Day 21 Post Transplant!

Today is Jared's 21st day post transplant! Jared has had some great days, as well as some really rough days! The hardest things that Jared is facing these days are just overall energy level, and the issue of eating! Jared has been trying really hard to eat as much as possible, but it is a huge challenge still! His favorites are still Jell-O and Pudding; one weird thing he loves is hot coco with protein powder in it! I have been sneaking protein powder in seriously everything he eats sometimes he can tell and sometimes he can’t! Jared's overall energy level is getting better and better, but if one day he walks a lot the next day will be pretty rough! 

Yesterday, we met with Jared's transplant team doctors yesterday and they told us he is right on track for his recovery! He is doing so well they dropped his IV fluids at home from 1500 mg to 1000 mg, and he has started to just naturally drink more and actually feel thirsty! The doctors have scheduled an "Exit Summary" appointment for the 14th of December; this means that if everything continues to go well we will meet with his team on the 14th to pretty much discharge his from the transplant team and back to his normal oncologist! This is wonderful news and we are thrilled that everything is moving so fast and well! Before the leaves the team, if all is well, they also will do a small surgery to take Jared's Hickman Line out of his chest as well as his port on the other side of his chest! This means that Jared will be able to shower normal and move better and just feel more normal again!! Jared is so thrilled to have this all moving so quickly and for it all to be behind him so he just feels like a healthy normal 23 year old! Continue to pray for no complications and continued strength and desire to eat! 

Jared ready to go to his appointment with his hot coco! 

Day 17 & 18 Post Transplant : Home From the Hospital!!

Yesterday was Jared's 17th day post-transplant and our 14th day of being in the hospital. Jared woke up and was not in any pain and was feeling pretty good. I was angry like every morning after sleeping in my "chair/bed" (at the start of our hospital visit I thought it was a cool invention, but by around day 7 I was not a fan!) The day before the doctors had mentioned that Jared could maybe go home sometime during the weekend and we were very excited! So, yesterday when the PA came in a told us that if Jared felt ready we could go home today we were SO SO excited! It took most of the day for them to discharge us, but around 5pm we were leaving the hospital! This was exciting, but no easy task.... Over the course of two weeks I somehow acquired lots and lots of stuff that we then had to lug all the way down to the car! The drive home felt unreal, it was so exciting to be out of the hospital! 

Jared is doing great still today! We had an appointment early this morning and his counts were still good! Today, Jared started IV fluids at home again to stay hydrated, this time its an even bigger bag and runs for 6 hours so he is not completely thrilled about it, but it helps him feel good and not have to drink as much! Jared is trying to eat still and drink protein juices and smoothies, but it is still a battle! Jared gets a break with no appointments tomorrow and one on Monday where we will meet with his normal transplant team and hear the plan from here on out! Jared is thrilled to be home and feeling better! 

Jared's last walk around the hall! 

The hall got Christmas decorations right as we left! 

Jared's Victory shot after he found out we got to leave!!

I was so excited to not have to sit or sleep on my chair/bed another night!!

Jared was so excited as we packed up! 

In the car ready to leave!! 

Day 16 Post Transplant!

Today was another good day! Jared continues to slowly be making progress everyday. This morning when Jared's doctors came and spoke with us, they explained that Jared had only pressed his pain pump twice in the last day!! This means that Jared is now completely off the pain medication that he can give him self through IV every six minutes. The doctors also decided that since he is doing so good and his mucisitious his healing so well they introduced him back onto many of his medications in pill form rather then IV. The doctors also decided that because Jared is trying so hard to eat little bits that tonight they stopped his IV Nutrition!!! These are three HUGE things that all happened today and it means Jared is just one step closer to getting out of the hospital! 

Tonight the nurse came in and unhooked Jared from his IV nutrition and then realized he had nothing else he needed to be attached to while he sleeps because everything else is in pill form so tonight he gets to sleep for the first time in 2 weeks with no big tubes hooked up to him! He is very excited! In the morning he will be hooked back up for fluids, but no more real medicine! 

Jared looking over the menu trying to decide what to eat ! Not his favorite part of the day. 

 Today Jared was able to eat a little bit more then yesterday, but it is still a huge challenge! Food tastes icky and feels weird in his mouth and tummy so it is not an enjoyable experience. He did try to eat several new things today, but his favorites are Jell-O and hot coco a weird mix but that’s what tastes the best to him right now. Now that he is off the IV nutrition we need to be careful about making sure he gets lots of protein in the next several weeks. Jared is being a good sport when I make him take "one more bite" of everything he says tastes icky. 

Jared tried some pancakes this morning! 

Jared is continuing to heal from his mucisitious and is in far less pain, but is still waiting on a few areas to heal up. Jared counts are almost pretty much normal and out of the scary danger zone. Jared is really really hoping to get out of the hospital in the next few days just for a change and to rest at home. The doctors just check in day by day so hopefully he will be released soon! Continue to pray for energy, strength to eat, and that he will just continue to feel better and better each day! 

Airborne is now my drink of choice because I am so scared of getting sick! 

Day 15 Post Transplant

 No real new news today on Jared's progress. Jared is continuing to try eating many different things. This morning he was able to eat an entire cup of Jell-O, and later he tried some milkshake and some pasta. The doctors told us today that the next 24 hours will hopefully be his last bag of IV nutrition; so hopefully in the next couple days his appetite will come back a little bit. It is a little scary to think of him going off the IV nutrition, because he might continue loose more weight due to not being hungry and nothing tasting good. Pray that he is able to eat healthy amounts starting pretty soon! 

Jared has barley had to use his pain medication button in the last day, so they might be changing that to pill form in the next couple days. Jared has started swallowing a couple pills already, so he is moving in the right direction. 

Today Jared's personality and attitude seemed really positive and back to normal, but his body has been extremely exhausted. I kept trying to try to take him on walks around the hall and he just was not feeling up to it. He did 2 laps, but pray that a little more energy can be restored. Jared is doing really well and is hoping to get out of the hospital in the next few days. He is very ready to go home and just relax! 

Update post Transplant day 14

Today was another good day. Jared's mouth has continued to be getting better, so now we are just waiting on the rest of his GI tract to catch up. Jared continues to not have a fever and they have stopped two of his very strong anti-biotics because he is doing so much better! Jared still has his pain pump, but has been using it far less then before. 

Even though Jared has absolutely no appetite, and nothing tastes good, he is encouraged to eat about 5 small meals a day of anything that sounds good at all. Jared is not quite to the 5 small meals, but today he was able to have a couple bites of tomato soup and grilled cheese, as well as a couple bites of clam chowder. These small steps are so exciting! This feeling of not wanting to eat anything and everything tasting weird is very common and could last for several months so Jared has to try to get used to eat not for hunger or taste but like its medicine he needs. This is very hard for Jared and really anyone to have to change your view on food so much. Jared is doing very well at trying his best! 

 Jared eating a few bites of dinner!!!

Another very exciting thing that happened today was Jared was able to take two pills by mouth. Jared has been unable to swallow any pills for the last couple days and today was his first attempt! He was able to swallow them both with some pain. It was very exciting! Jared has to be able to take all of his tons of medication by mouth before he can go home so this is an exciting step in the right direction. 

 Jared ready to take his pills! Then YAY he did it!  

Overall, Jared is doing well, he is able to walk without loosing his breath as well as trying to eat and take his pills. Jared's counts have been going up and up each day!! Pray that everything just continues to get better and easier! 

Update Post Transplant Day 13!

Yesterday was Jared's 13th day post transplant and it went really well! Jared's counts have continued to go up tons! They are starting to get close to the low end of normal, hopefully in the next couple days they will continue to get better! 

Jared made huge progress yesterday and was able to have 5 bites of chocolate pudding as well as drink some 7up! This was so exciting and a huge step to be able to get better enough to leave the hospital. It is common for people to not think food sounds or tastes good for a long time after transplant, so it is challenging for Jared to even want to try to eat, but he is doing good and trying. Jared also was able to do 7 laps of walking which is the most walking he has done in weeks! 

The doctors are very pleased with Jared's progress and hope to slowly take him off the IV nutrition and pain medicine over the next few days. Jared's throat is still very painful, but is still continuing to get better every day! Not a lot has changed, but Jared's personality is continuing to come back along with his sense of humor so that is fun and exciting! Continue to pray that he can keep eating and continue to feel better! 

Update Day 12 Post Transplant

Today is another happy day! Jared's Counts have doubled again and his mouth is feeling a little bit better! He can still not drink or eat, but they hope that hey will be able to start drinking in the next 2 days and the eat a couple days following! Jared's GI track is still needing some healing, but slowly it is feeling a little bit better! Pray that Jared's mouth and throat continue to get better and in the process don’t make him to nauseous, with all the scabs and skin being swallowed. Jared is now starting to get really excited to be able to eat and drink and has already been picking out the meals he would like me to make him once we leave the hospital! 


Jared has been extremely exhausted all day, and requires lots of sleep to rest up his body, but his overall energy to talk is coming back. Jared was able to go on a short walk today and take a shower, these activities wiped him out but it was good progress. Today they did some more tests, and we do not get the results back till sometime tomorrow so in the time being we get to dress up in my favorite outfit of a gown and gloves. 

 My Mom and dressed up to spend time with Jared. 

Not a lot of new information today, he is doing very very similar to yesterday. Pray that his counts continue to rise and healing continues to happen throughout his entire body!