Happy 8 weeks post-transplant! This is a major milestone for all of us. Mike is currently in Pittsburgh with Lindsey, and she’s acting normal, but we have noticed an infection and the beginning of a rejection episode.
It is completely normal for this to happen around this time, and generally includes a change in medication. She has already been put on an antibiotic to help with the infection, and, though they had taken Lindsey off of the prednisone, she was put back on at the dosage she had at the beginning of February. She will have to decrease the dosage at a slower rate this time, but at least it should help keep the LFTs normal. They also checked her for coagulation factors as well as EBV and CMV which have all come back negative (good).
In other lab news, we have finally got her tacro to a normal level (possibly too high now but we will find out tomorrow). We also had her immunoglobulins checked and they are even higher than last time (good)! Lindsey has been extremely excited since her latest genetics appointment. Her citrulline dosage (from her previous condition but will need to be lifelong) has been cut down by HALF already, and will likely be cut again in a couple of weeks. This was the liquid med that would require 14 pills 3x/day for just that med pre-transplant. Now, she is at 2 pills twice a day and Lindsey loves being off of the liquid medications that she has been on lifelong.
For the rest of our lives, Mike and I have both received our first doses of the COVID vaccine! Mike got his in Pittsburgh, and I got mine in Flat Rock, Michigan. Neither of us has had too severe of a reaction besides a sore arm. Lindsey is eligible for the vaccine in Pennsylvania, but not yet in Michigan. Unfortunately, her immune system is so weak right now that the vaccine wouldn’t even work. She will likely be able to receive it around 3 months post-transplant. Lindsey’s super happy that I gave in and said the dog, Whiskey, can come to Pittsburgh with me for the weekend. Mike will be taking him home after the weekend because our large pup would not do well in the apartment for multiple weeks. Plus, Lindsey keeps thinking he forgot her after all this time, so I can understand her wish for him.
We are incredibly thankful to everyone who has donated to COTA in Lindsey’s honor! We are over halfway to goal and we could not be more grateful. We also appreciate everyone who is following along with Lindsey’s journey. Thank you, all!