Watchin' Him Like a Hawk...or...Keepin' an Eagle Eye on Him!

The research team and nurses are keeping a close watch on all of Woody's tests, vitals, etc. Today there has been one goal = get rid of fluids. He has only been hooked up to an IV when he was getting meds...they don't want him to have any extra. They have given him Lasix at regular intervals today to help the process along. Today his neutrophils aren't measurable...so hopefully he is as low as he is going to go in the process of destroying his immune system...I'm ready for it to start building back up. The doctors praised him for getting 7 IL-2 infusions. They also told him that he may have some rough days ahead when his body starts making its own IL-2. He is also having injections in his stomach to help stimulate white blood cell production...so far he has two of those injections.

Moving around the room is still a big effort for him due to all the fluids that he is retaining. He huffs and puffs (and he isn't the big bad wolf!) with just the least movement. He is more comfortable sitting up in a chair. He also is hallucinating at times...he says really strange "dreams." Most of the time these happen with his eyes closed...but he did describe the time that there was a whole network of spider webs across the floor in front of him. They keep asking if he is having illusions...so guess it is a side effect of "something" that he has had!

Woody told me this morning about a discussion that he had with his last night's nurse, the missionary kid from China. She said that her brother went the opposite way when he grew up...he is now an atheist. Woody shared with her a way to witness to an atheist. She said that it is so hard when the person is someone in your own family. He asks that we pray for her and for her brother.

I came back to the lodge this afternoon and took a nap. Then went back to the hospital and did a load of wash for Woody. I finished my 484 page book today and started the one that I checked out from the hospital library.

And, now a question for the bird experts out there...hawk or eagle...that I managed to get a picture of on my walk back to the lodge today? Don't have a bird book here...and so far haven't found a picture on the internet that matches up to this majestic bird!