Update on Beth

Overall, Beth is doing much better and feeling much better.  She has had several consecutive weeks of feeling strong and generally good.  We are awaiting an immune function test to see how well her T-cells are performing.

Things on the "needs to improve" list include resumption of normal eating, reduction in throat mucus, and elimination of the last EBV "nodes.

• Eating: She is primarily using the 'G-tube' to eat with some attempts to eat normally but throat mucus continues to be an issue. Thankfully, through the G-tube she is getting all the calories and nutrients she needs.


• Throat mucus: After much examination by ENTs, infectious disease specialists, and the transplant doctors the consensus seems to be the mucus is from a fungus that likes to feed on the dead Epstein-Barr tissue which was most concentrated in her throat/nasal areas.  It is improving ... slowly.


• EBV: The last PET Scan showed that the "nodes" (or sites) are either gone or significantly smaller but there is still enough EBV present for the doctors to order another round of T-cell treatments (1 dose a week for 3 weeks).

Hurricane Irene is heading for NYC-area this weekend. Beth is not in an evacuation area but they are warning that the city could be without power for several days.

Finally, she will get to come home after Labor Day for about a week (still no crowds, etc.).  In mid-September the doctors will reassess where she stands in relation to EBV and her immune function.
But the biggest and best news for us and the doctors is how well Beth feels and how strong she is -- we walked almost 2 miles around Central Park last week! We still have challenges and risks remain on her road to recovery so we remain careful and prayerful ... but we are moving in the right direction and seem to be picking up speed!!