Transfusion - Take Three

Matthew's transfusion went well yesterday. Justin reminded me that it was his third, when I really, honestly thought it was his second. I totally blocked out the second one. I still feel like it's a dream I can't quite remember. It was during induction - when we were all still in shock. It's funny how crisis can mess with your mind!

Anyway, yesterday went well. Matthew was mellow, which is rare. He enjoyed watching movies, playing video games, and playing with his new tablet (VTech Inno Tab). He was nervous about the blood, though, and watched it very intently as it went through the IV tube and into him. We had explained to him that he would be getting some blood through his port, and it would make him feel better. He took it to mean that he was going to get his own blood back, since they take so much of it out of him! Funny kid.

Today, he is like another kid! Happy and sweet. Before the transfusion, he was moody, and ornery. He had gotten to the point where he was being really mean - throwing things at people, and screaming at them. It was bad. Like steroid, roid rage, bad. It is amazing to me that one little bag of red blood cells can effect such a change in him.

What a precious resource!

This picture is before the transfusion.

The following two are after:

I don't know if you can tell a difference or not in the pictures, but boy, could I when I was there with him. I could actually see the pink coming back into his cheeks - it looked sort of streaky and spotty at first.

Notice the Doritos? I'm shaking my head right now. But he hasn't had any in a few days, so he deserved it at clinic. His port access was particularly rough yesterday - he was bucking, and a nurse and I had to hold him down while another nurse accessed the port. Poor kid.

On the bright side, I've successfully switched home health care companies. I talked to the new nurse on the phone today, and she sounds great. I mentioned it to my support group on Facebook, and one of the other kids has the same nurse. His mom says we'll love her. I feel like an enormous weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I liked the other nurse a lot, but the whole situation was a mess. The new company manages all my inventory, so I have very little that I have to deal with, and the scheduling is much more professionally done. Plus, the new nurse does port accesses all day. I explained to her that Matthew has been traumatized by port accesses, and she is prepared to help him overcome that problem. I seriously was so happy when it was all said and done that I wanted to cry.

I know. Everything makes me cry. But at least this was a good cry!

Also, at the clinic yesterday, I learned how to de-access the port. The benefit of this is that when the home health nurse comes for a blood draw, it will sometimes be for counts the day before treatments. Or sometimes it will be because I suspect he needs a transfusion. If she can leave the port accessed, then on the days when she comes that are followed with a clinic visit, he won't have to be accessed again. On the days when we aren't sure if there will be a visit or not the next day, she can leave him accessed, and if we end up not going, then I can just take it out. That REALLY freaked him out, but we talked a lot about it afterwards, and I think it'll be a good thing.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I'm gearing up for my big block of work. 14 1/2 hours of work in a 24 hour time period, every Friday and Saturday.