Transfusion

Friday, Sadie and I were in for her transfusion.  Her hemoglobin was 6.4, and her platelets were 14, so she was given both.   

The clinic rooms were full, so we shared the recovery room with a 13 year old boy and his mom.  She told me a little bit about their experience.  Her son was about Sadie's age when he was diagnosed with A.L.L.  They finished his chemotherapy treatments, then he had two years of normal life before they discovered the Leukemia had come back.  Then they finished another 3 years of chemotherapy when the very last bone marrow aspirate revealed he had developed some bad myeloid cells as a side effect of one of the chemo drugs.  (Can you believe this?!)  Now he has just completed a bone marrow transplant.  His brother was the donor. 

As she was telling me their story, I was amazed at how upbeat and happy they both were.  Life on chemo was almost all he had known.  I was impressed with their cheerful attitudes.  She said, she tries to instill that in all her children.  You can't change it, so you might as well have a good attitude about it.  They laughed and teased and made plans for their week.  I like seeing that kind of stuff.  (And no, we're not worried about Sadie's story being similar.  It's rare.)

Back to Sadie....I thought she had energy before the transfusion, but Saturday morning I noticed the difference.  It was as if she'd had a cup of coffee with breakfast!  She was noisy, and silly, and energized!  It was hilarious!  I thought to myself, so this is what Sadie's like with a healthy dose of red blood cells!  She makes us all laugh.  Thank you whoever you are for donating your blood!!

Here she is eating dinner while receiving the platelets.

We love this girl!