Doctor's confirm that Brody has acute GVHD, but is mild, therefore he is a grade 1-2. They don't normally treat with steroids, as only moderate to server gets treated with steroids, but they believe that Brody GVHD will get worse if they didn't treat it with steroids now.
The infection on top of it is not good as steroid's love infections and help them develop more. So have to watch his infection closely.
They have also told us that there is new sell growth, but more likely its Luke's cells that are growing, but this wont be confirmed for another month or so. Therefore we have over another month until we know if the Transplant and engraftment went well.
For a while we will be still having ups and downs and still such a long way to go. I am trying to work out the next year, as we will have to stay down in Sydney for another year due to Brody needs Bone marrow test twice a month and also clinic visits, therefore it will be easier if we stay down here close to hospital, also if the cancer comes back within the 12 month period we will be back here again. But i need to work out school option's for Brody when he can start school again, as if he waits another year he will be further behind his peers. There is a school that i have thought about for a long time, even when Brody got diagnosed with Autism but it is very expensive, but i think he will really need it as he hasn't been in a normal situation for over 11 months and i believe he will need a least one to two years of more one to one teaching before he goes into main stream school. Its going to be a big issue, as if i don't do something now, he might miss out for next year. Stressed!!!!.
They started the steroids today, and already his rash looks so much better and his temps have gone down, which is the first time in weeks. He is still coughing and having running poos, but he is alot more happier in parts of the day and tired the other parts.
Thank you to the Cartoon Network for all the Ben 10 things, Brody loved them. Thanks to Grandma for washing them and cleaning them before Brody got them. xoxox
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Day 15- Post transplant
OK, had meeting with Doctors, they said that yes he has Graft versus Host disease and the infection from his poo. For those that missed it yesterday, i will begin from the start.
Graft versus Host Disease.
Its a common complication of this type of Transplant. About half of the patients develop some degree of GVHD. Most of the cases are mild to moderate.
The T- Lymphocyte cells from the donor (Luke) may recognise the child (Brody) own body cells as foreign and try to destroy them. This happens because the child (Brody) own immune system has been suppressed or eliminated by the conditioning therapy before transplant. We also have to remember that before the conditioning therapy Brody had double chemo to reduce the cancer level on top of all this, so his immune system was totally eliminated.
Acute GVHD occurs in the first 100 days of Transplant and primarily affects the skin, liver and gastrointestinal tract (gut). GVHD may be mild, moderate, severe or life-threatening and may effect one organ or more at the same time.
GVHD is classified on a grade system 1-4, Grade 1 is mild and grade 4 is life threatening.
Symptoms of Acute GVHD are skin, itching, burning, redness of palms or soles, rash all over body, blistering.
Gut- nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, offensive smelling, watery diarrhoea which may become bloody
LIver- jaundice, swelling, abnormal liver function tests.
Now Brody shows alot of these signs, except his liver has no effects at this time. He has shown these pretty much from just after the transplant happen. Because Brody has the infection in the poo, they don't know if the diarrhoea and smelling is from the GVHD or the infection. They need another day to let the meds work from yesterday to get a better picture.
Treating GVHD, the combination, dosage and duration of meds chosen to treat Brody will depend on the grade, and duration of acute GVHD. They have told me they will treat him with Steroids tomorrow. Which means Brody's GVHD is moderate to severe, but i have yet to confirm with doctors on how bad it really is. I did talk to the student doctor tonite and she said his skin was about a grade 3, but it depends on how he goes the next couple of days as it could get worse. So don't think the bad yet as we still have meds to help treat it.
The steroid work by suppressing the immune response of the donor cells (Luke) to the Brody's cells. If the GVHD does not respond to this there is another two drugs they can try.
Children who develop GVHD are again at higher risk of infections!!!!!!!
Hopefully tomorrow i will find out a bit more information as i have so many question. But poor Brody is not his happy self as much now. Thanks again everyone for all your support and hope everyone has a great nite at Tuncurry bowling club tomorrow night. Thanks xoxoxo
Graft versus Host Disease.
Its a common complication of this type of Transplant. About half of the patients develop some degree of GVHD. Most of the cases are mild to moderate.
The T- Lymphocyte cells from the donor (Luke) may recognise the child (Brody) own body cells as foreign and try to destroy them. This happens because the child (Brody) own immune system has been suppressed or eliminated by the conditioning therapy before transplant. We also have to remember that before the conditioning therapy Brody had double chemo to reduce the cancer level on top of all this, so his immune system was totally eliminated.
Acute GVHD occurs in the first 100 days of Transplant and primarily affects the skin, liver and gastrointestinal tract (gut). GVHD may be mild, moderate, severe or life-threatening and may effect one organ or more at the same time.
GVHD is classified on a grade system 1-4, Grade 1 is mild and grade 4 is life threatening.
Symptoms of Acute GVHD are skin, itching, burning, redness of palms or soles, rash all over body, blistering.
Gut- nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, offensive smelling, watery diarrhoea which may become bloody
LIver- jaundice, swelling, abnormal liver function tests.
Now Brody shows alot of these signs, except his liver has no effects at this time. He has shown these pretty much from just after the transplant happen. Because Brody has the infection in the poo, they don't know if the diarrhoea and smelling is from the GVHD or the infection. They need another day to let the meds work from yesterday to get a better picture.
Treating GVHD, the combination, dosage and duration of meds chosen to treat Brody will depend on the grade, and duration of acute GVHD. They have told me they will treat him with Steroids tomorrow. Which means Brody's GVHD is moderate to severe, but i have yet to confirm with doctors on how bad it really is. I did talk to the student doctor tonite and she said his skin was about a grade 3, but it depends on how he goes the next couple of days as it could get worse. So don't think the bad yet as we still have meds to help treat it.
The steroid work by suppressing the immune response of the donor cells (Luke) to the Brody's cells. If the GVHD does not respond to this there is another two drugs they can try.
Children who develop GVHD are again at higher risk of infections!!!!!!!
Hopefully tomorrow i will find out a bit more information as i have so many question. But poor Brody is not his happy self as much now. Thanks again everyone for all your support and hope everyone has a great nite at Tuncurry bowling club tomorrow night. Thanks xoxoxo
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