Puzzle Pieces

Rowan's complicated medical history is like a puzzle with lot of little pieces. I'm going to try to explain what's going on as best I can...

B Cells make antibodies for your body.
The antibodies attack potentially dangerous viruses, other harmful pathogens, etc. to prevent you from getting sick.
The Rituximab treatment wiped out all of Rowan's B Cells. (She had antibodies that were attacking her own Red Blood Cells- and causing her to need tons of blood transfusions!)
So, now that the antibody that was doing the damage has been sent packing along with the B Cells that were making it, Ro is left with a very suppressed immune system.
(She also is immune suppressed from the steroids and the ProGraf.)

Now, Rowan has hypoimmunoglobulinemia. (Antigen and immunoglobulin are basically the same thing, just different word.)
This means that she has a very low amount of antigens/immunoglobulins in her body.... They "low" number on the lab work is 450. Rowan is 126.

Well, Duh- We just wiped all that stuff out!

In other children, they may watch levels and do nothing in hopes that everything would correct on it's own. But with Rowan, they don't want to take chances.

It's not good if Ro gets an infection, because that upsets her liver transplant, the medications, and we don't want rejection to start... yadda yadda yadda.

So!
We will be packing up and heading to Houston for an IVIG infusion on Wednesday.

The IVIG is IV immunoglobulin G. Basically, now Ro is going to get back some antibodies back that we killed off.


These are her "eyes" on her face.



Determined to get brodie's name tag.



JUMPING






Who knew diapers were so funny...









And I forgot to mention: the IVIG infusion should last anywhere from 3-6 hours... So NO admission! Yay!

Until then, we are staying self quarantined at the house! :)

PSS- Rowan has graduated to sleeping throughout the night!!! Amen!!! She. Is. Awesome.