Fresh air (Day T+15)

Eric is still doing well. They took his nasal cannula off. (This was the oxygen tube that stuck in his nostrils.) So, he has now graduated to "room air". When he sleeps, they have an oxygen mask they sit near his head and leave running just to give the air around him a litlle boost.

Still no signs of GVHD. They were able to reduce the amount of platelets they have been giving to him. This is a good sign. One of the next milestones is when Eric's marrow can produce enough platelets that he no longer needs transfusions. For patients like Eric who get their stem cells from cord blood, this can eight weeks o more.

They also took him off all the antibiotics he was on to protect him while his immune system was recovering. This is also good since those powerful IV antibiotics can cause other problems.

-dk (via cell phone)