Day +80.

Just wanted to update everyone on why we got readmitted. On Friday we had a clinic appointment for Ryan to get an IVIG infusion which essentially gives him a fake immune system because his is currently suppressed. While he was getting the infusion he took a nap all cuddled up and covered in a blanket and got a fever of 38.2 on the temporal thermometer (everything in the hospital is in Celsius) but when they checked his arm pit on the regular thermometer it was 37.8. Anything above 38 they admit you and administer antibiotics immediately.  He got his doses of Meropenem (antibiotic) and they took blood cultures to be sure there wasn't an underlying infection. EBV or mono is carried in the B Cells in the blood which in healthy people can be kept under better control by the T Cells but because of the chemo regimen that Ryan had and that he is on immuno suppressants his body isn't fighting the virus appropriately. His EBV count jumped from 650 to 3,200 from Monday to Wednesday so they had given him Rituximab (which sheds the B Cells) that brought his count down to 990. They are keeping an eye on it but we have lowered his steroid level as well that should help his body to fight the infection more itself. Other than the virus Ryan is in good shape, he is eating like a miniature horse! I was asking today about the possibility of getting a port instead of his Broviac central line and his Oncologist told me that if he keeps up eating like he is and doesn't have any more fevers that we should be able to take it out once we get down to at least one weekly visits!!! So exciting. We are so lucky that he is doing so well, it is not typical for kids with JMML to have such positive outcomes. Well, I finally have a chance to get some uninterrupted sleep so I am going to take it! Have a wonderful week and I will update again as soon as I learn of anything new.