Day +28: a long road

Four weeks out from the transplant. We've been in the hospital a total of five weeks now, and it looks like it'll be a few more. The doctors told us today that it could take anywhere from several days to several weeks before she shows any improvement. She received the Infliximab Thursday night, and will receive another dose next Thursday. They've prescribed a total of four, but could give more if necessary.

Meanwhile, she's still pretty miserable. Her rash is still spreading; it's starting to show up on her arms and legs, and is getting redder and angrier particularly on her chest. Her face is all puffy and her lips and eyes are swollen. She looks terrible, and is definitely uncomfortable. On the other hand, the fevers are becoming fewer and farther in between, as are the vomiting and the diaharrea. And she was awake all day today after pretty much sleeping since Monday. They tried to do chest and gut CT scan but Mina Brigitta wouldn't tolerate it, and they didn't have an anastheseologist available. They were able to do an ultrasound instead, and didn't see anything worrisome. Dr. Cowan said today he's not convinced she has GVHD in her liver; he thinks the high bilirubin could be a side effect of her gut problems. Hopefully this all means the drugs are arresting the progress of the disease, and her body will start healing itself soon.