Day 15: ENGRAFTMENT!

It's official: AVA'S ENGRAFTED!!!

This is overwhelmingly great news, we know you all are just as excited as we are. I didn't get a chance to connect with the Lees yesterday so I didn't know how the day went. Apparently Ava's ANC was 734 yesterday, though she had a rough morning with severe stomach pain, knee pain and headache. Everything checked out fine on the tests/labs, however, so they are just monitoring her pain and GI issues. Her pain this morning isn't as severe as yesterday. If it persists and/or intensifies, they will consider getting a CT scan, but at this point they will just monitor her and see.

This morning, her ANC came back at 2435 (!) They apparently consider yesterday to be her official date of engraftment. Perhaps it's because she now has two consecutive days of ANC over 500, they can retrospectively consider that first day to be engraftment. (?) Regardless, we are all ecstatic over the news and give praise and glory to God! Thank you so much for your prayers. They are, and continue to be, an important part of this whole journey.

Ava's mouth continues to look pretty good with regards to mucositis, though her appetite hasn't been great as she really hasn't eaten in three days. Therefore, she has been receiving IV nutrition through TPN and lipids. Her diarrhea seems to be gradually resolving, so that's good. Remember her seizure a couple weeks ago? Well, her EEG (study of brain activity) came back normal, and she will continue to take anti-seizure meds while she's taking cyclosporine.

Ava seems to be retaining some fluid the past couple of days. They are closely monitoring her kidney and liver function to make sure all is well. They are particularly concerned for any signs of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), which is a kind of liver damage that can happen as a result of high-dose chemo/BMT. In my very limited understanding, it seems to be a serious condition (and potentially fatal) that can't be prevented nor really cured. Treatment would be supportive -- trying to manage and minimize symptoms or further complications. We understand that part of the reason this first month is critical is because complications can happen after everything seems okay. Thank you for your prayers against any complications.

Please celebrate and rejoice with us over the good news of Ava's engraftment! While we recognize the uncertainty of the days to come, we also fully rejoice in God's amazing work! Let us dance like David danced in 2 Samuel 6, where David "danced before the Lord with all his might."

Thank you for praying that things will continue successfully, with no SOS, no injury to kidneys/liver (or any other organ), and for Ava's appetite to return and other symptoms to resolve.

THANK YOU, LORD!