Bloodtests show that Ron's tacro level is down to 9.3--at the high end of the level they want him to keep, so he has resumed this medication at a halved dose. Ron had two stubborn viruses that caused havoc for many weeks starting soon after his transplant. Both had been controlled for the last several weeks, but now the CMV virus has re-emerged. It is not the virus that caused the bladder problems. At this point his antiviral med has been changed back to valcyte, a stronger med. Hopefully, that will be a quick fix. His next bloodtests will be Wednesday, March 21. Ron still has his Neostar port/line, so it is used for all blood tests and IVs. I have learned to give IVs, change his dressing for the port, and change the caps on the lines, and flush the lines daily; he has 3 lines in the port. So we have not had a visiting nurse for a few months.
Tomorrow the new physical therapist will start her home visits. Ron has physical therapy at home because of his low immunity. He has difficulty walking, even with his walker, and no longer can walk with his cane. Yesterday a neighbor helped me get him in the apartment safely after his stomach scope (results by next Wednesday). Today at the hospital I needed help to get him on his feet because he sat down on a seat that did not have arms. Physical therapy will help his quads in his thighs regain strength. He told me that his shoulders were sore; I am pretty sure that the soreness is from pushing himself up on his feet.
Ron is the bravest person I have ever known. This is such a grueling experience and although it would not be truthful to say that we don't feel discouraged at times, he forges ahead doing whatever is medically asked of him. Amazing. And as friend Treeg once said, "Ron, you are a complex man."
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