Nearing 100

Thank you for your prayers. Since Ava's last dose of G-CSF, her ANC has slowly increased on its own without any further doses needed. Praise God!

The doctors decided to keep Ava on cyclosporine instead of switching her to sirolimus. I learned that the primary reason they were considering the switch in the first place was because Ava was experiencing some hemolysis as a result of cyclosporine, where her red blood cells were being destroyed. The prospect of discontinuing other medications used to treat the side effects was a secondary perk of switching. However, there isn't much evidence of continuing hemolysis, so given that sirolimus would also decrease ANC, the doctors feel it best to keep Ava on the cyclosporine. Ava would only have a few more weeks of it, anyway, so she will soon be tapered off of it.

The lesion on Ava's mouth turned out not to be HSV -- not a cold sore. Praise God! Her cytomegalovirus (CMV) level is at zero, so these are both good signs that dormant viruses are not becoming active. However, Ava has a sort of 'pimple' or two on her body that are curious, one of which has been causing a good deal of pain and discomfort. You may recall that Ava was being treated for a skin infection when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with leukemia, so we pray that these bumps and irritations will not be anything serious.

As for Ava's adrenal glands, it can take quite a while for her to regain function, but we continue to pray for quick recovery. Until then, she will continue taking hydrocortisone three times a day with backup IV in the event of adrenal crisis.

What all of this means is that Ava is back on the path toward discharge home to Chicago! She will have a host of tests this coming week to make sure she is in a good position for discharge, which is still looking like mid-March. However, the potential delays previously seen no longer seem to be a factor, so we give praise and thanks to God for that!

This Sunday will be Day 100 post-transplant... it's hard to believe it will finally be here! We rejoice in God's faithfulness up to this milestone marker, remembering that most transplants cases that end in failure typically have complications that arise in the first 100 days. What an amazing milestone to celebrate! Thank You, Lord!

Surely you must know that you have played no small part in this journey. Thank you for your continued love, prayers and tangible support, whether near or far. We are by no means out of the woods, yet we recognize so many gifts to celebrate and give thanks for, including the gift of each one of you.