Day +60!!!

Today is day +60 post transplant! Sooooo.....what's going on right now? Well, for one thing, Anna no longer needs her fluids via her Hickman line! Each night we had to hook her up to a small pump that gave her magnesium and fluids. This took about two and a half hours to administer, and while not much of a big deal, could be a bit annoying and cumbersome.  Last night we sent the pump back! Now we just have to remember to flush both of her lines each day. We continue to decrease her Prednisone levels every few days. We now only have one appointment with the team of doctors a week, with two blood draws (Mondays and Thursdays). In general, Anna is still feeling a bit crummy but better than past days. Her spirit is still positive and focused on the things of the Lord, though there are days of discouragement. Human feelings that sometimes get in the way of the main focus. Anna is maintaining her physical fitness with mild exercises that have been given the thumbs up for a slight increase.

These days are days of anticipation. Just 20 days until her extensive testing to see just where she is at physically, and just 40 days until day +100! We are well on our way to going home to Bremerton, though we keep in the back of our mind that things still could change quickly. It's hard to balance the positives and negatives of the situation at times. Thankfully, while trying to be realistic and extremely careful with Anna, the attention is mostly on our home going. Being in Bremerton doesn't make life normal yet, but it's home.

The other day, two representatives from Make-a-Wish foundation, came to our home to meet our family, bringing gifts to our children and paper work for Craig and I to sign. Anna was approved a few weeks ago for this program to which she gets to make a wish for something big....a chance of a lifetime.....something just for her. The categories to choose from include: "I would like to be...", "I would like to meet....", "I would like to have....", and "I would like to go...."
This has been very hard for her to wrap her mind around! She is leaning toward a trip somewhere with the family. They pay the expenses for everyone in the family and encourage the "wish child" to choose something that their family would not be able to do otherwise. It is because of very generous people and companies that donate to this foundation that they can do this. It is very humbling and out of character for Anna to be able to choose something for herself that it has made the decision making very difficult! She asks us for advice to which we reply, "this is YOUR wish, YOU have to choose, not us!" It truly is a big decision and I know she will enjoy whatever she does choose! If it is a trip, we will have to wait a year before we are cleared to go as her immune system should be back to a more normal state by then.

We are nearing the end of this time here in Seattle....did that sound too anxious? In preparation, we are doing a major clean up of the Bremerton home and starting to bring stuff back from the Seattle house. Much needs to be accomplished so we thought it better to do it now before we have 13 bodies living there and in the way! Things are going quite well and we are ever thankful that God has allowed such progress with Anna's health. He has proven His care over and over in concern with Anna, and with others that we have asked prayer for! Praise the Lord that little "Iron Will" is doing very well and may get to come home fairly soon, also, praise the Lord for the news on Lynsie.  Lynsie is the 23 year old young lady I told you about while we were at the hospital. She was Anna's neighbor and had sent Anna a balloon as an encouragement. Since then, they sent each other notes and then greeted each other as time and health permitted. In the past few days, Lynsie has been featured in the health section of Foxnews.com for the experimental T-cell treatment that seems to have been successful in getting rid of her cancer! Again, we rejoice in answered prayer! Thank you all for your continued love, care, support, and especially prayers during this time! May you all be extra blessed today!