Our Hope Is Still In The Lord

Psalm 31:24

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

We had an anxious week waiting on the results of the peripheral blood smear.

The last smear showed that one side of the smear was perfect and the other side showed that 32% of the cells were still Jerry's. The smear this time showed that 26%  of the cells still belong to Jerry.  The physician's assistant said it was good news because it is improving, but it's still not where they want it to be. They still want the donor's cells to finish destroying the rest of Jerry's cells. The leukemia can be hiding in that 26% of cells. But the good news is that the smear did not show any leukemia activity. Between day 90 and day 100, they will do a bone marrow biopsy.

They are concerned because Jerry should be feeling stronger than he is and his appetite should be improving and he should be gaining weight. He has been losing weight each week and he is still very shaky and weak most of the time.

They are afraid he might have Graft Versus Host Disease. It is a common complication sometimes after a stem cell transplant. Immune cells (white blood cells) in the donated stem cells (the graft) recognize the recipient (the host) as "foreign". The transplanted immune cells then attack the host's body cells.

They will run a scope down Jerry's  throat and check his stomach and do a biopsy on his stomach and also scope his intestines and do a biopsy.  If it is the GVHD, they will treat it with steroids.  The procedures will be Friday (if they can schedule it) at the hospital. Please be praying.

We know we still have a long way to go and the battle is not over yet. We are so thankful for family and friends and their prayers, love, and support.