I'd like to call on all the beautiful high energy of every person out there that knows and loves Lee and gather it around him right now. He was admitted to the hospital yesterday with severe pneumonia that caused both lungs to collapse. He also has edema (excess fluid) in his legs and internally around his organs and is dehydrated at the same time. They tapped his lungs today and removed 1.5 liters of fluid, which made breathing easier for him. He also had a sigmoidoscopy this afternoon to try to find the source of his abdominal pain and his inability to absorb nutrients from food. He's on fluids, albumin (a protein that puts pressure on blood vessels so the fluid can't escape), lasix to help remove the excess fluid, and antibiotics. He's also getting blood.
In a nutshell, his body decided to roll up the red carpet it originally laid out for the new cells and draw swords. This is Graft vs. Host Disease, which he's been dealing with since the transplant in early October. Only this time it pulled a Trojan Horse and let loose an army throughout his system. If there ever was a time during this journey that he needed your highest energy, it is now. I know it will spark his will to live, which is still very much there, but is being sorely tested. It's true that the drugs and the powerful donor cells are working hard to cure him, but we all know that the strongest drug is love. In his isolation it's easy to forget the larger world and the people in it who love him. Our love is what he needs most right now, so if you have a minute to send yours, it could well be the best medicine.
Thank you!
Love,
Carol
