GVHD is Under Control Day +65

Tami is not up for visitors at this time.

Some good news. Tami's skin GVHD is responding to treatment. Despite the fact it messes up her blood sugar which then requires insulin to correct, her doctors resumed using Prednisone to treat her latest flare up. Her rash has already begun to subside so that's great news.

Unfortunately at this time Tami's immune system is once again even more compromised due to the Prednisone. It helps to reduce the activity of the donor T-cells which basically means it semi-shuts down her immune system becuase the T-cells are attacking Tami's own tissue. This time it's her skin. Last time it was her intestines.

You may have noticed that for the first time since June 22nd Tami's illustration does not include her Hickman Catheter. Her doctors determined that it may have been an infection in her Hickman Catheter that was causing her other infection so they removed it yesterday and will replace it with a new catheter in 48 hours. I hope they're right. It would be great if she could start next week free of infection and clear skin.

On the good news front I am excited for the opportunity I've been given to attend an event next week to mingle during a networking session and help to spread the word about the need for people of Hispanic and Latino descent to join the National Marrow Donor Program. I will be working with Ivonne from the AADP.org. Even though the AADP started out as the Asian American Donor Program they have added a Hispanic and Latino Recruitment Coordinator to their staff as they have evolved to encompass more ethnicities then just Asians. I'll post details about the event after it's taken place.