10/21/13 update- low counts during maintenance

Mike and I got up this morning itching to go down to Children's hospital, but we also wanted to wait a while so Jessie would have time to sleep. We figured it must have been a long night in the ER at St Mary's hospital then waiting 2 hours for the Children's transfer team in the ambulance to arrive. Then two hours back to Children's ER just to wait to be admitted back to the 4th floor east wing. We arrived about 10:40 am. She had already called on my cell phone to check on us. She was receiving her first bag of blood (Thank God to everyone who donates) when we arrived. She had received 2 units almost 4 weeks ago when she had a regular check up and her counts were low. Her attending oncologist came to see us while we were there. He and the team are currently mulling over several theories as to WHY Jessie is experiencing low counts during her maintenance phase of chemo. He said it is rare that one would need a transfusion during maintenance and especially rare that she would need two transfusions within a month. Imagine that! Another rarity for Jessie... So they are temporarily suspending the chemo oral medication to see if that helps. Their first thought was that the leukemia is coming back, but they are doing bone marrow testing for that and she has been negative for leukemia cells since April 2012- Praise God! Secondly, a virus may be the cause this time but I think they are looking deeper because she wasn't sick last time. They are also doing an expensive test that will tell us how her body is metabolizing the chemo. It may be that her body is not metabolizing it well and there is a build up that is causing the low counts. Another cause of low counts is sxcessive bleeding, but Jessie hasnt had anything like that. At any rate it seems that this current blood transfusion will hold her until next Tuesday when she comes for her normal monthly visit. More blood work will be done then and maybe we will have more answers then questions at that point. She texted me and said after her iV antibiotics she will be ready to be discharged so I'm going to pick her up tonight and then back to St Marys tomorrow if she feels well. 

Say a prayer! 

Fast Forward to 10/20/13

Jessie has been doing well with the diamox during the atra. She had a good summer and is now back at St Marys College of Md. She called tonight to say she has a fever of 101.5. She was on the way to the hospital to get blood work and get checked out as per the protocol. After the ER doc conferred with the oncology team, he gave Jessie a choice of whether she wanted to be admitted at St Marys hospital or Children's. she chose transport back to Children's and is being admitted tonight when she arrives. Mike and I decided that we would go down first thing in the morning unless she calls tonight and needs us. I told her I would keep my phone with me just in case. She is in good spirits and feeling ok. I'll write an update as things progress.