About a week and a half ago, Sarah started a sharp and steady decline in her motor skills. Perhaps it felt like so drastic because the four weeks prior were the best we'd seen Sarah in a year. We called the doctor and he suggested we push up her next treatment by a couple weeks, asking us to come in again for another IVig treatment. We think this is what is helping Sarah do better, but as soon as the drug wears off (usually around 4 weeks), her symptoms come back quickly.
The fact that this particular drug is helping so drastically is both good and bad. Good, because they have found what is helping her. Bad, because they don't know really WHY it's helping her. The bad antibodies that are in her blood stream (originally from the cancer) should be fought off by your own body's immune system. However, Sarah's isn't doing that. So, the IVig treatment is basically taking 10,000 different blood samples, extracting out the immunoglobulins from each, and injecting all of them into Sarah's body. All these other immunoglobulins are fighting the bad antibodies. So, this is good, but its kind of like a band-aid to the real problem. Jen asked the doctor about the long term implications, and was told that IVig is can be a long term maintenance type of drug for other ailments.
We are very grateful that this particular drug is working. We pray that it keeps working. Ultimately, we pray that Sarah's own immune system will "kick in" and start fighting on its own.
Disclaimer: all the "doctor" talk is simply my attempt to communicate what has been told to me. So if you are a real doctor or nurse, feel free to correct any of my lame explanations.
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3 comments:
i know what you want is a total cure...that is what we all want for sarah. at least the ivig is working and can be used long term. keep it up...we know all too well the temptations when progress isn't sustained. thinking of you often....the allen's
we continue to pray for your girlie...
We are praying for you. I know these "bumps" in the road can be discouraging, but we are praying that God will continue to show His faithfulness and love to Sarah and the family during the "bumps." Isn't it comforting to know that the Lord is completely sovereign?
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