Waiting for the IVIg to kick in

As those of you who have stayed in a hospital over the weekend know, it slows down a lot.  You can park on the first level of the garage rather than on the roof, and the building seems empty.

Arthur could respond to the IVIg that he got on Thursday any time between today and Monday (3 to 5 days).  He's CBC from this morning shows 0 neutrophils and also that his platelet count has gone down more.  One theory is that since platelets and neutrophils are both produced from bone marrow, that right now his bone marrow is making neutrophils at the expense of the platelets.  Two other potential causes are the antibiotics, or an infection.  (Laura here to edit, hadn't read this yet) OR the low/declining platelets could be from the infection he had (which clinically looks gone now) and it is a lag, worse before it recovers sort of deal. 

The plan now is to have another CBC tomorrow to verify the platelets haven't dropped to a dangerous level.  He'll have another CBC on Monday and if we still don't see a higher neutrophil count then he'll have a bone marrow biopsy.  This is a needle they'll likely put into his hip bone and be able to tell if there's something effecting his ability to produce neutrophils and platelets.

Now that his belly button infection looks to be healed Arthur's care is being transferred from General Peds to Pediatric Hematology.

Asleep in his mom's arms

Bill, Jackie and Lillian are coming to visit today.