The good news is Hunter's morning lab results show early signs of donor engraftment.
The bad news is Hunter's morning ultrasound revealed he is suffering from Veno-occlusive disease.
"Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a potentially serious liver problem caused by high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation. The blood vessels that carry blood through the liver become swollen and blocked. Without a supply of blood, the liver cannot remove toxins, drugs and other waste products from the bloodstream. Pressure and fluids build up in the liver, causing swelling and tenderness in the liver area. The kidneys may retain excess water (ascites) and salt, causing fluid to build up in the body and swelling in the legs, arms and abdomen.
"The symptoms of VOD include rapid weight gain, swelling, jaundice, an enlarged liver, pain or tenderness in the area of the liver, and accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
"There currently is no proven preventive therapy for VOD. When VOD is diagnosed, the medical team will take steps to prevent the more serious complications from developing. These include minimizing or eliminating the use of certain drugs that can aggravate the problem, relieving fluid buildup in tissues and organs with diuretics or dialysis, restricting salt intake, carefully monitoring fluid volumes in the body, and transfusing the patient with red blood cells.
"In most cases, VOD is mild or moderate, and the liver damage is reversible."
Please keep Hunter in your thoughts and prayers.
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Hey Guys I am trying this again. Thanks for the updates I know you are all going through alot. In the end the reward will be tremendous. Stay positive. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Especially Hunter.
ReplyDeleteCourage ! Tenez bon tous les trois. Je pense a vous ...
ReplyDeleteVeronique.
I think of Hunter all the time ... I just hope everything will go better each day now... He went through so much already !!
ReplyDeleteBonjour à vous,
ReplyDeleteJe ne veux retenir que le meilleur : la greffe donne des signes favorables et précoces et "la VOD est dans la plupart des cas modérée et les dommages au foie réversibles".
C'est ce à quoi vous devez vous accrocher aussi. A ça et à la formidable force d'Hunter qui a déjà tant supporté !
On vous embrasse mille et mille fois et on pense à vous, toujours.
Sylvie et les garçons
Fingers crossed that the VOD is very mild...and the damage (if any) to the liver is reversed as quickly as possible. Hang in there handsome Hunter you are doing so well!
ReplyDeletePraying here!!
ReplyDeleteI know you are all
in God's hands
love, Deena