Aaron’s getting more listless, agitated, focused on breathing, eyes closed most of the time, sometimes dozing and hallucinating. Coughing off and on. Coughing hurts.
Dr Lee does the bone marrow biopsy. Aaron lays on his stomach, doctor probes around just above left butt cheek, looking for a place to probe. Finds what he wants, swabs the area with betadyne and alcohol, injects lidocane just under the skin, pokes deeper with the lidocane needle, injects more, buries the needle injects more. Changes to a longer needle, goes deeper, changes to a really long needle and goes to the bone. Makes a small incision, then grabs a widgit that looks like a blue T-handle ¼” hex key and plunges it to the bone. Pokes around on the bone to find a good entry spot, then with a mighty push, he shoves it deep into the pelvis. The T-handle key is actually a miniature coring drill, such as might be used to extract ice from deep below the polar icecap. 30 minutes later he gets what he’s after.
Breathing is increasingly labored. We were warned that Aaron is heading for ICU. ICU doctors check every hour or so, monitoring his status and asking us (like we’re the experts) what we think…is he more alert? Less? More confused (he’s been hallucinating off and on….firefighters, lemons, and limes)? Less confused?
They bump up his oxygen, put on a different mask that gives more moisture, and it seems to help a little.
