June 10, +24 - A little bit of Hope

As you all know, we are anxiously watching Connor's lab results every day.  The numbers were not going up as expected so we are very concerned but all the doctors have told us to not panic until Day 30.  We were trying our best to remain calm but it was difficult to hear the doctors tell us that they will start administering GCSF (Neupogen) shots last night.  I know that Connor is in great hands and that the doctors have many years of experience with this but I was hoping to avoid as many chemicals and blood products as possible (I know kinda crazy hope especially since we have been pumping him with chemo for 10 days but you know, a mother's hope).  GCSF helps stimulate the neutrophil numbers to grow and therefore these neutrophils increased numbers will help heal whatever is going on in Connor's GI tract and rectum.  The only concern is that it may promote the growth of his own neutrophils and not the donor's neutrophils.  SO - GCSF was administered at 8:30 pm on June 9th, his lab results from the morning showed an neutrophils of 109,  by 4 am when labs were drawn, his numbers went up to 264 - we are ecstatic with this number and just pray that it is the donor's cells coming in!

Unfortunately, while I was out shopping with my cousin for some "necessities" Connor had a terrible bowel movement and there was a puddle of blood at the end.  Steve took a picture to show the docs but I will spare you from that sight:)  We were told that this may happen, but you expect a little blood not where it turns the entire bowl bright red, it is quite shocking to see.  Connor wouldn't let anyone else wipe his tush so I had to rush home and felt sooo terrible and was so nervous  to see all that blood and expected to hear his screams of agony from the hallway but he was just on the toilet moaning a little and playing his DS - What a FIGHTER!  Anyways, due to the amount of blood loss, they ran labs again at 5:30 and his counts went up again to 400+!!!  Steve and I are high fiving each other now and we felt a huge burden fall off of our shoulders.  I don't know if it was going out today and being part of society and doing what i do best (shopping) or his counts coming up but I feel like I can breathe again and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Thank you Lord!

Well, we are far from out of the woods.  We are told to expect more bloody bowel movements (a sight that will always frighten me), his numbers may go down again and his pain may get worse before it gets better.  When his neutrophil number stays above 500 for 3 days they can take him off of GCFS and then we will have to wait and see if numbers fall drastically or if his body is making them on his own.  There is still a lot to be nervous about and we are no longer as naive to the process anymore and realize that the road ahead may get worse but for now we are just enjoying the increase in numbers and hoping and praying for the best outcome and complete engraftment!

Thank you all for your concern and support! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.