Good News

Erin's blood work:
White Blood Count = 0.7 (normal 6.0-17.0)
Platelets = 38 (normal 400)
ANC = 0
Neutrophils = 1 (normal 15-35)
Lymphocytes = 85 (normal 44-74)
Monocytes = 14
Bands = 0

Erin's counts are slowly creeping up and she is showing signs of improvement, however small they may be.  We are so grateful that her counts are FINALLY coming up.  Her ANC is still zero and has been zero for 25 days now.  It looks like she will be coming home on Wednesday.  We are so excited to get her home and enjoy the holidays together as a family. 

Her ANC (immune system) will probably be zero when she comes home, I know this is odd that they would consider sending her home without any immune system, but with all her other counts coming up it just means that her ANC will shoot up really really soon.  So, we are going to ask that no visitors come until her ANC is at least 1000 (a normal ANC is 1500 - 8500).  And then, if you are showing signs of sickness, or if you have been around sick people please stay away from us.  We really would like to keep Erin as healthy as possible while her immune system is so compromised..  Our home health nurse will be coming to our house and drawing her blood for her lab work on Mondays and Thursdays.  I will keep this blog updated with her ANC so that you can check and see if she is able to have visitors.  It will take 3-6 months for her body to fully recover.

I feel so blessed to have a beautiful strong daughter.  Erin has been so brave and strong through all of this awfulness.  She is one special little girl.  Her body is so much stronger than it was back on June 1st when she was diagnosed.  She is taller and finally weighs more than 20 pounds.  She is a whopping 22 pounds at 2 1/2 years old!!!  This is so much better than when our pediatrician diagnosed her with "failure to thrive" back in February.  I am so thankful that we found out what was wrong with our little air bear.  I am thankful that I was listening to the spirit one day as I rocked her to sleep.  I could see how strong and beautiful her spirit was, but her body jut seemed so frail and sick, her skin beyond pale, and covered in over 20 bruises.  I acted on that prompting to get a blood test done.  I am so thankful that we have been able to be treated by the wonderful Oncology team here at Primary Children's.  I am thankful that she alive and with us for this Christmas and hopefully many more to come.