The Bear was admitted to Children's Memorial last night because her hemoglobin level was quite low. She had a blood transfusion and they're hoping to see the hemotologist today rather than having to wait for their appointment on Thursday. Other than the low hemoglobin, she's still doing well.

Please keep mom & dad in your prayers (and of course Natalie!) We pray for comfort & patience for them, and for the doctors to figure out what is causing the hemoglobin level drops and to quickly determine what the course of action is.

I am already praying for our little bear, as well as her parents and family. Thank god we know she is a fighter with very good doctors.

Gosh, I know they are all strong...and have lots of prayers coming their way, but how much more of this roller coaster can they take?
Best of Luck Natalie, Mom and Dad! Stay stong, you have a lot of people pulling for you. We are sending more prayers your way

Oh my goodness! I pray for their continued strength and patience. It the face of their ups and downs it forces me to see that what I have believed to be my life's problems or chalenges are really nothing at all.

Look out Becca, here come the hugs again. Hope we don't squeeze too tight.

If KC's hug does not do you in, here comes mine. Becca we love ya hun. We're there in spirit if not body. God will guard our little bear I just know he will!!!

ok, I'm next, move over Dawnie!!! I'm here to hug the remaining stuffins out of you, Becca. Know that we're here, still praying and thinking healing thoughts. Much love as always to our bear too.

Big hugs headed your way from Mass too! Still praying and hug the bear for all of us too.

Thanks all.
We are home. For now. I wish I had more good news to tell you. But for now we're are going to wait for the powers that be in the hospital to decide what the next step is.

However, the bear does have a new den (webpage) to call home. Give me a bit and I'll add to my profile. And there is a picture of the bear with her mommy - however the picture was taken 3 days after the transplant surgery - so I'm not looking my bestest.

Here's the email that I just got. With commentary by me in {}. Don't worry if you don't understand all the medical speak - it's taken me 19 months.

I love our nurse...

"US {ultrasound} again showed persistent portal vein (PV) stenosis with evidence of increasing spleen size. When we found this before, she was not having any of the symptoms that she is now, so we decided, with input from the surgery team, to monitor it. Well now that she is having symptoms - low blood counts, increasing spleen size- we’re most likely going to need to do a portal vein venogram, by your special friends in Interventional Radiology {he knows how well IR and I get along - detect the sarcasm here?}. Basically they would put a catheter in her PV with a balloon to angioplasty the narrowing- much like they do in coronary artery disease. They could measure the pressure of the blood flow in the PV before and after the procedure to ensure that they did a good job. Then we would watch her closely (with serial US) for recurrence of this problem. If it came back, she may require a indwelling mesh stent- not like the one she has now in her bile duct. Dr. Whitington wanted to wait for the hematology testing to come back, first, and have Dr Alonso go over all this stuff too. For now, I will send a repeat CBC on Thursday- to look for sudden drop of hemoglobin and then weekly on Mondays. I called home care with those instructions. Hematology will be following her closely as well. Argh. {When I read it I try to sound like a pirate - it makes me smile more. }"

Becca, I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said. Just know that I am thinking about you, Jason and NatBear. I will have to look for some additional ways to make you smile.

I was too busy to look at the BOL Couch yesterday much and I missed your posts. I am so sorry to hear that the ups and downs continue for you guys. Lots of hugs coming your way with prayers to support you. Give that little one a kiss for me.

More prayers and hugs coming from the Texan who lives in Oklahoma.

Can I vent a little more? The car broke down while I was on my lunch break. I went to the babysitter's house to give the bear her IV meds and then poof it wouldn't start. It's all covered under warranty and everything is going to work out ...but Argh (said like a pirate) I need a vacation!!!!!

Quote:

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I need a vacation!!!!!

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I hear Minneapolis is quite nice this time of year

And Madison is a nice half-way stop on the way!

Calgon, take me away.

OTOH, it's SUMMER in Dallas already...... AND we have the best Mexican food.

Cincinnati is having Taste of Cincinnati this weekend, and they are opening the new Wolf Woods at the Cincinnati Zoo too... Plus, we have Cincinnati Chili!

Cincinnati Chili - mmmm ... good stuff!!

It has been nice and sunny here in Twin. No humidity and little to no mosquitos and I haven't noticed too many fly's yet...sounds good, doesn't it.

Well, I did get a mini-vacation today. The bear woke up with a slight fever and vomiting (mmm...sorry if anyone just ate). And she was kind enough to share this bug with me. So today her and I are cuddling on the couch watching Star Wars Episode II.

The cuddling sounds nice! Prayers and hugs from New Mexico.