Update from Elaine

It's Sunday morning as I write this update and we have been given the green light to go home this afternoon. I was hesitant to write last night as some little issues surfaced that raised concern that they might opt to keep us still another day. Over the last three days Kate as had an allergic type of reaction to dairy products. Her throat became itchy twice when she ate yogurt and once with milk. This was very odd as she's always eaten these things. A small dose of benedryl with each episode helped the itch and no other symptoms appeared. She also developed a few tender spots in her mouth - which raised concern about mucositis. We're keeping an eye on that. Vomiting and diarrhea were still present but somewhat improved. It's the accumulation of all these little tedious issues that takes its toll on us in the form of weariness and discouragement.
REQUEST: Please pray against discouragement for both us in these tedious issues.
PRAISE: We are thankful that we are indeed going home. Getting to go home and being back with Maggie and Grace will be a sure lift to our spirits.

A Saturday discharge was nixed by Kate's doctor when Kate's ANC count (infection fighting WBC's) was still at 0. This morning's counts showed the WBC's had more than doubled moving from .4 yesterday to .9 today! Today ANC is now officially on the boards registering a count of 126. ANC under 500 is still at a high risk of infection. Ideal ANC is over 1000. So we have a ways to go with the ANC count.
REQUEST: Please continue to pray for Kate's counts to make a strong recovery this week and for protection from infection.

This afternoon after Kate receives today's dose of nupogen (WBC stimulator) we're heading home. Her dinner request of Grammie is pancakes or waffles with homemade blueberry syrup:) We hope that this will really tempt Kate to eat. Eating and drinking are both still a real effort for Kate.
REQUEST: Please ask that Kate's appetite will increase.

We will go home again with IV fluids until the vomiting and diarrhea are gone. I will also learn how to give the nupogen IV, so that Kate doesn't have to endure the painful injection form. We will have home health draw blood Monday morning and determine when this week we'll need to make a trip to the oncology clinic for any necessary transfusions.

Again, once at home my time will be focused on Kate's care, getting some good one on one time with Maggie and spending time together as a family. My blog updates will probably not be daily. Please don't worry, but know that "no news is good news" and that we are just enjoying being reunited with Maggie and Grace and catching up on our rest.

Please know how much your blog messages, visits, cards, calls and notes have meant especially in this last week. Again, I will catch up with email once at home, because I haven't figured out how to access that email from the hospital:)

We continue to lean on your arms of prayer support through these days of recovery.

Trusting His grace,
Elaine