Icy Outside, Warm Inside

We can look out our windows to a winter wonderland. We can also see that our chain saw is going to get a lot of use. Whole branches gave way under the weight of the glistening ice. Inside we are watching videos. Kathryn, Qavah, and I just finished watching Angelina Ballerina. We can all fit on the couch with one blanket stretched across all of us. It is a nice warm activity for two convalescing girls. Kathryn's antibiotics are clearing up an infection, and so far other than sleepiness her platelets seem to be handling the antibiotic without any trouble.

Qavah's immunologist just called with the results of her labs taken in Charlottesville. Her immune system appears to be functioning well! The next course of treatment will be up to her hematologist. That means her immunologist has determined that her immune system can be suppressed by any number of drugs available now. One of them may stop the destruction of red cells. In the meantime we will still be taking out her port and transfusing her monthly until a drug treatment begins to turn things around. We have faith that it will.

If you have a four-year-old you may remember using the spelling method to communicate things to your husband or wife that you don't want your children to hear. Lately we have said things like, "Pack extra toys in the diaper bag, Qavah g-o-e-s f-o-r b-l-o-o-d-w-o-r-k t-o-m-o-r-r-o-w. Or, d-o-n-'t g-i-v-e h-e-r a-n-y-m-o-r-e c-o-o-k-i-e-s. We must be doing enough of that lately that Qavah has picked up on that. Paul and I took her out for a little while last night so we could get a few groceries. After shopping and buckling her back in her car seat she exclaimed, "Time to go home e-x-p-y!" Paul and I burst out laughing. What fun.