Nothing But Good News

This weekend we went to Harmony's new house on Saturday and came back to Toronto Sunday Evening. Harmony and Mike have bought a new home but not moved in yet. The ducts have been cleaned, the walls and ceilings washed, the floors cleaned and the carpets steamed. It was probably as clean or cleaner than the Bone Marrow Transplant unit at the hospital.

We took Melodina's IV stand and tubing etc. with us so we could hook her up and hydrate her over night. To keep a wonderful story short. Melodina laughed with her sister and niece and nephew. She climbed up and down stairs for the first time since June. She walked around. She ate better than she has since the middle of January. It was a great step forward. She slept all the way back to Toronto.

This morning after unhooking her IV we went to the hospital. We attend clinic three times a week. The first great news is that for the first time since she started Chemo Therapy in October, 2007 Melodina is producing her own platelets. She did not need an expected transfusion. She now has a normal white blood cell count and acceptable haemoglobin and platelet counts. The next good news was that her blood was re tested and all her cells are donor cells meaning that not only does she not have cancer but she cannot produce cancer cells. This is the second time this test has come back 100 per cent!!!

While it will take a year or two to built her body back to where it was, Melodina is planning to coach children ski racing this winter. We ran into another Bone Marrow Transplant patient at the hospital. Anthony's story helps me believe that Melodina will coach this winter. Anthony left the hospital and returned to school this September. At first he found it difficult to climb the school stairs. One month later Antony's school held a cancer fundraiser in the name of another student. Anthony walked a full two and a half kilometers in the fundraiser! He had his teachers in tears with joy at seeing his success. I was in tears today hearing his story. Anthony, like so many cancer kids is inspiring many with his struggle and his successes. He looks healthy, he has gained weight and he is doing well in school. Way to go Anthony!!!