Preliminary results

FINALLY...yesterday at 4:00pm Audra went into the OR for her bone marrow biopsy and endoscopy/colonoscopy.

They were unable to do the procedures on Monday because she did not respond to Sunday's GI clean out as they expected.  So the whole clean out had to be repeated on Monday.  And even then she still wasn't totally "cleaned out" but the GI doctor was ok with proceeding with the scopes.

So yesterday we thought everyone was on board with her going to the OR....until anesthesia put up a fuss about her having high fevers all day.  UGH!!!  That is exactly why she NEEDS to go the OR and have these procedures done.  Yesterday was day #25 of high fevers....not quite sure how anesthesia thought they would get her into the OR without a fever!  So with ALOT of encouragement from all her wonderful doctors and nurses...anesthesia took her to the OR at 4:00...with a fever of 104.

Preliminary GI results:  her upper scope looked normal.  Many biopsy sites were sent.  Her lower scope showed "friable" tissue that bled more than usual at all the biopsy sites.  GI couldn't comment on the significance of this finding.  They want to wait and see what the biopsy results show.  They should have those results tomorrow.

Preliminary bone marrow results:  under the microscope her cells looked completely normal.  With no concern for leukemia!!!  They told us that almost all of the time the preliminary result for leukemia matches the final result.  But we also know that up until this point Audra has done nothing "by the books".  So we are praying that this time she will follow the general rule, and her final result will not show leukemia.  They also sent her bone marrow off to be studied for infectious sources and blood cell production issues.  Final results are expected on Friday.

Audra had a hard day yesterday, first because of all the high fevers she was having and also because of the anesthesia and a sore hip at the bone marrow biopsy site.  But when her dinner tray came into her room at 8:30pm that girl perked up fast.  She hasn't had solid food in 72 hours!!  And we all know how this girls loves her food...any food!!

Oh, and by the way, there is a new doctor hot on the trail of Audra's case.  So the other doctors better watch out...cause this doctor is determined to get to the bottom of this!!

We are grateful beyond words for the care, concern, love, thoughts and prayers that have been showered upon Audra, and our entire family, these past few weeks...and especially these past few days.  Your texts, emails, blog comments, phone calls, and visits have lifted our hearts and spirits. We feel the comfort of your prayers continually surrounding us.  We have been blessed by the generosity of so many people:

Family, friends and neighbors have given our kids at home rides to activities, offered play dates, and cooked meals.

My amazing co-workers in the PICU have stopped by to see Audra and I every.single.day, bringing with them yummy breakfasts, toys/activities for Audra, and magazines for me. They sit with Audra so I can take a shower, do some laundry or run down stairs to the cafeteria.  I most certainly would have lost my mind these past 2 weeks without them!  They have loved on her as if she was one of their own.  I am definitely the luckiest mom of any patient in CHOP!

Today was a day of waiting.  There is nothing to do until we have all the biopsy results.  Audra's fevers have been more relentless the last 48 hours.  They are coming every 6-8 hours and hitting the 104's (the end of last week they had to stop giving her the Indomethacin, the medication that suppressed her fevers, because she developed some bleeding issues).  Right now her fever is rising again.  She last had tylenol 3 hours ago and it only brought her fever down to 101.  They cannot give her Motrin because of the bleeding concerns...and she can't have tylenol for another 3 hours.  Please pray that the doctors figure out the diagnosis soon so they can begin treating her...so that she doesn't have to endure these fevers any longer.