Great news!!

We went to our regular pediatrician yesterday to get Carolina's blood drawn to see if her platelet levels had risen at all. Unfortunately, after two pricks, they were unable to draw any blood because both arms had been pricked both Monday and Tuesday. Soooo, they sent us to the Children's Hospital to have her blood drawn at the hematology clinic.

They were able to draw some blood from her foot (and of course she was screaming) and about fifteen minutes later we found out that her platelet levels had risen to 90,000!! (They were at a dangerous level of 11,000 on Monday.) Normal levels are around 150,000 - 400,000, so hopefully by next Thursday when we get her levels checked again, they will be in that range, or at least increasing still.

We are incredibly thankful that this looks like a "classic" ITP case, and she should be back to normal with hopefully no long-term or reoccurring effects. We are thankful that she didn't have to have another IVIG (not too much fun for any of us :) We are thankful that we have a fabulous Children's Hospital that is staffed with great nurses and doctors. We are thankful that she doesn't have anything life threatening, like leukemia.

While we waiting for her results to come in to see if she needed more treatment, we were able to watch these three beautiful, bald-headed little girls laughing and playing bingo while they were getting their treatments. Their parents were standing around talking to each other and engaging with the girls as well, clearly becoming each others "extended" family as a result of their illnesses. One of the little girls even exclaimed, "But I don't ever want to leave here!" Her mother replied, "Oh, I sure hope we do!" But I knew what the little girl meant - she had formed a bond with those other girls that I'm sure her friends at home would never understand.

We are thankful that we will not have to form an "extended" family like they have, but I am so thankful that they have each other.

I have also learned that I should not be so quick to judge, either. Not that I am extremely judgemental, but we all do it to some degree, not even meaning to at times. I darted into Target quickly on Wednesday because I needed to get out of the house and the entire time I felt as if everyone were staring at her bruises all up and down her legs, arms, and even on her head, like I had beaten her or let her fall down a flight of stairs. You never know other people's circumstances and what it is like to be in their shoes. As Chad "preaches", everyone has a story.

Carolina seems to be doing great - still toddling around everywhere, "dancing" to any music she hears, and showing her big, Chiclet-toothed grin. :) She has had a voracious appetite (I think because her body is working so hard to make new platelets). Yesterday for breakfast she ate a waffle and some yogurt. I was about to eat my breakfast, the last cereal bar in the house, when she pointed that little finger at it and said "uuhh! uuhh!" So, of course, she ate my entire cereal bar, too, leaving me with no breakfast. :) She has actually drank an entire sippy cup of milk at a meal, which if you know her, is HUGE!! She is not a big drinker, but she has been drinking great this week - I guess she needs lots of fluid to make platelets!! :)

Thank you for all your sweet comments to let us know that you are praying for us. We truly have been able to feel God's peace surround us during this uncertain week. We've been hugging our kids a little tighter, savoring the small moments a little more, and letting little things go. (even though this morning we had to do some major pick-up around the house, do laundry, and mow the grass. . . small things can go by the wayside for only so long . . . ha!) Please continue to pray that her levels will continue to go up and we will be back to normal and bruise free soon!