One Week Post Transplant

Lydia is now exactly one week post transplant.  As predicted, this week was difficult.  Lydia has dealt with an itchy skin rash on her face that is slowly getting better.  She also has an upset stomach that effects her appetite. Most difficult is the mucositis which has caused some significant congestion requiring suction and occasional morphine to make Lydia comfortable.

However, the doctors have assured us that these symptoms are normal following transplant and that Lydia is actually doing quite well for a child in her condition.  They expect that Lydia should start feeling better within the next few days.  This really sick period typically lasts approximately  7-10 days post transplant.

Lydia still finds time to play when she is feeling better. The picture accompanying this blog entry was taken just this afternoon and shows Lydia enjoying time with her toys.  She of course is confined to her purified room for the time being.  We have noticed that Lydia is getting stronger in her arms.  We are fairly certain that she would be crawling out of the hospital room if she weren't hooked up to her medication tower. :)

Despite some difficult days this week, we know that the Lord is still protecting Lydia and providing Angela with the necessary strength to take care of her.  We remain hopeful that the Lord will restore Lydia to health and heal all of her wounds.  

But I will restore you to health
    and heal your wounds,’
declares the Lord...

                           Jeremiah 30:17

Lydia's Music Therapy

Lydia took advantage of the hospital's music therapy this afternoon.  She enjoyed being serenaded by the guitar and making music of her own by banging on the tambourine.  Lydia also enjoyed the visit by her brothers Caleb and Daniel.  There is no doubt that Lydia knows each of her family members and gets particularly excited when they visit.  We are told that leukemia babies, who have the loving support and constant attention of family members during recovery, do especially well.  So we continue to ensure that Lydia has as much attention and love as possible.
 

Lydia's physical condition remains uncomfortable but certainly not critical.  She is still dealing with a facial rash, vomiting, and mucositis - all common effects of chemotherapy treatment.  We ask that you continue to pray for Lydia.  Specifically that her side effects remain manageable and that her new stem cells begin to graft properly in her bone marrow.  Happy Fourth of July!

Post Transplant - Day Three

It is now three days after Lydia's transplant. As expected, she is beginning to feel the side effects of the intense chemotherapy. According to the doctors, this is typical and will continue for another week or so. This is the roughest stretch for little Lydia thus far. Her stomach is upset and she is vomiting more than usual. Lydia has also developed a mild case of mucositis which is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that results in coughing and congestion. This condition is fairly common for transplant patients and we are told that it will improve. As you can see from the photo, Lydia is also hooked up to numerous medicines and nutritional fluids. It is difficult to see her in this condition.

We are attempting to stay focused on the big picture and the doctor's assurance that Lydia must go through this rough patch in order to get better. Lydia is a strong little girl. She still manages to smile occasionally despite her uncomfortable condition. This smile provides us all Hope that Lydia is another day closer to coming home!

A New Start

It is now shortly after noon and Lydia is in the middle of receiving the bone marrow from her sibling donor.  This photo shows the actual bone marrow running into our precious child during her morning nap.  Our brave little donor is also awake from surgery and doing well.  The bone marrow was extracted and given to the lab for processing at around 9:00 am this morning.  It begin dripping into Lydia by 10:40 am. The entire transfer should be complete around 1:40 pm.

Team of Drs. hanging the bag.

Lydia has been blessed with a new start and opportunity to produce cells that are not cancerous.  Although this transplant is going smoothly, Lydia still faces challenges in the days and weeks ahead.  In order to be considered a successful transplant, these new cells must begin to graft and produce healthy cells within Lydia.  This process typically begins within two weeks of the transplant.

There have been many blessings in this journey thus far and today is no exception.  We continue to be thankful for God's grace and peace through this process.  We are filled with joy that the initial step is complete and journey is underway. Our prayers are now focused on keeping Lydia safe from serious infection and for the grafting process to run properly.

 

I'm Ready!

The much anticipated bone marrow transplant day is tomorrow and the doctors have given the green light.  The sibling donor will be at the hospital very early in the morning for the bone marrow aspiration - a procedure that takes around an hour. The donor will be completely sedated as the cells are extracted from the hip area. The stems cells will then be quickly processed and placed in Lydia before noon.

We ask again for your prayers.  Please pray for wisdom and steady hands for the doctors. Please pray that Lydia's body will not reject the cells and that she is protected from infection and viruses while her system is down.  Please pray for the sibling donor that the procedure goes well and there is minimal pain.  Please pray for mom and dad that they have the emotional strength to be supportive parents.  Peace be with you!

Children of Kenya's Mathare Slums - Praying for Lydia

An amazing thing happened this morning!  We received an email from Kenya where our church mission team is currently spreading the Gospel to the poor families living in the Mathare Slums.  The children there have very, very little.  Most have experienced death of loved ones through disease or civil strife.  Their homes are shacks with no stable electricity or running water.  Food and nourishment is not always plentiful.  The lives of these poor people are more difficult than the life many of us are fortunate enough to experience in the comfortable confines of our communities.

But we have a very important common bond with some of these children and that is Hope through Jesus Christ. These children are being ministered to by our missionary team.  They are told that Jesus loves them very much and faith in Him means Hope no matter how difficult their circumstances. 

Early today, the Mathare children kept asking one of the team members, Jamie Eisnor, about the Lydia bracelet on his wrist.  Jamie used this inquiry to speak to the Mathare children about Lydia Kovac's leukemia story and how, on the other side of the world, a little baby from an entirely different culture is also experiencing pain and requiring the peaceful protection of a loving God.  After the story was told, Jamie gathered the 20 children closely and they prayed for Lydia.  Today, we thank the children of Kenya's Mathare Slums for listening patiently to Lydia's leukemia story and expressing the desire to pray for her.  We too will keep these little children in our hearts and prayers. 

Doing Well - Post Surgery

Lydia made it through surgery this morning just fine.  She was in the operating room for a little over an hour and comfortably recovering in Angela's arms a short time later.  This picture was taken at approximately 1:00 pm as the anesthesia was wearing off.  We are always comforted when Lydia smiles, once again, we know that God has protected her and provided joy despite the uncomfortable morning procedure.

The surgeons had to replace Lydia's broviac line which was clogged.  As you can see from the picture below, a broviac line is a critical medical tube that allows for fluids and medications to flow directly into Lydia's major artery.  She now has two broviac lines on both sides of her chest.  These lines will remain in Lydia for the duration of her treatment. 

Lydia's chemotherapy resumes this afternoon around 2:00 p.m. - while she is napping.  After today, only two more chemo rounds remain. Aside from some minor vomitting, which is controlled by medications, Lydia has been doing great.  The doctors do indicate that additional side effects may occur after the chemotherapy is completely finished.  But for now, Lydia is strong!  

Thanks for your prayers this morning.  

Broviac Line