It's 11 am on Thursday morning and Jonathan is doing some art and craft with a volunteer attached to the hospital. He was grumpy in the beginning - but after I figured out that I needed to 'butt out' he started to interact with the volunteer much better. It's good to hear him talking a bit, because usually he just complains or grunts (smile). It's also good to hear how the volunteer interacts with Jonathan - her ideas and her conversations to help him get involved. Right now they are drawing shapes and cutting it out and sticking it. All the stuff he loves to do from his pre-K class.
Earlier today - I found out that Jonathan's platelets counts are still low. Low enough that he might be getting another blood transfusion later today. Hopefully this time his energy levels will get back up AND remain up. I know that he is still spiking fevers - with him getting a fever of around 104 last night. Right now - Jonathan is getting antibiotics on a regular basis and Tylenol every four hours to keep his fever in check. I don't think they have found any bacteria in the blood cultures so it could be that his fever is due to a viral infection - but just to be on the safe side - since his white blood cell count is low - they will keep him on antibiotics.
The other significant thing that has started to happened is that Jonathan's hair has started to fall out. Yesterday morning, Gabby noticed a couple strands of hair on his pillow. Since yesterday I'm seeing more and more strands of hair on his pillow, blanket and bed. Although his hair loss has started - it's not noticeable as yet. He still has a full head of hair - but we know the process has started. I also think that with his hair falling all over the place - it might be causing his skin to itch - and the nurse was telling me that at this stage patients normally shave their hair - but with his platelet count being low - it's not something we can do now. Regardless - I don't think it is something that Jonathan will let us do because he does not want to go bald.
So the expectation now is that Jonathan's white blood cell count will probably stay down over the next couple of days and that by the weekend they should start coming back up. As his white blood cell count start to come up - the sores in his mouth will go away as well. I cannot wait for his sores to go - and I'm hoping he has about a week or two before his next induction cycle begins - because I really want to start fattening him up (smile). This is one occasion in which he can eat some junk food besides the healthy stuff as well. I'll probably try to get him to take Pediasure (or Ensure) between his meals so that way he will at least get his daily recommended amount of calories and his eating food will just be extra.
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