Bone Marrow Transplant: September 2006 Archives

Hello Everyone. This is just a quick update. We had clinic today and Jack's counts are starting to come back up again. Slowly, but that's good. The doctors are starting to reduce more of his steriods and they made some adjustments in his other meds. So, he's hanging in there. Roy, Christina and myself on the other hand are all sick. It is very difficult for us to keep our distance from Jack, but it's really incredible that he hasn't gotten this.....knock on wood!!!!!!!! Let's keep praying he stays healthy from this, whatever it is we have. We're all getting ready for Candi's wedding next week. (Tina and Jack's cousin, if you didn't know) and Jack is all excited about wearing a tuxedo, he tells everyone how good he looked at his fitting. God Bless Him. And of course, Christina looks so beautiful in the dress that crazy Mussy has to almost redesign to fit her. Thanks Muss.............

Well on that note, Please remember to keep us in your prayers as well as those who you don't know.
The Gutteirez family who is at the NIH getting another opinion on Simon,
The Brown family for Jacob going towards getting a transplant,
The Smith family whose 12 year old Conner was just diagnosed with NEMO,
Rhys in Wales, UK who just contacted us who has NEMO,
Danasia is still holding on,
Little Ronnie is still in the hospital,
Matthew Brand from transplant,
Tina's boyfriend Tyler from Transplant,
Alyssa from transplant,
My Aunt Lois who was just operated on and has lung cancer and
Anyone I failed to mention who just needs to be prayed for.
God Bless you all and keep knocking, praying and crossing!!!!!

(Please go to www.caringbridge.org/in/connersmith to read more about this amazing family)

Danaisia's dad wrote this in our guestbook and I wanted to post it for everyone to keep them in your prayers. Danaisia recieved her transplant the same time as Jack and has taken a turn for the worse over the last couple of weeks, Daniel writes:

hey wuz up!how is everything hanging with jack?danaisia haven't got any better nor worst.she is on a lot of meds.for example hal & lipids (iv nutrition,vecuronium,morphine,insulin,amlodipine,magnesiumgluconate,tacrolimus,
foscarcet,vitamins,lansoprazole,cotrimoxazole,voriconazole,amilkacin,prednisolone,
linezolid,imipnem & cilastatin,caspfungin,azithromycin,and lorazepam.the iv access she has now is (L)hand arterial line(for monitor blood pressure and draw blood,(L)thigh femoral line,(L)foot iv,(R)chest port(all for medications).nasogastric tube in(L)nose for feeds,foley catheter in bladder to measure unrine output,oscillator with nitrc oxide to help with breathing,endotracheal tube-breathing tube in mouth,and 2 chest tubes on(R)side.so i'm basicily taking it day by day.also, not to forget she getting catheter in neck very soon.hang in there jack! danaisia and dad

Please, Please, Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
God Bless.

Roy and Christina came down to Philly last night and we figured we would be in the hospital all weekend. Christina and I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and when we got to the hospital this morning to my surprise I was told that Jack was going home. Woo Hoo!!!!!
Turns out that the organism that was causing Jack's infection is sensitive to an oral antibiotic called Cipro and they figured why keep him on the IV anitibiotic if it will do exactly the same as the oral, so they let us go home.

So now we are home and trying to plan a little family gathering for Jack's birthday on Monday. He's already decided he want's to go out for dinner to Banzai, a Japanese Steak House that he likes so we have to find out a time that they are less crowded to be able to take him. We'll probably go for an early dinner and since it's Labor Day weekend, I'm sure they won't be so busy, but who knows, he may change his mind several times before monday,. He's very excited that we get to go to Shop Rite tomorrow to order his birthday cake and Roy and I still have to go shopping to buy him a birthday present.

Thank you all so much for your continued knocks, crosses and prayers. God Bless.

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) British novelist.