Super Low Numbers

Two of Shayna’s liver enzyme numbers that we watch are the lowest they’re been since transplant.  The other one wasn’t alarmingly high but is still dropping as well.  (Elevated numbers indicate liver damage as well as hint at probable causes depending on which ones are elevated.)  She also shows no signs of anemia yet, a common side effect of the antiviral drug Valcyte that she’s on.  I don’t have the results for the EBV numbers yet but we’ll probably be on the antiviral for a while (possibly 6 months).  Shayna’s getting sick of having all the medicine syringes in her face so I’m hoping we can start weaning the steroid Prednisone soon since I have to give 2 other meds with that.  I long for easy days of only 4 meds w/ 1 twice daily.  Now we’ve got 8 meds w/ 3 twice daily.

Shayna now walks where ever she pleases all over the house.  She took her first steps 3 weeks ago on accident.  6 days later she walked for her physical therapist Lynn and I but could only go 5-6 steps before falling.  When Melinda got here last Wednesday, Shayna could go in a straight line on a flat surface okay.  By the time Melinda left the following Wednesday, Shayna was freely navigating the whole house but still needed a wall or object to get her on her feet when she fell.  Friday she was able to squat to pick up small objects and stand again 1/2 the time.  Yesterday she started being able to stand on her own in the middle of the floor.  Nahum and I are just in awe of her development and skills.  It’s wonderful to see her just appear in a door way or disappear into another room.  She still has a lot of trouble on grass but she’ll just ask for a hand to help her so she can walk to what she wants.  Her stair climbing technique was finally perfected yesterday at our friend Yael’s house as she has a 2nd floor.  Shayna loves to walk back and forth between Nahum and I for hugs.  She also loves books.  She’ll sit by herself and flip through one book for 15 minutes and gets excited when we offer to read her a book.  She’s still only got the one constant word of “ha” for hat but is starting to mimic my cow and sheep sounds though it comes out “boooo” and “ahhh”.  She also has her own word for ball, kind of a combination of duck and ball that I can’t quite put my finger on.

Here are a couple pictures from Melinda’s awesome visit.  It was such a gift to have her here while Nahum was gone.  

Reading a book.

Hiking at the Cascades.

You'll also find two new videos on youtube.

Nahum is now back from Israel and doesn’t seem to be suffering any jet.  Shayna was ecstatic to see him and wouldn't let him leave her sight for the first hour.  She started crying when he left her for a minute to go to the bathroom.  Nahum gave me this morning off and took care of Shayna while I rested.  A nice Mother’s Day treat.