Colleen at Clinic

Colleen went to clinic last week. Her hemaglobin was up to 8.8 in the previous blood test, but had slipped to 7.8 at her clinic appt. So she has to get another check at the pediatrician's office next week, and will return to BMT clinic on the 24th. THE END is in sight!!! That is supposed to be her very last "regular" BMT clinic appointment. After her one year anniversary date in September she will return for the FINAL appointment, she'll have an EKG/echo on her heart and some other special tests, and then be declared CURED.
I was trying to do some research on BMT for sickle cell anemia and what I came up with is under 200 done to cure this blood disorder to date in this country. WOW! That would make Colleen a pioneer if that data is accurate. We have to speak up to the world that there IS a cure.
Story heard in Clinic: This past year one high school sibling of a sickle cell BMT patient was sitting in his science class. The subject came to blood disorders and the textbook and teacher discussed Sickle Cell Anemia. Both the book and instructor said: "There is NO cure for sickle cell anemia." The student objected. The teacher stuck to his "knowledge" and told the young man he was wrong, to which he replied: "Okay, but my brother was born with Sickle Cell Anemia Hemaglobin SS disease and after a bone marrow transplant he no longer has sickle cell anemia. If he doesn't have sickle cell anemia anymore, how can you say there is NO cure?" The teacher was taught by the student. Get the word out, SICKLE CELL ANEMIA does have a CURE!
For more information:
http://www.scinfo.org/bonemarr.htm

Doing Great

Colleen is doing great. She only goes to clinic once a month now, but does have blood work every two weeks to follow her lower hemaglobin. She returns this week to clinic, so I should have some more info to post then. In the meantime, she is becoming a regular four year old. She got the okay for clorinated pool swimming, but lakes are still off limits until September, which means next summer. No sand play either until this September. She has become a "princess" and while we could do without some of the attitude, it is so WONDERFUL that she feels so well. We also got the okay to get a dog, which the kids automatically think means we are getting a dog, which we are not. It was a possibility that my sister would be moving and we have offered to take her 12 year old dog if the move occurs, but that is NOT a for sure thing. I would love to have a dog, but the kids need to be able to train the puppy. Just knowing that Colleen is well enough and recovered enough for so many "normal" things is a good thing. Please continue to pray for Colleen and our family. Thank you.