Dane Pearce's Journey

Uncomforta​ble port needles getting changed

Friday, May 20, 2011
So Dane overall has done great the last few days.  Other than getting his port changed he has been feeling really good.  Eating, building Lego's, meeting with his hospital school teacher, doing art with an art student from Naoopa Art College in Boulder, and visiting with family and friends in the hospital.  His port change was pretty tough.  He had an allergic reaction to the materials used to hold down the port and his skin was pretty irritated.  So when they rubbed it with the alcohol and put the needles back in it was really painful and itched and burned quite a bit so we had the nurse bring some Tylenol and benedryl for the reaction and after an hour he was a lot more comfortable.  His ANC number today is at a 7, yesterday it was 50 and the day before it was a 14, so they doctors and nurses told us that it would bounce back and forth for awhile, so not to get too excited yesterday when it was a 50.  This number is a gauge of his immune system so a 7 has been his lowest number yet and makes him really vulnerable to sickness and infection.  He is in really good spirits telling his nurse today that he can't wait until the third round.  I guess so he can be further along.  He had something really exciting happen this morning.  Kyle Dyer from 9 News came with the founder of the Gabby Krause foundation to interview him about his bag of fun he received when he first came to the hospital.  They were so nice and so very kind to Dane.  Unfortunately I got caught up in the moment and didn't take any pictures!!  I will put the segment on later when I get it.  They visited him for quite some time and were so doting on him.  Really amazing ladies.  Dane was really nervous about what to say before they came, but he did awesome.  He has one of his favorite nurses today, Nanette, her daughter actually goes to school with Dane and is in his grade and Nanette is amazing.  She fixed his port today which was a little uncomfortable, but she was so gentle with him. (The lines were going the wrong way)   That will hopefully be his biggest challenge for the day.  He is still on his antibiotics for another 10 or so days for the infections he got in his lines on Sunday.  Last night we were able to go down to the main floor to enjoy the train displays they have set up through today.  He really liked getting out for a walk, getting some treats in the gift shop,  and watching the train entertainment.  He also enjoys his arts therapy and has been working on some different Christmas pictures for  a Christmas card contest.  It makes him excited for Christmas and is looking forward to being home then.  He also has liked having family come and visit him.  Uncle Brandon comes and reads him Harry Potter and can do all the voices brilliantly.  Really entertaining for Dane and all who are in the room listening.  Uncle Rick and Aunt Heather are here with his cousins Camden and Conner and they have been cute with him.  The boys enjoy building whatever Lego Dane seems to be working on at the moment.  Right now we are, for the most part,  playing the waiting game with his numbers eager for them to be on the rise so he can go home once again. We are so grateful for his progress and for days when he feels good.