Day -1, BMT:: Day of Rest

Knock-knock.  Who's there?

Today was Jade's official day of rest. No chemo. No IV fluids. Just a "down" day (with more than a dozen infusions of immunosuppressant, anti-fungal, antiviral, and anti-nausea medications) before one of the most important days of her life. 

I don't know how Jade will fair in the aftermath of the transplant.  We expect the actual transplant itself to be fairly uneventful. She will be monitored very closely during the infusion of the stem cells, but it is the ensuing days and weeks to be fraught with uncertainty. 

We have been forewarned that most patients feel pretty crummy while their bodies recover from the shock of the transplant. That they develop fevers pretty quickly. That they stop eating on their own and often require a feeding tube or IV nutrition. That they make at least one trip to the intensive care unit. 

Jade with Olympic medal swimmers
Kate Ziegler and Kaitlin Sandeno

 I don't know what Jade's recovery road will look like, but I am faithful that she will recover and be as strong as I saw her this afternoon after a morning bout of nausea and benadryl-induced slumber -- charming Olympians, going in on the Cha-Cha slide, belting out "Let It Go," chasing her big brother in circles, perfecting her comedic delivery with knock knock jokes and hospital humor, and snuggling with Mommy.  

The transplant is scheduled for 2pm EST.  Please say a prayer for our baby girl. A prayer that these new cells are Jade's definitive cure. #bravestrongready