Day +1

They said that Zoe would feel worse after the transplant, but I didn't know it would happen so fast. About an hour and a half into the transfusion she projectile vomited. I was worried that it was a reaction to the cells, but the nurses assured me that since her temperature and blood pressure were fine, the nausea was likely only from the chemo.

Today she has been cranky, cranky--crying a lot from pain. They had to give her a couple doses of morphine to get her settled. Her food intake is rapidly decreasing; tomorrow they will likely start her on the IV nutrition known as Total Parental Nutrition, or TPN.

All of this has been expected. But, it's a bit jolting to go from being lulled by her ongoing happy and unfazed self, to this sudden and rapid shift in mood and wellness. Not that I blame her at all. In her place I would be a much bigger mess by now.

We are told that Zoe will be feeling pretty rotten for a solid eleven days or so, but they will be managing it as best as they can. The trick is to help her get out of much of the pain, but not have her so drugged that she sleeps all the time.

Aside from drugs, her best distraction from the pain continues to be singing to her and music.

We've been making up a lot of songs.