Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Day + 13

This morning we received some good news regarding Elena's white blood cells.  She has some!!  Her count this morning was .16.  While this is minuscule, it means that they are coming in!  Praise God!  This is what we have been praying for since transplant.

With this, however, comes new side effects.  Elena has been running a fever on and off for several days, has been on oxygen every night and has a rash over most of her body that we are treating with a steroid cream 3 times a day.  We are cautiously optimistic that what is happening is the engraftment of the new stem cells within her body and not graft versus host disease (gvhd) or Engraftment Syndrome (ES), which can both present these same side effects.  The doctors are watching everything closely and are contemplating using a systemic steroid to treat the rash and pulmonary issues if they persist.

Please join us in praying for Elena's body to accept her new cells and to continue to make many more healthy cells to help combat these side effects.  Pray for wisdom for the doctors and patience for all of us as we wait and watch.

In Him,
The Tates

"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10

7 comments:

  1. Elena,
    I've been thinking of you and praying for you through all of the days of your illness. I'm so glad to see that the white blood cells are doing their job! But, I'm sad to read about your rash. :( You are so amazing, Elena. You humble me when I read what a warrior you are! What a fine example you are to any of us who complain. I am so proud of you. I hope you find some escape while you are isolated there, like oh, I don't know, reading? Ha ha ha. I know that gets old, too. I'm sending you a little care package tomorrow with your mom. I hope you can use the things inside. If there's anything else I can do for you, just name it! Keep up the good work, girl. You are LOVED!
    Patti Heaton :o)

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  2. Yahoo! Yahoo! Praying your body continues to heal and do its job! Praying for u all to stay strong and keep believing!

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  3. Woo Hoo for good white blood cells and Boo to new side effects!!! Elena, keep looking ahead to your complete healing because soon you will be there!!! Team Lett is praying for you every day. We pray for each day to be filled with something new and special, no matter how small, so that you will have something to look forward to. We love you bunches!

    Hugs,
    The Lett Family

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  4. Hooray for white cells!!! We love you. Bring on some more each day. If anyone deserved to have some good news it is the wonder, brave and inspirational Tate Family. Keep up the battle against those side effects. You can beat them all now that you have white cells. Bravo. I am jumping up and down and yelling. Yeah!!

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  5. woohoo! White Blood Cells are up!! GREAT news indeed! Sorry to hear about your rash:( Fight stronger each hour and each day, you ARE doing GREAT!!
    Lots of love and prayers,
    The Fredlund Family

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  6. AMEN!!!!
    We are all celebrating with you!
    Hooray for white blood cells! Keep up the GREAT work Elena.
    Love and Prayers,
    The Mraz Family :-)

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  7. Hooray for white cells!!! Continuing to pray for all the yucky stuff to go away. May you continue to hold on to the One who is holding you.

    Jenny Thompson

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