Today was the fourth day out of the hospital and the first day back in it. We figured there was no way we could pass up a stay with room service. Rafi wretched at 6am and she was quite warm, so I took her temperature. It was 101.4. I figured she just threw up so maybe she is just warm from that. An hour later, we took her temperature again and it was 102.4. That earned us a minimum 48 hours back on 5D. After getting off the telephone with the fellow on call, Wes, we took showers, packed two bags and went back to the hospital. We got our old room and got the first dose of two different IV antibiotics. Wes asked us, if there is a next time, to be a little more expedient in checking back into the hospital. He told us it is very important to get that first dose of antibiotics into Rafi. Well, we know better now.

We knew that we might have to get readmitted at some point, so we are not upset or discouraged. This is just another step in the journey. By late this afternoon, Rafi no longer had a fever and was in good spirits. She told Jackie and I that she wanted to go home and that she didn’t want to stay there. However, sh seemed to understand when we explained it would only be for a couple of days.

We washed and redressed her feet yesterday, and I was interested to see how the blister on her right foot would look. As it turns out, the blister was no longer there, in fact the area looked healed. There was no trace of a blister ever existing. I was shocked. She has never healed that quickly before. There was another blister on the foot so I am excited to see if the result is the same the next time we change the bandages. Unfortunately, it looks as if Rafi has some staph growing in her wounds so we will have to really wash those affected areas tomorrow with bleach. I am guessing the infection(s) are the cause of the fever so I hope to be able to clear them quickly. We’ve cleared infections quickly before so I am not that concerned.

Please send some positive thoughts to Kenzi Gray and Sam Sheridan. Kenzi is right in the middle of the difficult time of the transplant and is fighting hard. Sam is still battling the after effects of transplant, and can use a good break.

Rest in peace Karen Fuccello. Karen was my aunt by marriage and was an incredibly nice woman who touched many. She will be sorely missed.

Until tomorrow………