Another transfusion tomorrow

8th April 2009


Hi there,

Just got home from another exhausting JHB Gen day. Jed's blood counts have dropped again, his WCC (white cell count) is at 1 and his HBC (red cell count - as I understand it) is at 7 (both is way way below normal even for a chemo kid). His platelet count remains low at 43 (anything below 40 is a transfusion). So tomorrow we go back for a BLOOD transfusion (this is the normal red stuff - the platelets are orange).

Lots of people have sms'd and asked if they can donate blood or platelets for Jed, unfortunately the blood and platelets go through some process or other and they can't just take any ones (not even mine and Rays). My answer is yes, donate, maybe not for Jed but for some other kid. The blood/platelet shortage is serious and I ask everyone who can donate to please do it. Don't wait for them to come to you, find a place and donate!

Yesterday, was such a happy day, we played and made bead necklaces (see the picture). I just don't understand why his blood levels are taking so long to come right. Janet Poole asked me twice if I was giving him oral chemo and I told her nothing for over 2 weeks, so it is a mystery! She did say it was from the chemo and not the cancer. Let's just put it this way...(and pray it into reality), the chemo we gave him was so powerful that it killed off everything first time round and now we are waiting for him to recover and get his strength back.... Please God!

My mom, aunt and pastor are coming with to the Gen tomorrow so that I don't have to go through it alone, and we have a wheelchair now so in Jeds drugged state we can wheel him around. Also we are getting Emla tonight to numb the area before the pricking starts, so all precautions are being taken to make it as easy as possible. The grans were sent shopping for presents and I believe they went a little crazy and spent R500 on surprises; he deserves it! The transfusion will take a couple of hours so I will mail you later.

Have a blessed Easter and remember the meaning of this time. Please continue to pray extra hard for our boy, Jed; for Jordi; and all the precious little ones with cancer!

With love and hugs
Bonni, Ray and Jed x x x