Rough Year

Kai has had an exceptionally rough year as a transplant patient. From CMV in November and February, to a rejection scare last month. It has been about a year of non-stop "Go-Mode" and multiple trips every week to Georgetown University Hospital for testing and follow-ups. 

Usually, she only has her weekly therapy appointment on Monday afternoons, a monthly blood draw/labs and occasionally an abdominal scan or clinic appointment (every 6-12 months) just to make sure everything is running smoothly. 

In the past year, she's come down with life-threatening viruses, had to receive low-grade cyto-toxic infusions, woke up during a surgery causing a severe form of PTSD, she's developed a scar tissue adhesion that is forming a blockage on her intestine and will likely need surgery to correct in the future and, most recently, the elevated liver enzymes and low white blood cell and platelet counts - they initially thought she might be in rejection and then there was some concern that she might be developing leukemia (transplant patients have a 3x higher incidence of developing leukemia/lymphoma, melanoma and other transplant related cancers) or, at the very least, cholangitis. 

After two weeks of waiting to find out... it looks like what was causing the symptoms behind that most recent concern was the increase in her immune suppression due to the elevated liver enzymes she had the month previously, which they now believe to be related to a virus. It's been a roller-coaster ride!

Hopefully, this is the end of what has been a really rough year. There will always be bumps and trips to/stays in the hospital but, we're hoping for less of those in the coming year.

Stepping into the Fall Season on a positive note, Kai seems to be doing well and has had enough poking and prodding to verify that for at least a month AND we will be expecting the 5th (non-4 legged) member of our family in November. 

Also, please view (and share!) my previous post about our 2nd Annual Trip to Georgetown to bring a Holiday dinner and gifts to the children admitted through the Christmas Holiday.