New Developments

Mireya's fever has persisted for the last few days with little indication as to what the cause could be. The Drs. ordered a CT scan of her chest and lungs to rule out any underlying infections that may have gone undetected. The scan shows she has appendicitis. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place because the surgeons are very concerned about performing the surgery to remove her appendix because of her low white cell count which is needed for healing and recovery and the issue of low platelets and excessive bleeding. This level of infection is also a major issue in proceeding with the transplant as expected. The surgeons, pediatric physicians and Hemoc team got together tonight and determined her appendix needs to be removed. With our consent, it will be taken out in the morning. It will take 1-2 days for recovery and the transplant will likely occur early next week.

Jalen is scheduled to complete his medical work-up tomorrow. This will require about 30 vials for bloodwork, a consult with the Hemoc team and they've also thrown in a tour of the O.R. if he's up for it. Jalen's had a few unpleasant medical experiences and has exhibited excessive anxiety in several medical situations. A recent visit to the Dentist resulted in the need for nitric oxide (laughing gas) due to a significant increase in his heart rate from simply saying 'ahh' and having his teeth counted. Pobresito! So we'll probably have our work cut out for us tomorrow. That or we'll have to cut a sweet deal for cooperation.

No one was prepared for this bump in the road, but it's been a process of one day at a time and this is what today has presented us. We're praying the surgery is a success, with no issues. Mireya's spirits have been down and we're believing physically she will feel better and possibly be able to get home for a few days before having the transplant and being hospital bound for several weeks.