Day 23- ENGRAFTMENT!!!

After 23 days of torture and pain, Cami has officially engrafted... HOORAY!!!  She has had an ANC of 500 for 2 days straight and today the Doctors declared yesterday engraftment day (they say you have to be at 500 for 2 days straight, but the real engraftment day is the first day you reach 500.. kinda strange)!  I cannot even describe the joy I feel today!  This is the day we have been waiting for!  This is the day our sweet Cami has been working so hard for and suffering so much to get to!  Her little body finally accepted that amazing donor's marrow as her own.  Today is our fresh start.  Today her body got the gift of a new immune system and one that will fight that yucky cancer FOREVER!  Cami still doesn't feel 100% (she has what they call engraftment syndrome) her tummy hurts, she's nauseous, and she gets the chills when she gets out of bed.  BUT.. her mouth sores are GONE and we are seeing her larger-than-life personality trickling back, so we will take it!  Now we will begin weaning Cami off her morphine pump, trying to get her to eat something, and take her medicine orally (instead of through her IV).  This is quite a process and it doesn't happen over night, but we could really go home anytime she is ready (and meets a few requirements)!  The Doc's think 5-10 days!  YIPPEE!!!

Day 22 was the day Caden, Aunt Linds, and Amanda picked.. they are the winners of the engraftment day bet (but Cami gets to keep the money, it's hospital tradition).

We are thrilled that Cami has engrafted, it is a BIG milestone reached!  BUT.. the next few months will be critical for Cami.  The next milestone is day +100 and we pray we can make it without any hiccups, then we can breathe a little easier once again.  Now that Cami's body has accepted the new marrow, there is still a chance she will develop Graft verses Host decease.  This is where the new marrow attacks Cami's body because it see's it as a foreign object.  Oddly enough,we are praying for a little bit of GVHD because when the marrow attacks Cami's body, it will also be attacking any remaining leukemia, but too much GVHD can be very dangerous.  Also, Cami will have a very low immune system for the next year (especially over the next 100 days), so we will be staying away from crowds (yes, that means school) for the next year.  We figured out that her day +100 will be February 6, 2014!  There is still so much to worry about, but today we are celebrating and taking a giant sigh of RELIEF!

Happy engraftment day little love-

Cami's darling friend Mia (yes.. she shaved her head to support Cami when she relapsed!) came to visit and brought her American Girl doll for a tea party and to celebrate the special day.  

We love you Mia!  

Silly girls!