Get Me Out Of Here!

Krista's platelets were at 26,000 this morning and once again the doctors told us that if she continues to sustain them that she can go Monday morning! The idea is not that she's all better, but that she will heal better if she's not under all the hospital restraints (like IV tubes and infusion pumps) and is able to sleep through the night without being prodded all the time. And at that level Krista is ready to go.

Another good sign that things are progressing is that she started having intense bone pain today. Pain is good? Yes, it probably is -- because it means that her bone marrow is working hard at producing neutrophils. They stopped counting neutrophils once the white blood count got into the normal range. Her white count was up again, to 8.32 this morning, so they are going to stop giving her Neupogen, a drug that increases the production of neutrophils. So now we just need the platelet production to get going and she should be doing much better.

I mentioned that the platelets were doing well this morning, but there is still some fluctuation going on. She had some much smaller clots this afternoon and her platelets dropped to 14,000. The doctors gave her a platelet transfusion and upped her progesterone dose to stop the bleeding. This was effective and they are saying that unless she has more bleeding or any fevers tonight, she still should be able to leave tomorrow. [The platelets today were patient-directed, 3-units from an A-positive donor, and they were darkish-colored. Much thanks to all who have donated -- they are finally getting used, and until platelet production starts she will most likely continue to need more.]

Krista wanted me to ask everyone to remember to pray for our kids, too. Thanks to to loving care of the Austin family (who had them the past two weeks) and to the Steffen family (who will have them until we return), they have been doing really well. Once we get used to the new surroundings at the hospitality house, we would like to have them visit. But mommy has been through a lot, and they haven't really been kept up on the what the treatment has done to her. Before we came down here, we prepped them for some of the changes, like making a cartoon version of Krista on the Wii that had no hair, lovingly named "Bald Krista". The kids had fun with that, and we reminded them tonight that mommy really is bald now, just like Bald Krista (except for the big head). But the changes are more than that, and we pray that the kids will be able to "see" mommy though all of her physical changes and weakness. We have always wanted to raise kids who have compassion for how others feel and this will be something of a testing ground for that. So please pray that they will be ready when the time comes, and for us to not worry about it.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:6-7)