Admission
Protective Care
Stem cells make your white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells. Chemotherapy and radiation will destroy all of your stem cells. This will result in a severe drop in the number of your white cells, platelets, and red cells.
During this time, your white blood cells will be at very low levels. This is called neutropenia. Patients who are neutropenic are at a high risk for infection. Almost all patients develop fevers during this time and are started on antibiotics. Our goal is to keep your exposure to infection-causing organisms as low as possible. To do this, we will keep you in protective care. Protective care means that you will stay in your room (except when x-rays are required) and all visitors must be without illness. Remember, your room has special air-handling filters. People who come to visit you must also wash their hands and wear protective gowns and shoe covers. The gowns and shoe covers are provided for all staff and guests and are located outside your room. If x-rays are required, you will be transported to the Department of Radiology in a specially designed, covered wheelchair.
Your platelets are cells that aid in clotting your blood. During recovery, you will not have as many platelets as normal. This may result in bleeding symptoms such as easy bruising, blood in the urine or stool, or nosebleeds. If needed, you will be given transfusions and other medications to help to decrease these symptoms.
Your red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to your body's tissues and organs. During this time in your transplant, you will not have as many red blood cells as normal. You may feel out of breath or very tired. To help you, you will receive both red blood cell and platelet transfusions for at least four to six weeks following your transplant. These blood products are obtained from reliable donors here in the Midwest, who, in spite of being donors often for years, are frequently tested for a variety of infections, including the AIDS virus.
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