Maddie has engrafted! That's what the doctors call it when the new bone marrow has started to make cells in Maddie's body like it should and the ANC (immunity) is above 500 for three consecutive days. Yesterday, her ANC was 939 and today it is 1512. When we asked about discharge yesterday, we found out we have YET ONE MORE THING we have to do first......surprise, surprise. The doctors like us to stay an additional seven days after engraftment. As long as Maddie does not get any fevers or Graft vs. Host (please hope and pray for that) we should be able to leave next Monday or Tuesday. We did check to make sure there is not anything else that we'll need to do before leaving.

Maddie did have a more difficult week. Along with engraftment comes nausea and vomiting and the doctors think one of her medicines was also upsetting her stomach. She's been a little better the last couple days since she's been off the medication, but she's still very nauseated. Although, she's not letting that keep her from being active. She was singing along with, who else, the Jonas Brothers last night because she said that makes her happy and being happy makes her cells grow and her cells growing will get her out of the hospital. I didn't know that singing at the top of your lungs could do that, but what do I know?

Please pray that NOTHING ELSE keeps us at the hospital past early next week!

Maddie has had a hard week. We found out she does have what is called radiation syndrome. Around 50 days after kids receive radiation, they can get recurrent fevers, nausea, and be extrememly tired all the time. We have been fever free now for the last three days, so hopefully we are on the downhill slope. She does still get extremely tired and has been taking about a three hour nap each day and going to bed early.

Yesterday, she woke up vomiting and didn't stop all day. She actually lost four pounds in the last two days. When we saw Dr. Martin, he said she has Graft vs. Host in her belly. I heard that and flipped out a little bit since I've never heard anything good about GVH. Dr. Martin said her case is acute, not chronic since it has happened during the first 100 days after transplant. Today is day 51 for Maddie. Being acute means that is should be easily treatable, very manageable, and should go away quickly with proper treatment. Unfortunately, that treatment is steroids. Most of you will probably remember that Maddie had a lot of joint pain and aches with her last dose of steroids. I am encouraged however because she got the steroids this morning along with a lot of fluids and she is feeling and acting so much better than she has been the last couple days.

Maddie is doing wonderful right now. After having no appetite for the last couple days, she is eating lunch right now. She is excited because her hair is really starting to come back and it looks like it's going to be brown for right now. We'll see if it stays that way. She says that she looked like me before she had leukemia and now after she gets rid of it, she'll look like daddy. Her eyelashes are also starting to come back. She is so pleased that she's been fluttering her lashes at everybody. She says she's starting to look like a princess again, although she always looks like a princess to us.

Please pray that this GVH goes away quickly and ends up not being a problem. Thank you.