Michalla's Miracles: Happy BMT Birthday to Michalla!

5/3/14...Michalla's new birthday. This is the day a stranger saved her life. The nurses sang happy birthday to Michalla and we all wore attractive birthday hats. Rick at Smart Cookie donated cookies for the occasion. Michalla got a new blanket and some make-up from the staff as bday gifts and cards and other gifts from family and friends. It is kind of weird. There is all this build-up for the big day and it is kind of anti-climatic. It looks a lot like a blood transfusion but is super thick (like honey thick) and took hours to go into her body. The nurses say it will be a few days until we see any side-effets and graft vs. host stuff going on. Right now she is still just sick from the chemo and surgery she had last week. Tell that to Michalla though. Her body is ACHING and she is having some chest pains.

They make a chart where everyone guesses what day Michalla will engraft. This is basically when the new marrow gets into its correct place and the body can start producing its own white blood cells. It is usually in about 3 to 4 weeks. During this time Michalla is at high risk for infection. We are having to be extremely cautious with what she eats (which translates into very little choices are allowed) and with what and who she is exposed to. Michalla is sleeping a lot. This makes me happy. I would rather have her sleep than be in pain.

As these next few weeks are critical in both the fact she has never been at a higher risk for infection and in telling whether or not the body is going to accept the new bone marrow as its own, I ask for your continued prayers. Kaityln's death has reminded me just how fragile life is and how things could change in an instant around here. However, I find peace in the fact that I KNOW the Lord has heard every one of our prayers and showers down blessings upon us everyday. The Lord is definitely a Lord of Miracles.

Michalla and her cute boyfriend Clint

Special delivery. This man received the blood early that morning and had been prepping it right up until about 15 minutes before transplant. (Which was about 2:15 PM)