut, or some kind of open wound then his body recognizes the infection, and his blood, as foreign material and then destroys it. This is why it has been so serious for Jason to avoid crowds, hugging, kissing, hand-shakes, etc. The reason he was hospitalized this last time was because he was exposed to the flu and his body started destroying his blood (which carries his oxygen). Without his blood Jason has trouble walking, breathing, sleeping, and eating. Up until a couple of months ago he was doing quite well but now he is receiving 6 or more units of blood per week just to “make-up” for his constant blood loss/destruction.

Today was a terribly busy day and we are exhausted. But we were happy to see Dave, a nurse and gun enthusiast to whom Jason enjoys chatting. We were also happy to discover the new TV’s in all of the transplant hospital rooms that are four times larger than a year previous. 

Hopefully this will be the miracle that we have hoped to receive!