Day +11... Slow and Steady!

So Sam's ANC has steadily risen each day. Today is .29! Again, when we reach .5 consistently, they would medically call this successful engraftement. When we reach 1.0 they will do a blood test that measures what percentage of her cells are hers vs. Kaeden's. The more the donors the better and often this is 100%. We have also begun testing her IGg levels which measures antibodies. If these are low, she can recieve injections to boost this. She will slowly be taken off some of her antibiotics this week and closely monitored for infection. Next week, if we don't have any major GVHD (graft vs. host disease) flare ups, we will slowly wean her off these iv meds and alter them to oral medications given they her g tube. Next week we hope to slowly start weaning her off pain meds too if her fissures and gi tract sores are healed. All in all, it's possible if we stay on this track, we may be able to get home around day + 24 to day + 30!

Another great thing is when we reach above .5, we will be allowed to go out of the room on our hospital floor. Only in the evenings when there are fewer people around and she will have to wear a mask, but it's something! Unfortunately though I think Sam will think this means we are going home and it is emotionally very tough for her when we return to the room. When she has had to leave the floor to go to the surgical floor twice thus far, this has been our experience. She looks at me with those sweet blue eyes and says through her mask, "car? Go?".... When the response is not yet, she asks again and again and then cries:( Perhaps though, we will get her more into a routine and she will start to enjoy her short trips around the floor! I'm also hoping this will encourage her to keep trying to walk with support in short spurts. Right now we have worked her ability to stand with support to two to three times per day for 5 to 10 minute intervals.  Another  mom whose daughter went through the same thing also wisely suggested to alter my language a bit in responding, "soon  or in a little bit." This way she knows it's not right now but that it will happen in the future.

Kaeden came to visit yesterday for Easter and while Sam was sleeping, he and I had a lunch date in the cafeteria. These visits help my spirits a lot, but are also tough when he wants to stay and we have to say goodbye. He has loved to have phone chats every day about Sammi's numbers going up and hearing how his marrow is fighting off  Sammi's disease more and more each day.  The nurses are now all familiar with our face time chats at bath and story time at night too:) Sam holds the phone and has great focus as she listens to Daddy reading a story. It's quite sweet to watch!

So our cautious optimism continues! Still taking it one step at a time but the slow and steady ANC improvement is really a great first step!

Thanks to all our friends, family, and Catherine cook school community for your continued love, support, and encouragement!