Happy Easter!!

Dear Fods,

We are sorry for the delay in posting and thank you for trying to keep up with the blog even though we have not been holding up our end of the bargain.

Debbie has "held her own" over the past 6 weeks. She had a long bout of sinusitis (3-4 weeks)multiple visits to the ENT with no relief. Finally, they changed the antibiotics and the last round of meds seems to have done the trick and the sinusitis has seemed to have subsided. That is still not the case with the labrynthitis and she continues to have the "wobbles" and still cannot hear in her right ear. Debbie has started physical therapy to help her to learn how to cope with the damage to her right inner ear nerve. As I understand it, the left inner ear nerve can learn how to do double duty and make this problem a little more bearable.

The dacogen treatments appear to be working for Debbie. Before the latest round of dacogen (round 3) she actually had a platelet count of 160,000! She has not been that high since before the initial diagnosis. She has not needed platelets in about six weeks -- which is another record. Plus, they are administering the dacogen at home -- which has made this easier on everyone. Round 4 is scheduled to start this Tuesday and will run through Saturday. She will have 3 weeks off and then on for a week, etc. They are planning 9 rounds of dacogen and a BMB after the sixth round. This treatment appears to be working and but for the new ailments, Debbie appears to be in pretty good shape.

Allison, Izzie, Jess, Christian and Emma all came up for a visit last weekend and we had a great time. We had an Easter egg hunt in our yard and took the kids for pictures with the Easter bunny -- although only Izzie could sit still for the shot! Emma cried and Christian ran out the back door. If Izzie could have walked she would have probably left too, but she was the captive audience for the Easter bunny.

Debbie felt well enough to make the trip to Virginia and we are presently visiting with Walid, Jess and the kids for the holiday. We will be home tomorrow morning.

Thanks again for your never ending blogs, cards and prayers. They mean the most to us.

Debbie sends her love to all.