T+234….HURRAYYYY!!

So time has been ticking and the days seem to be flying by. Seth is still doing really well. We have all been ill in the house, except Seth who has been fine!!!

In the past month Seth has started back at school! It is only 1 hour a day for a one on one session with a teacher. But he loves it. It has given him more energy and his behaviour at home has improved.  The teachers are really pleased with him and say he is very dedicated. However, when I collect him each day and ask him what he has done he says “I don’t know”! 
  
However, you may notice that he has a cast on his foot in this picture….Seth broke his leg. Another side effect of his complicated health history and long term use of steroids has led to him having osteoporosis. So his bones are very prone to breaking. He was running down the hall to me and just slipped. He landed funny on his leg and unfortunately caused a very small fracture. Luckily he only needed the cast for 2 weeks. But he was happy and walking on it a few days after having it put on (with the permission of his doctor!!!)

  
Immunology wise the numbers are continuing to go in the right direction….and…..finally….we have evidence that the thymus is working! There are educated T cells now coming through. The numbers are still low but it’s a start. 

All of his bloods look good at the minute and finally he is getting his appetite back. I never thought I would get excited at Seth saying “mummy my tummy is rumbling”. 

The one thing that is worrying me at the moment is that his skin has gone a little dry. The hospital say that this is because of the change in weather and that his skin is still very sensitive. But with Seth’s history I automatically started worrying about GVHD again. 

Also his hair is thinning. He has lost his eyelashes, although there are some new short ones there, and his eyebrows have thinned. A few months prior to him being admitted this time he was losing his hair. So again I started to worry. But Seth’s doctor again thinks that this is more related to his body having been through a trauma that it is still recovering from. Reminding me that it is only 6 months since his body had to battle very hard, and that major changes are still happening internally. 

I guess that’s the struggle with a bone marrow transplant- you don’t see the changes, it’s not like they have a scar on their chest as a reminder of the transplant. 

So, I’m trying to remain positive. The champagne is still in the fridge, but I am not ready to open it yet 😉

Halloween- Surgeon Seth

 

Building a tent and watching an iPad with a snack   
Christmas is coming and Seth is very excited!!!   

Showing off the big muscles he has from all his eating.   

    

The first book from his advent (he doesn’t like chocolate and sweets so we do books)