Day +9

Not much to report in regard to the medical aspect of Jens progress. Thank goodness because my mom is better at relaying that information. Jen is still running a fever and now has developed a rash all over her body. It's uncomfortable and causes her to feel a burning sensation. This is said to be expected but still sucks so bad for Jen to have to deal with. She pretty much just hurts all over. She did reach a milestone in that today was the last day she would receive Methotrexate--which is a chemotherapy drug to fight off gvhd (graft vs host disease). We have anxiously been waiting for day ten. Days ten to fourteen are those magical days that will answer our prayers. These are the earliest days where we could see engraftment. We're told it will more likely take around day fourteen. The biggest event of the day was going to the hospital to shave jens hair. Up until yesterday she has maintained a full head of hair. She noticed last night it was really starting to fall out when she would run her hands through it. Today unlike the last time I cut her hair was not very emotional. It almost seem to be a task we had to check off the list of things we had to do in order to get through this and move forward. Chemo..check...transplant...check...shave head...check. The bravery I see in my sisters eyes is like nothing else I have ever seen. A little more than a month ago we cried like babies at the thought of her losing her hair and today it was just another part of the process. Another step towards recovering. She kept asking... does it look patchy? No, Jen it doesn't look patchy. Do I look like Britney Spears? No, Jen you don't look like Britney Spears? Do I look like a baby? No, Jen you don't look like a baby. What you do look like is the damn cutest thing I have ever seen. She has the most perfect little round head and big brown eyes. Then I asked can I take your picture? No, she said. Maybe tomorrow she will let me! I speak for all of us when I say how much we love reading your comments. Everyone of you are a source of strength, so thank you! Ron A. please know how much hope and support we feel from your posts, it means so much to our entire family!
xo Meg