“You’ll get off the airplane in Salt Lake City and won’t believe how you accomplished what you set out to do in Seattle and are actually home. You’ll walk into the house where Marlie will jump at your legs in total excitement to see you. She’ll follow you into your bedroom which will look exactly how you left it. November and December will be cold and hopefully super snowy. We’ll spend time at home with the fireplace and heater on while those who love you come to visit. We’ll snuggle on the couch with blankets and enjoy calm time with Morgan and Ethan. We’ll have small dinner parties with family and friends, and have little cousin sleepovers.”
From the beginning of the bone marrow transplant, Ashtyn’s heart has been set on going home on Day 100, November 14th. It’s going to take a much bigger miracle than I thought to get her there. Not only does her body have to perfectly cooperate, but the BMT team in Seattle has to feel comfortable with her going home in two weeks and the BMT team in Salt Lake City has to be on board with the decision as well. At this point I have not sat down with a BMT doctor to talk logistics. Her body still has to prove a few things before a serious discussion is appropriate. 1. Her adenovirus level needs to remain below 10,000. It currently is. 2. Graft verses host disease in her intestines needs to stay minimal. It appears to be. 3. Her marrow needs to show robust recovery, which needs improvement. Her ANC is 2080 which is great but platelet transfusions are still required every other day. 4. Her kidneys need to be super stars so IV potassium, magnesium, and bicarbonate are no longer needed. That’s coming along. 5. She needs an “iron stomach” that will handle all needed oral potassium and magnesium without having diarrhea. We haven’t tested the stomach yet for this but it probably needs to be a little more healthy. Unfortunately her body doesn’t have long to prove itself to give the BMT team confidence that she is safe to go home. One thing we have in our favor is that we live 20 minutes from Primary Children’s Hospital, which has a BMT accredited program. Both programs have to feel it is safe and in her long term best interest to go home as early as she’d like. Until I’m told “No” we will shoot for the stars. Why not? You can never go wrong with having hope, faith, and belief. Everyone, there’s a lot to pray for. Let’s get it done.
She may want to go home but in the mean time,
she’s surrounded by a whole lot of love.
Hanging with Doctor Faucette.
