Update 9/10 - Fevers, cultures, and hospitals, oh my!

We're back in the hospital for a couple days now.  On Sunday night, Imogen started to get a bit of a fever, and it wen't up to 100.8º. After some prayer and cool washcloths, it was back down within the hour, and she slept great.  We were pretty relieved.  Unfortunately, Imm's fever came back yesterday around lunchtime and went up to 101.6 at the house.

In case I haven't mentioned it, fevers can be very dangerous during cancer treatment.  A fever of 100.5 for more than two hours means come to the ER.  It can be nothing, or it can be a life-threatening infection or reaction.  Given those two extremes, they play it pretty safe around here.

So we came in and were admitted for the night. Thanks to those who knew and prayed for us, because the fever broke soon after we were here, and Imogen ate and slept wonderfully–though mom and dad were a different story...

We just got her blood draw results back, and they are pretty low.  Not alarmingly low for day#15 after chemotherapy, and not low enough to warrant a transfusion, but low enough to keep us here for another night.  So, we're back at our second home for the time being. She'll need another set of labs to get her counts tonight to see if they're back on the rise.

Things to pray for:
1. Pray that there is no bacteria on her port, which is often the cause of fevers. She's on antibiotics right now.
2. Pray for the urine culture we have to get. It will be unpleasant.
3. Pray for Imogen's platelets and some other things I can't pronounce to go up. If they go up, we go home.


A couple other updates:
Imogen's hair will be gone this weekend. It's coming out in huge clumps now.  We had our photo shoot yesterday with Paige Knudson, and it was Uh-mazing.  And it was perfect timing.  Check out a little sneak-peak she posted on Facebook (I put a couple at the end of this post, too).

Some of my friends from my MBA program at UGA set up a donation site for us. We didn't even know it went up. It's weird to ask for help, so I don't like to do it. Well, they kinda did it for me.  To all my classmates and others who have donated so far, thank you guys!  And thanks Mary Catherine for setting it up.

If you live in Gwinnett, mark your calendars for PIZZA on Monday, Sept 23.  In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Johnny's Pizza in Grayson and Lawrenceville is having a fundraiser night for us.  Big thanks to Kari and Sarah for setting that up, and to Matthew Shelnut and his crew at both locations for their generosity. Spread the word!  Oh, and the Grayson location has Twinklz the clown who will do free face painting and balloon animals.  Should be a great time for families!