The doctor was in, and even though Beth has been feeling pretty bad, he said, “the worst is over”.

The doctor just told us that technically, today is Beth’s first day of engraftment. Her white cell count was 2.0, so she’s no longer neutropenic — can eat anything she wants, there is no need for us to maintain a sterile environment at home, etc. She can fight the fevers on her own.

She’s feeling quite a bit of bone pain, still some minor fevers and headaches, but as the doctor said, “the worst is over”. The nurse here, too, said that one thing they don’t say enough about is that this second week past the transplant is the worst. But she has no signs of GVH at the moment — liver, GI tract, and skin are at an acute risk at the moment, but no signs of it. I guess there are still opportunities for complications, but the worst is past.

The most annoying thing is the mucositis — the mouth ulcers. They’re affecting her ability to eat, giving her pretty decent heartburn. She’s definitely been through the wringer.