This morning the doctors made it official... Engraftment has started!!! Mark's body is one huge step closer to being healthy! We are thankful and relived. (see below for definition)
The doctors have decided that all of Mark's skin and rash issues late last week are related to a drug reaction and Hyper Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease. (more info in definition below) No need to worry. It all falls within the "regular" things that can happen to a transplant patient. They put him on steroids and anti-biotics and he is feeling much better. In the next few days as they slowly back off on the steroids and anti-biotics - if he doesn't get any fevers or skin issues back - we will be another step closer to being out of the hospital.
We are both doing good. We are mentally tired. Tired of our family being apart and plain tired of being in the hospital/not feeling well. Pray for peace of mind, strength to endure and joy each day. Praise God for what He has already done to get us this far!
Definitions:
Engraftment
This is the process of transplanted stem cells starting to grow and develop. It means your bone marrow function and immune system—which were weakened or destroyed by conditioning—are beginning to recover. Signs of engraftment usually appear about 10 to 28 days after the transplant. The first sign is a rising white blood count.
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)
GVHD is a common side effect in people who receive cells from a unrelated donor (allogeneic transplant). It occurs when the transplanted cells recognize the recipient’s tissues as foreign and attack the tissues. This can cause a variety of problems, including skin rashes, liver problems and diarrhea. There are two types of GVHD: acute GVHD, which often happens in the first three months after a transplant, and chronic GVHD, which can develop any time between three months and three years after the transplant. Both acute and chronic GVHD can be mild to serious. Medications and other treatments that suppress the immune system are used to treat GVHD symptoms until the donor cells stop attacking the body.
(In Mark's case the "Hyper" before Acute GVHD - means that it happened before engraftment.)
2 comments:
Very good news! I am praying for you both multiple times per day. I praise God for his miraculous grace in giving such knowledge and wisdom to human doctors about how our amazing bodies work! I praise him that this hard road you have been asked to travel is not for nothing, but is being used in massive ways for His Kingdom! I loved your posting of "I Need Thee Every Hour". It is so true, but we can be so blind to that truth when things are easy. I have been singing it since you posted it and it reminds me to pray for you guys.
Paula Herbert (Rusty's sister)
Praise the Lord! He is at work! I know it is hard but hang in there! We love you! Donita
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