Hello there--while Talia is resting, I wanted to check in.

First, before I catch you up to date, I have to ask that you pray for good results in some testing today. An ENT (ear/nose/throat specialist) is coming in today for a consult and scope. Since Talia has been hoarse the past few days, they are going to do a scope to see if there is damage, to what extent, and whether temporary or permanent, to her vocal cords. This may be part of the mucousitis, but one of the main drugs given in each course of treatment can cause vocal cord damage--most often temporary, like a neuropathy, but sometimes permanent. From talking to the oncologist and NP at length, this is much more common in infants, particularly after the 3rd and largest dose of Vincristine during this phase. Please hold her in prayer.

Some positive is that she is having a lot of mucous, which means she is healing from the mucousitis--where the mucous membranes were destroyed. Also, her platelet count and white blood count are increasing some. She has dropped in hemoblobin (common at this stage still), so she will be getting another red blood transfusion in the days to come. Waiting on information has never been a strong suit of mine, but waiting for her counts, etc. every day sure is tough.

She went up the middle to end of last week in frequency of fevers, so got an additional antibiotic and anti-fungal medication. She also had to have a scan to look for other signs of infection as the blood cultures have all been negative for it. So far, so good. The past couple of days, she has had fewer fevers, but her highest one yet was earlier this morning. We just yearn for our baby girl to be healthy and strong. Strong she's always been, but it's so hard to see her have to go through these things.

Her platelet and white blood counts are on the rise, but commonly dip back, then up, with the dips becoming less. Both dipped a bit today. Also, she is fairly congested and may be using those white cells to fight a bit of a bug. They will swab her nose today likely to check when the ENT is here. Granted, it is after noon and she was to be their first of the morning...waiting...

The happies part is that we were playing a bit earlier and she was trying to bite my nose and mouth!

In a discussion this am, it was said that generally the range of day 25-32 is when the infants start to show some improvement and that even if it takes through next week, we will get some sort of break to be home before coming back for the next round, which will begin with her bone marrow aspiration.

That's where we are now--hope it made sense! Thanks still for the cards, calls, visits and prayers--it is all helpful!

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