Day +39 - May 3, 2006 - "WOW" 3 BLOGS TODAY

Here's the scoop, Jack got a yeast infection and Jack had to have his central line taken out. He has started tube feedings again and his counts have gone up after being flat for 3 days. Jack is considered to be engraphed since his vntr's were 95% donor cells last week however the doctors drew labs for that again this week. The doctors took Jack off so many medications because he doesn't have his broviac and unfortunately he has 2 IV's one in each arm. He's such a trooper they even have to do peripheral sticks for drawing blood and the kid doesn't even flinch. So since the peripheral IV's can't handle the artificial nutrition (TPN) they started him on his J-tube feeds again and thankfully he is tolerating it well. So, actually, if this kid would just start making some worthwhile cells, he'd be ready to go home, but unfortunately, he's being pokey and we're still moving forward with giving him a boost of donor cells next week. If by some slim chance his counts should go up by the end of the week the doctors would reconsider giving him the boost. He's been the miracle child this far, lets all just continue what we're doing, crossing, knocking and praying.
As you can tell by the 2 prior blogs, we try and have fun here in the hospital, who says this has to be a morgue? That's Roy's job to deal with those things.

I would just like to add one more thing. Many times we have been asked what we need or if anyone could do something for us and I would just like to say Thank You to everyone for asking and I have finally came up with something you all could do for us. Well, it wouldn't be for us directly but it would be a way we could repay the National Bone Marrow Registry and the donor who is so gracious to give Jack his cells not just once but twice. So here is.....Please consider contacting the National Bone Marrow Program and being a donor. I, unfortunately don't think I can be a donor because of my genetic background, hence having a Jack, but I will try as well as Roy to be on the national registry. Having spent so much time on the Oncology Unit my eye's have been opened to the amount of children who have cancer or other immune deficiency and with the help of wonderful people who enter into the registry, have a chance of life with bone marrow transplants if they don't have a sibling match. There is also a boy in Texas who has NEMO and is waiting for a transplant. His sister is not a match and his parents have not been successful with Invitro Feritilization to make a child to match their son. You could be that match for Jackson (www.cure4jackson.org). For information on becoming part of the National Bone Marrow Program visit www.marrow.org.

Thank you all again for your continued thoughts and prayers.

P.S. Now you can recieve email notification when a new entry has been made. If you would like to be put on the nofication list send us an email at cure4jack@gmail.com & Say "I want to be on the list"