Sierra Update #9

Sierra is doing great. Her DSA test came back negative!! This is the Donor Specific Antigen test that they take before they gave the IV immunoglobulin (IVIG) and then they take it again after the immunoglobulin. The DSA test was positive before the IVIG which was causing the rejection and now it is negative meaning the IVIG worked in getting rid of the antibodies. She will receive the IVIG treatment for 2 more months now and then she will be done, we hope, nothing is for certain.

Sorry for all the pictures. They're for Jason, I am giving him an update on the yard. Thank you for checking on us. Bye for now.

I wanted to show you all the blossoms on the cherry tree.

The front flower bed with a newly stained porch.

Your favorite rock with flowers and green peppers.

The newly stained back deck.

The garden poking up through the ground and our stained playground.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASON!

Happy Birthday Jason!! We are so sad we can't be there we love you so much!! Sierra is doing great. Her energy is up, she is eating great and there is no swelling. They will read her heart rhythm that was recorded yesterday, either today or Monday. Then clinic Wednesday and hopefully home after that.

On a lighter note. Lindsey was diagnosed yesterday with viral pneumonia. She has been having a difficulty breathing lately and took her to the doctor yesterday. Thus, the reason why we are here and Jason and Sierra are there. It's always nice to be on a first name basis with everyone in the doctor's clinic.

Happy 39th my love, I terribly miss you!

Sierra and Haley at a Giants game Wednesday.

Sierra Update #7

Just a real quick update. Sierra had clinic today. Which is where she goes into the Dr.'s offices and sees the doctor. She has an irregular heart rate which they feel is due to the high pressure still in her heart from the rejection. They told us she is not stable enough to go home but she does not have to be admitted to the hospital.

She gets to wear a heart monitor around for 24 hours that records her heart activity. They will interpret that and see her in clinic next Wednesday. Unfortunately, this is not the news we were hoping for. However, She is where she needs to be right now.

Memorial Day

Sierra is doing better and better. She had more energy yesterday and minimal swelling in her abdomen. In fact, she had enough energy to go with Jason to Santa Cruz and ride the rides on the Boardwalk. They spent the whole day there and had a great time. I am so glad they were able to get out.

Tomorrow Sierra will have a chest x-ray, echo and lab work. Then she will see the doctor's in their clinic and we will have more answers. We are hoping if she continues to do well that we can convince the doctors to let her come home Thursday. We're are going to attempt the "It's Daddy's birthday Friday and we need to be home for that." Hopefully with a little batting of her eyes and a tear drop, if she has to, all will go well. I told her to practice her crying.

As for us here at home, we are doing well and missing our Daddy and Sierra terribly. Gage started another cough and I have upped his breathing treatments again but hopefully it won't last long. All the more reason we stayed here and Jason is there. Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day and thank you to all the men and women in the service who are fighting for our country. Thank you Justin!!

Sierra with her cotton candy on the warf in Santa Cruz.

A little bumper cars anyone? Does this look familiar Aunt Cindy?

Sierra update #5, Sunday 5/24/09
Hi guys, Jason and Sierra here. We were released from the LPC Hospital 24 hrs ago. We are at the Ronald McDonald House #MS-203 (same one from 3 years ago). Sierra is doing OK, not great (yet). Her appetite and energy level are still not back yet and there is still some swelling in her tummy. This is why we are hanging around here for the Dr's to keep an eye on her. We have a clinic appointment, echo, x-ray, and blood work on Wednesday. I am hoping, they might let us go home to Oregon sooner IF she looks, acts and is better. We will just have to see. They think the swelling and appetite relates to the rejection (anti-bodies in the blood) she was treated for. We are sure glad she got the 1a on the biopsy. If it is confusing to you, you are not alone.

It's kinda hard without my dear wife and kids here. I get to be the strong one for Sierra. Sometimes it's kinda hard, any little dips scares me to death. My wife is so strong and such a strength to me.

Anyway, we made the drive up north to Santa Rosa (with the permission of the Dr's) to see our dear friend Ben Thorton and his family. He is the little stud who got a heart the same day as Sierra. Below is a picture of Sierra, Ben and Ava. We sure like them. It was nice to get out of Palo Alto for a while.

Sierra Update #4

We finally got Sierra's biopsy result back and it was a 1A!! Yeahhh!! That is just one step above a zero. Since her last biopsy was a 1B we will take it. What this means is that she will not be going back on prednisone. So, she will not be looking like a marshmallow. We still don't know the results of the DSA test that would tell us if the IV immunoglobulin helped the rejection or not. So, we are waiting to hear back on that. She is still retaining fluid, so they have started her on some Lasix. Her blood pressure has been a little high today, a result of the aftermath of the steroid. So, they are going to keep her one more day to monitor that. It is looking like possibly tomorrow she will get out of the hospital and be able to go to the RMH.