Monday, October 4, 2010

Thank you SO much to the Foret Family!!!

Hi Everyone!
Well, as we announced a few days ago, dad is in desperate need of single donor bags of platelets.  Well, we have had a really encouraging response from our friends and family in the Houston area and even from our LA fam and friends :) We can't tell all of you how much it SUPER means to us that everyone is so willing to help!!  We did inquire about whether or not there was anywhere in the nola/ northshore area that people can donate in his name- unfortunately they don't make this easy and there is not any way to donate in his name for use at MD Anderson except AT the two Houston blood bank donation centers (listed in the last blog post)  We wish there was another way but there isn't....... Also, if you are in the Houston area and looking to donate we strongly suggest making an appointment with one of the two centers prior to showing up b/c once again - they don't seem to make things as easy as they SHOULD!  Just don't want anyone to get all the way there only to find out that they don't have any chairs/ machines available.

So, all that being said Gary, Bobbie, and Jen Foret- part of our loving family that resides in the Houston area GRACIOUSLY went down to the blood donation center yesterday to donate for dad- turns out Jen had some slightly off numbers that should correct themselves in a few days (when she will be trying again) that made her ineligible and one of the Rx's that Gary is on took him out of the running BUT he WAS able to donate blood for dad - which is fabulous!  And Bobbie was cleared for platelet donation and did just that!!!  Also, Jen is going to talk to her principal at school about organizing a drive for dad and talked to the lady at the blood bank about the details already - so we have our fingers crossed that that will work out!! We just want to thank all three of you for being SO AWESOME and helping us out!!! Here are some pics of our fearless donors!  As you may notice in Bobbie's picture, when you donate platelets- since it is sort of a long process they give you a portable dvd player and earphones so that you can watch a movie to pass the time - I believe they have a small selection of movies there that you can choose from but you are also welcome to bring your own. :) 
Please make sure and let us know if you do decide to go and donate so that we can keep track of the credits that dad should have coming his way :) also, please send pics of you donating and a pic of your bag of liquid gold - we really enjoy sharing the pics on the blog and having the opportunity to thank you SO SO MUCH for what you are doing for us :)
My Aunt Diane is at the donation center as we speak donating platelets and I am waiting on her pics so that I can do a thank you post for her as well! :)
As, for further update on dad - the docs basically said that his DNA is now 87% the donors and the rest still his - so, the transplant is showing great signs of engraftment but the disease and his body are still causing some sort of "mis-fire" in that he is still not making his own white, red, or platelets cells and not only that he isn't but his body seems to be rejecting the transfusions  - so, their next "guess" at what may be the underlying cause is something wrong with either his spleen or his liver - they want to test the spleen first - - we do not have the exact details on the "how" yet except that apparently the test must be run from a monday to a friday and so they want to start it next monday but before they do they want another dedicated bag of platelets from me on saturday or sunday to be transfused to him before they start the process.... so, that is what we are planning to do.  As far as an update on the bladder virus, they seem to feel it is running out its course but regardless of that progress he has to have clear urine and no blood clots for at least 24-48 hours before they will consider taking the catheter out - and he hasn't been able to keep the blood out that long yet b/c his platelets keep bottoming out at a 1 everyday which means there isn't a way to stop the blood in his bladder :( - so it is frustrating to say the least but we are doing everything we can to help the situation... so, we have to keep up the single donor bags available to dad and keep up the warrior prayers for divine intervention!  Oh the only other news to report is that he did unfortunately spike a high fever last night -which seems to be gone now but we don't yet know what this evening will bring - in the mean time they are running blood cultures to test for infection and we don't have the results yet.
Love to you all and more later :) 

2 comments:

  1. Jess, I already texted your mom, but my dad I will be donating on Friday! I'll send pictures!

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  2. oh YAY!!!!!!! thank you SO SO SO much Brannon!!!!! xoxoxo and yay - definitely send me pics of both of you in action and of your beautiful bags of liquid gold :) :) love you!

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