Clinic Visit

Ian and Brett had a successful trip to Atlanta for clinic complete with a stop at IHOP for french toast on the way back home.

Ian's PICC line is out now (there was much discussion with doctors about this and Brett called me several times to get my take). The isssue is if Ian becomes CMV postive (CMV is a virus that causes flu like symtoms. A large portion of the population becomes CMV positive just from general exposure.) Ian is not currently CMV positive but his donor was so there is an 80% chance that he could contract CMV and the timeframe for him to do so is usually within the first six months. If he becomes CMV positive it means needing meds via IV which is why the PICC line would be beneficial.....we wouldn't have to put another line in; they could just use that one. We talked with Ian (me via phone) about the situation and let Ian weigh in on what he wanted and he wanted the line out mainly I think because he HATES getting the dressing changed so much. So to make this explaination longer, if he contracts CMV we'll have to go to Atlanta to get a new PICC line and get meds via IV--the doctors do not want MUSC here in Charleston doing that (which was interesting to me).

Other news from the clinic visit is Ian now off two of his meds and is projected to come off 2 or 3 more the next time we go which is in mid March. Unforunately, the med he dislikes the most is still on the list to take for a while. The med I want him off as it makes him more agitated is still on the list as well so we both have to deal with med things for a while longer. Brett thankfully brought home a new stack of syringes and stoppers as we were running low. I am refilling three meds later today to make sure we don't run out.

The doctors were pleased with his progress and lab numbers. We'll go back to clinic a day after our three month mark. We'll have labs getting "stuck" on Wednesday or Thursday of next week so I'm planning for that to be my next post.