Second Clinic Visit - Amazing News!

In Short:

Results: Newt count: 2,900  (yes, you are reading that correctly!)
Platelets: completely normal (don't even recall the number)
Weight: 9lbs 8oz
Age: 1 month today 

In Long:
On Monday Arthur and I trucked over to C-Ville for our 1:30 appt. The nurse had a bit of a time getting blood, that is to say, it clotted three times so they had to draw blood from a vein rather than do the finger prick. He was not pleased with any of it - this time he cried for all of it, but I just comforted him the best I could knowing he'd be just fine when it was over.

Thanks Aunt Becca for all my stylish clothes!

 Then  we waited and waited and waited for the results (changed two diapers and one onesie, nursed, held Arthur while he slept, texted, ate some pb and j...waited).

We suspected his platelets were doing just fine based on the above mentioned clotting issue, but of course we couldn't tell anything about the "newts" (again this is my completely non-scientific, non-medical-jargon term for neutrophils). I always try to prepare myself for a "zero" or low number... that way I'm shocked if it's higher than the last count. Nothing could have prepared me for what news his doctor returned with - 2,900! His neutrophil count was 2,900 - well in normal range!

"Arthur and his neutrophils rising"  - Thank you Bethany - I love this drawing!

I know it may sound crazy, but I keep wondering what if she misread or there was some mistake in counting - what if they call later to tell me of this mistake? But it does seem to be really what happened yesterday - no one has called yet to change this number!

So what does this mean? Are my antibodies gone already? Well, that's just it -that's the only catch - we don't know. It could be the affect of the IVIg which only lasts about 5-6 weeks. IVIg helps by essentially confusing things in the bloodstream enough so that my antibodies can't find my neutrophils (that's a super-weak explanation but it's the best I can do right now, as Myers and I barely understand it and even what medicine "knows" about how IVIg works is only theoretical).

Could it be the GCS-F that accounts for the high number? The doctor explained that it is not currently doing anything since his last shot was over a week ago and the effects of GCS-F are not that lasting. However, Myers and I wonder if perhaps it helped by stimulating the newts so much that he made neutrophils as fast as he lost them via the antibodies, which in turn helped to exhaust the number of antibodies in his blood much sooner than would have occurred if his bone marrow was left to it's own lumbering pace. The antibodies, if you recall, are destroyed in the process of destroying the newts, it's a one for one ratio - so it seems to us a strong possibility that the stimulation from the GCS-F helped decrease the number of my antibodies simply by making so many netws for my antibodies. 

As we have no way of knowing if this is just a temporary "bump" or if he is all set and will maintain an normal newt count from here on out, Arthur will still need weekly counts. He will be seen one more time at the UVA clinic (next Monday) and then followed here in H'Burg by his pediatrician for his blood counts.

Thanks cousin 'Em - I like my Halloween shirt!

As for how we care for him - much the same - keep him away from sick people and don't bring him in big crowds (normal newborn care as described by his doctors). I feel SO much relief - and awe at how quickly we are at this number - however, we know that something happened to Gwen quite suddenly at two months old so we still are going to keep being extra cautious even if his counts stay up.

I pressed the hematologist again yesterday and she explained that she saw the autopsy and she just has no explanation as to what happened to Gwen. She told me that, in her opinion, Gwen's death was too quick even for neutropenia to be an contributing factor and that Gwen's count that day of 800 newts- which was respectable enough that she shouldn't have succumb that quickly. 

So, as it stands, I'm realizing that the answers really just are not out there and it will never be settled and anyway, even with answers, it will never really settle for us... but nonetheless, I'm still suspicious that somehow her neutropenia could have been a factor. I just can't help but wonder...

As for life, we are trying to get into a groove - my parents will leave Thursday and then it remains to be seen just how I'll get anything done - as Lillian really isn't okay with me having to pay attention to the baby so anything besides being with Lil or Arthur, well, it will be a challenge to figure out how to keep afloat! Lillian is not resentful of Arthur, thank goodness - often she will ask to hold him which is always so sweet...but she isn't thrilled that I'm a bit less available, to say the least (I'm not surprised about this situation at all, but I need to work on having grace for her lack thereof!). Hopefully things will settle with time...

Arthur is now four weeks old. He is sometimes really fussy (see p.s. below) and sometimes full of smiles and most often just wants to sleep and grow... so all in all, he's a normal, healthy, wonderful little guy!

 p.s. .... sorry it took so long to share this news on the blog (I know some people have been checking in...wondering the news). Arthur really has been fussy (crying a lot and seeming to be very uncomfortable when he is awake) since Monday evening...into this morning when I'm finally finishing this post (is it gas, is it reflux?? ...I don't know but whatever it is, it's not fun, poor little guy).