Mary Jo Date #24 - News from the "penthouse"

Right after I got to the hospital this morning, two transplant doctors, Dr. Engelhardt and Dr. Holder, a nurse practicioner and Mary Jo's transplant nurse, Blanche, came to visit with us. Dr. Engelhardt gave us some good news. The C-diff test was negative. Also, the Creatine Kinase (CK) and Troponin tests that were performed yesterday were also both negative. These tests were to determine if there was any heart damage from yesterday's arrhythmia episode.

Dr. Engelhardt said that this confirms their suspicion that a combination of the BCNU chemo treatment while her electrolyte, potassium and potassium levels were low compounded by the severe diahhrea that she was experiencing most likely caused the atrial fibrillation that she experienced.

Since Mary Jo has no heart damage and the medicine that they have given her has brought her pulse rate and rythym back in line, Dr. Engelhardt gave us a choice how to proceed from here. With any of the choices because her blood levels are low, Mary Jo is going to need an infusion of two units of blood today.

Here were our choices: A) Discharge Mary Jo from the hospital this morning and go to the stem cell clinic for the blood infusions. If she had another arrhythmia episode, we would have to go back to ER to be readmitted to the hospital. B) Mary Jo stay in the hospital have the blood transfusions, and have both of the stem cell infusions in the hospital on Monday and Tuesday. C) Mary Jo stay in the hospital another 24 hours where her heart rate and rythym could be monitored. Then, make a decision on Monday morning to either discharge her, and do both stem cell infusions in the stem cell center. Or, to do the first stem cell infusion on Monday in the hospital. Then, discharge her, and have the second stem cell infusion on Tuesday in the stem cell center. We definitely didn't want to make another visit to ER, if it could be avoided. So, we opted for option C to allow them to monitor her for another 24 hours.

We know that we are in good hands here. Clay Vessels, Mary Jo's nurse yesterday, actually has connections to the Fern Creek area in Louisville. His grandmother lived on Seatonville Road just past Bardstown Road. Clay was raised in the Bowling Green area where is dad stayed after graduating from Western Kentucky University. Clay also graduated from WKU. Although he said, that he is a huge Louisville Cardinal fan.

Mary Jo's first infusion has started. Hopefully, she will be able to get more rest tonight. She said that her nurse last night came in nearly every hour for something. She might be able to get more rest over at our apartment. I think the college kids have went home. It has been pretty quiet the last few nights.

Below is the view from the Mary Jo's 10th floor room in the "penthouse". Our apartment is in the brick building with the chimneys behind the brick building in the foreground. Vanderbilt's campus is to the left, out of the picture. The white buildings off in the distance are Belmont University.

Thank goodness, for a much quieter day than yesterday.

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