We learned a little more today. SD has either an ulcer or an abscess, which is why he's been so insistent on laying on one of us! This also explains why he has been avoiding stools; previously, we thought this was just due to constipation, one of the side effects of Lortab, one of his pain medications. If he has an abscess, there's a possibility it may need to be surgically lanced, which would increase our hospital stay by a few days.
Speaking of pain medications, we are taking him off all acetominophen-based meds (including Tylenol and Lortab) to see if his fever is already gone. So, SD will be using morphine as necessary for the pain (and as of now, it is necessary - he's receiving a dose as I write this).
The ulcer/abscess is probably caused by the same bacteria that started this whole thing. SD changed one of his antibiotics to another one to more effectively help his ulcer/abscess specifically.
In other news, his white blood cell counts have gone through the roof! Up until now, SD has been getting one shot in his thigh each night of Neupogen, a growth medium for white blood cells. This really helped his white blood cell count but has made his thighs very sore. His thighs and bottom have been his most common complaints of pain, with the "butterfly" (the butterfly needle in his port and its surrounding tape) being a close third.
This means that SD is no longer neutropenic, so we hope to get him out walking a bit today. There is a common area and an activity room in this wing of the PICU. Last time SD was completely bed-ridden, so he didn't get to see it. This time we're encouraging him to walk as much as possible; hopefully, he'll get to experience more of the "fun side" of the hospital. It helps that he's potty training because he often likes to walk a little each time he goes to the bathroom.
I hope the ulcer or abscess can be easily taken care of so you guys can get out of there.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad his counts have gone up so much! And I hope he gets to play in the activity room this time. :)