Patience

Day 38: Another good appointment.  Her platelets passed 150,000 which puts her in the normal range for the first time in seven years.  Hemoglobin went down to 10.0 but we're hoping it will rebound at some point before requiring a transfusion.  Whites are holding pretty steady (they bounce around for everyone).  Since Annie will be immunosuppressed for the next year, even though her counts may get strong she is still at greater risk for infections and disease so she has to be extra careful in that arena.

Her kidney function markers improved enough that we can try taking her off the IV pole again Sunday night.  Even better, most of her other markers are stable enough to enable her to only have to go to the hospital for blood draws only once per week.  She has also been able to go off a few medications so we are down to three plus a magnesium supplement.

As the medical tasks become less acute Annie has begun to think about life beyond health milestones.  She wants her prior body strength back, now.  She would like to have her long hair back, now.  She would like to go out to shops, restaurants, classes and play, now.  Luckily these moments pass quickly as we try to keep her busy so she doesn't dwell.

Our next goal is to get her Hickman port removed.  Usually this happens after Day 100 but her doctor was willing to revisit the topic in a month.  Since we are hoping nothing eventful happens before then I will not plan to post again until Thursday, July 11th.