Post BMT +184

+184

Yesterday was full and long….in such a positive way with a little sprinkling of challenges.

We saw friends yesterday! After appointments, we stopped at Rocky Mountain hospital for children to see Chloe and Lilly! Such a gift all around! Chloe is precious and Tate got to hold her tiny hand. They moved her to a bed so that mom and dad can now lie beside her. Emotions are high as her parents make decisions to keep her as comfortable as possible for as long as God intends. They are all a mirror of Gods love. He has his arms around them and is holding them through all this. We you Stevenson’s!

Next stop was Lilly and her mom, Elisa. Despite text “chatting” with Elisa most days for the last 10 months, we’d never met in person just due to the girls being in different hospitals and both having such long admissions. It was funny to feel nervous, but completely unwarranted. So easy, so much to chat about and such a breath of fresh air. Was a super fun end to our day. GOd provides blessings in the most unexpected ways. Lilly and Elisa, you are blessings in our lives!

Appointments…some good news and some challenges. Tates B cells are engrafting, which if I understand it, is the last marker to show a competent immune system. Tate received approval to go to a weekend medical family camp in September and to getting out in public more. Good stuff!

Tate’s labs are showing chronic gvhd which explains the hair loss. Her donor cells are attacking her hair follicles basically causing a form of alopecia. Right now it’s mild as her platelets are still holding. Our goal is to avoid systemic steroids. Although this isn’t unheard of, it’s not common, so a little research is being done to see what we can use topically to save her eyebrows and head hair. This isn’t the positive self esteem builder a mom would pray for her teen daughter. It’s hard on Tate. But we are thankful that other than eczema, her skin is still doing well and her internal organs are healthy too.

Have a Blessed, safe weekend!