Day 30

Today marks 30 days since Jack's stem cell transplant. We originally thought that he would need to come back to Mayo for daily visits, but so far it has been every other day! Next week the doctors hope to change it to once every three days.

This means that Jack is doing well. His blood numbers have been slow to come back, but that is typical. He feels great- he has his appetite back, and we are going on daily walks around the neighborhood (after dark of course- it's supposed to get up to 112 degrees here this week!) Jack even got clearance to eat at restaurants as long as he is careful about what he orders. He cannot have fresh produce unless it is thoroughly washed, and he must avoid food that has been sitting out or may be undercooked.

We have become pros at staying on top of Jack's medications! The doctors have added a couple more since he was released from the hospital, but we have learned to recognize them all by sight. We have a handy system down using a dry erase board that sticks on the fridge. We abandoned the spreadsheet idea because the doctors change medications and dosages every now and then, and it was getting to be a chore to re-print it after changes were made or open his laptop each time he needed his meds. With the dry erase board, we can make the required changes and have the schedule handy throughout the day. Most days, Jack takes 13 pills in the morning, 3 in the afternoon, and 8 at night. Lots of pills, I know, but he will take fewer and fewer as the summer continues.

There isn't too much more to report. We have been trying to lay low to keep Jack healthy and well. We will continue to update the blog as we learn anything else, or as his recovery progresses.

Thank you!