Busy Week (Day 81)

This is a busy week for Ava!

• Today (Tue), she will receive more platelets in preparation for her last lumbar puncture chemo tomorrow. Ava will also have a neurological exam today.
• Wed: 
• LP chemo
• bone marrow biopsy
• skin biopsy (which is routine because GVHD is common on the skin).
• Thu:
• adrenal gland test - I imagine this is to assess if Ava's adrenal glands are beginning to work again. Long-term steroids suppress their activity, which is why a slow taper off steroids is important. The taper allows the body to slowly trigger adrenal gland activity again.
• Next week:
• Ava will have an IgE level drawn next week (you may recall that IgE is associated with our body's allergic response)
• Depending on the IgE results (i.e. if they are low enough), they will consider giving Ava a food challenge! Meaning... they will have Ava eat something she's normally allergic to and see how she responds. Wheat may be the first one tested. That would really be something if Ava can have wheat!

So as you can see, there are some important steps coming up! Of course the bone marrow biopsy is important in letting us know if there's any detectable cancer left. It's also important for Ava's adrenal glands to begin working again so she can continue on her steroid taper. We continue praying for no GI flare ups in the process. And an allergen challenge?! It's crazy to even consider the possibility that Ava could eat wheat (or anything else she's allergic to) - what a glorious thought!

Meanwhile, Jude no longer needs to be under bili lights, as his jaundice is gone now. Hooray!

I haven't had a lot of contact with the Lee family since Jude's discharge. I imagine they are snatching times to nap and rest, wishing they had more time to nap and rest, all while enjoying one another's company and the precious moments of each day. I'm not sure how Gwen's doing since her vomiting episodes last week, but I'll let you know when I hear anything. (I'm going on the "no news is good news" approach).

Mike's parents will be in town until this Saturday. Perhaps next week would be a good time to start a meal schedule for any local people who are willing to serve the Lees in this way.

Thanks for your prayers and love!