Sunday, Day 10

I dropped in on Christi at about 1:00 today. I had called before I left the house, so she was awake sitting on the edge of the bed when I arrived. If it wasn't for the sores that line her throat and mouth, I think she would be feeling a little better today. She is only able to talk at a very light whisper, and it's painful, so she communicated by writing on a note pad. This is the seventh day since she has had any food or drink by mouth. She is able to take small sips of water, but she can't swallow it. She can only sip to wet her mouth, but then has to remove the water from her mouth with a suction tube. The soars are very painful, but she now controls her pain medication by pressing a button. The pain drug is a strong narcotic that knocks her out and affects her memory. One of her doctors told a nurse that he expected the sores to gradually improve over the next few days, and he hopes she can start taking small sips of water in about four days.

She is frustrated that she can't remember what day it is, or have any concept of time. She knows it's the drugs causing all this, but it's still frustrating. I told Christi to keep her thumb on the pain button, and just sleep off the next few days, and I think that's her plan... sleep for four days and wake up to a big gulp of cold water.

Gary Holt

Saturday 8 o'clock goodnight call

I called Christi to see about her day. She said that Rick and Julia came up and she was able to walk to the family room to visit awhile. She said that she had lost a lot of hair. Rick and she will again have the same "head do". No hair just head.
She said that she could talk better today and she sounded a lot stronger.
Gary and Penny will probably visit her tomorrow evening.
Melba

It is about nine o'clock on Saturday morning. I "communicated" with Christi by phone and she could talk just enough to let me know what is going on. They are going to feed her today and I said"swallow" and she said "No, tube". I suppose it will be IV. I asked her if it would be steak and potatoes and she said"No, Mexican food". She also said that she was better today, so maybe the steroids helped to heal some of the ulcers.Rick and the girls were going up today, so it will be "snuggle time".
Melba

I got a pretty cute picture of her via my cell phone. She has a new hairless doo, so now she and Rick are twins, minus the beard...
Marci

Day +8 after Christi's transplant

I spent Wednesday and Thursday nights with Christi because she was unable to communicate with the nurse when her IV pump needed attention. She is experiencing lots of pain throughout her torso region...lots of sores in her mouth and esophagus. She hasn't eaten in about six days nor has she drunk any liquid in four. She places liquid in her mouth and then
aspirates it with a device similar to that used by the dentist. She is producing lots of mucous so she uses lots of kleenex.
I asked her today if this was worse than ICU and she said "no way". She didn't feel as if she were going to die every minute.
Dr. Fay decided that since Christi was feeling so badly that he would wait until Monday morning to do the bone marrow biopsy.
Christi seemed relieved.
They have Christi on two medicines given simutaneously that prevent nausea and relieve the pain. She eagerly awaits the mail as she can now read the cards and appreciates all the prayers and good wishes. I gave her a note pad and she can now write a note to let me know what she needs or what she is thinking. She is so shaky that it is difficult for her to text on the phone, but that is improving.She cannot talk on the phone.
Her hair started falling out today. She had hoped it wouldn't, but this chemo was just too strong. We are curious about the color it will be next time. It may be straight instead of curly. It may turn out to be really blonde and someday she will look cute in pig tails.
We remember every hour of each day that we have come this far by the grace of God and the prayers of all our family and friends.Now we are praying hard that the leukemia cells are gone from the bone marrow and that the tiny stem cells have started to grow and multiply.
Melba

a post by Melanie

I was in Dallas today, so I stopped by the hospital with Marci, Mitsi, Lincoln, and Lexi (my mom, sister, son, and daughter respectively) but we were unable to visit with Christi. She was sleeping quite soundly in her room, so we just hung out in the family room with Mom-Mom and Dan-Dan. Lincoln was a little sad about not being able to visit Christi (which he probably wouldn't have done even if she had been awake). I think he was looking forward to wearing a mask as much as being able to actually see Christi! :)

Lincoln "worked out" on the stationary bike in the family room.

Lexi and Mom-Mom had some girl time.

Day 7

Today is pretty much the same as Wednesday. Miserable. BUT she did have a CT scan which told the doctors that her body is in good shape...she just has to heal. I dropped in on her for about 2 minutes, but she was sleeping, which is the best thing she can do right now. Tomorrow's bone marrow biopsy will hopefully give us some good news. Pray hard.

Marci Holt Pair

Mitsi here, reporting in from the Family Sheet.

I think it's safe to say that Christi's feeling pretty beat-up today. The sores in her mouth and throat [resulting of the chemo] are really painful, making swallowing and talking pretty agonizing. They've connected a port in her jugular through which they've been able to give her IV medications (instead of having to swallow pills). She was pretty nauseous throughout the night last night, unable to keep down even liquid Tylenol, so the IV medications are a good change.

We had a pretty quiet day and Christi was able to get some rest in between doses of pain medication. We watched Benjamin Button, but she wound up dozing off part way through. She got one unit of blood today and will get one other tomorrow. Dr. Fay mentioned that the current plan is to check her bone marrow this Friday.

She's really unable to talk on the phone due to the sores in her throat and is sensitive to noises in general. It seems like getting rest is of primary importance right now.

Keep those prayers coming, particularly during this challenging part!

-mitsi pair willard, niece of christi