Monday, 04 Oct 1999
Dear Assumption friends....
Rachel came home today. Her immune count went from about 58 to 1,110 over the weekend! This is due to the shots she gets. Now comes a big gamble. The shots ended (for a while) today. It's
almost a done deal that the count will now start to come down. The gamble is how much. If they don't come down too much then Rachel can start her next phase of chemo.
We've been told that the "rule" is that they come tumbling down this first time... but so far, according to the doctor, Rachel has done
better than most kids with AML leukemia. The frequent trips, hospital to home to hospital are normal for AML patients... but Rachel has done well in not contracting any illnesses during these temperature rises and falls.
So... we sit and wait to see what the immune counts will do. Rachel is in excellent spirits. Kenny came with me to pick Diana and her up at the hospital. She was able to go out into the ward halls for the first
time ever today and she paraded him around like a prize bull at the fair, telling everybody that this was her big brother who was afraid of shots. Poor Kenny... he took it all very well.... though he was a bit shocked that the entire staff already knew his name!
We're hoping for the best here... knowing that it's a long shot. Thanks again for your prayers. We know they make a difference.
Bill and Diana Sowers
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