[Alcof]

Well what a difference. Dad is getting over this infection in leaps and bounds. He almost looks normal again! Mouth is going to take a while to get completely over. He still has sores and pain and is unable to eat anything solid. But the swelling is right down and each day it improves. Temperature is stable. He is even getting mobile again, thank God.

I have presented information to the doctors with regards to the G-CSF and they have agreed to stop this now after 3 weeks with no response. Took a while for them to get on the same page, but they listened and now today they have stopped the injections.

Also today they have stopped cyclosporine which I have mixed feelings about. There was no taper. Straight from 300mg per day to Zero. Any thoughts about this? I assume as there is no response to cyclosporine there is no real reason to taper gently.

Also have not found any information that suggests that either Danazol or Eltrombopag may be more or less effective with cyclosporine. Any ideas here?

In any case, Dad is delighted to have kicked the cyclosporine as it should help his gums recover even more rapidly - we hope! Thanks to those who have posted in this forum in this regards!! And he always had difficulty taking them. Horrid smelly things!

Tomorrow is Dad's birthday. He's dreaming of eating Ciabatta bread rolls with salad and ham! Shame he can't have that until that mouth is better. Its just protein formula until he can swallow properly. But great he has an appetite!

So a good news day. We are quietly hopeful that we may even get to bring him home soon - maybe in another week. Which will be a great relief to my 74 year old mother who stays every night in the hospital and is actively nursing him due to the over worked and slim staffing they have in our public hospitals. And 5 weeks of night shifts is hard going for anyone.

So fingers crossed now. No more infections. And we continue to pray that he has a response in his bloods.