Calling All Platelets!

Last week, Nonnie and Papa were in the waiting mode, watching her counts drop throughout the week. They did not have to wait long...... on Thursday, she received her first blood transfusion, which she did not have any negative reaction to. Starting on Friday, she has received platelets daily through Sunday. Unfortunately, the donor platelets are only slowly raising her levels. The staff has put in a request to the blood bank to find the same compatible donor from last time.

Mike went up to UCLA on Friday morning to give platelets. This is a 2 hour procedure that takes the donor blood and filters the platelets, then re-infuses the blood back into the donor. I hear the time actually goes by pretty quick, because they set Mike up with a movie to watch during the procedure! Papa also sat with Mike and donated his blood that will be used for someone else in the future. What a team!

They plan on using the platelets from Mike as soon as tomorrow, and they generally know within a day how compatible they will be. Lisa is tentatively scheduled to do the same later in the week. For now, Nonnie is feeling quite well and her only complaint are the uncomfortable mouth sores called "Petechia". These are small broken capillary blood vessels caused from low platelet counts.

Nonnie and Papa spent Halloween in the hospital, but the weekend was topped off by a nice visit from the whole Asam clan!