Mary Jo Update #33 - Small Rays Of Hope

It was a pretty uneventful Mother's Day weekend. We have even seen some rays of hope that things are getting better. No major crises since the hematuria event on Friday afternoon and evening. The only adjustments that Mary Jo has had in the last 48 hours have been receiving a bag of magnesium during the Saturday overnight, and a bag of platelets early this morning.

The only issues that Mary seems to be dealing with now are ones related to low blood levels while her stem cells go through the engraftment process with her body. These include: the fatigue, which is getting better; the sores on her tongue and in her throat, which Mary Jo has described as like having a bad case of strep throat; and the need for blood products periodically, especially platelets and magnesium.

At our meeting with the transplant team this morning, the nurse practitioner mentioned that Mary Jo's WBC was only less than .1 one day. Although the count is still miniscule, she indicated that this was a sign that the engraftment process has started. In searching for rays of hope, it's amazing how you grasp for any encouraging signs of progess, no matter how small they are.



Since many of the debilitating symptoms, such as diarrhea, etc. have seemed to pass, Mary Jo has made a lot of progress getting around. We walked laps in the hallways of the stem cell center two times Saturday, and three times yesterday. She is also using the bathroom now, rather than a porta-potty in the room.

It looks like Dr. Engelhardt is going to keep Mary Jo in the hospital until the engraftment process begins. This maybe because she had fewer stem cells infused than the desired amount. In addition to the difficulties she encountered after the chemotherapy conditioning before the transplant. They are countinuing to give her the daily Neupogen shots to give her stem cells a boost.

Mary Jo is on Day +7 now. The egraftment usually starts between Day +10 and Day +14. So, she may be in the hospital several more days. She is being constantly monitored here, and well taken care of. Besides, it makes the caregiver's job easier. Here's a video by Dr. Jagasia, the chief here at Vanderbilt, about caregivers. We are an essential part of the process. Mary Jo says that I haven't perfected the art, yet. But, I'm working on it.



While searching for videos or images about hurdles, I "stumbled" across the video below. Mary Jo said that this is how she felt last week with all of those challenges that she had to hurdle. She even made the statement last week that "if someone had told me how bad this was going to be, I'm not sure that I would have had the courage to do it." Enabled by all of the prayers and support Mary Jo DID find the courage to go on.



You have to feel sorry for the young lady in the video. But, what courage to keep going and not give up.

We will be hoping and praying that the rays of hope will keep coming, no matter how small that they are.