Go Stem Cells Go - Sit Rep 21#

I'll start this off with a goodbye.  Not goodbye for good but goodbye for now.  Dad went off to Stanford for his stem cell transplant.  Should that be capitalized?  Well, we do want it to work...STEM CELL TRANSPLANT.

The kids had a few gifts to get dad through.  Savannah is sure her Love Froggy will do the trick.  Nate, well, he's a baseball man so a ball will do.  Hubba Hubba!



Long story really short.  Dad checked in.  They tested anything and everything that moves.  He earned one of those rubber wrist band things for lapping the hospital floor more times than anyone else.  I'm pretty sure I saw him elbow an old lady for it and yell URAH as he was making the last turn.  Good times while waiting for Aunt Chrissy's stem cells.


Speaking of which.  Aunt Chrissy got into town to donate her stem cells.  Dad's in the hospital with a life threatening disease.  Before we knew it he was hit with that huge KIMO that knocks out your ENTIRE system.  So, we decided...PARTY!

Our Santa Cruz Family

GO STEM CELLS GO!!!

Yes we sang.  "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow"

Man, that all seems so long ago.  

Silence fell after all of that.

We waited.  

Praying for dad to make it through those rough days.  "Just waiting for the shoe to drop."  Dad would say.  It was rough but honestly the shoe never really dropped.  It might of felt like it was dropped some days but someone caught it before it hit the floor.  Usually, an awesome Stanford nurse.  The kids couldn't come into dads room for weeks but he had a reminder.

I never I thought I'd be so grateful that a baseball is a sphere. 

As the last few weeks have gone by there have been ups and downs and sideways.  Mom has been holding on really well.  She has to be over in the Stanford Hospital area for the duration.  We have been trying to all go up there to visit their apartment.  My 5 month old needs her Avo as much as Avo needs her 5 month old.  Now we are just waiting to see if the stem cells....

Only a good boy can't spell dame.

They have released dad from the hospital.  So, as we speak mom and dad are sitting in the apartment.  Making trips to the hospital.  A random blood transfusion one day.  Kidneys acting crazy the next.  Low this.  High that.  Pass the pills.  Mom learning how to give an IV!  Yes, she needs your prayers.  I would say dad is balancing on a tightrope, his body trying to find it's equilibrium.  Walking toward a test that will hopefully show Aunt Chrissy's stem cells taking over.  We want that to be over 30%.  Keep in mind this transplant cures 60% of patients with AITL.  This is the plan according to Nate.