I was glad to hear the exact numbers for Valery's labs. One number that really stuck out was her GGT. Just a week ago it was 79, and now is 18! (they like to see it under 50). So this is GREAT! Coinciding with that her bilirubin, and ALT were so completely LOW and NORMAL! I was not so glad to hear her AST was elevated though. It was hovering around 80. But at the same time, glad now that I know why this number is elevated.
So the number is elevated because Val's been having some diarrhea, and has had the most AWFUL diaper rash. It is kind of blistery really. She's had it since yesterday late afternoon, and we have tried 3 different creams, and have tried other things. So I called her transplant nurse, and she called Nystatin cream to the local pharmacy. So finally she will get some relief. And about the diarrhea, her nurse said there definitely is a GI bug going around that she's had other parents call her about. And to give it about a week to run it's course. So thankfully there is an explanation for her number being elevated :) and that is probably why the AST does get elevated off and on because Valery does get random little 'bugs'.
Okay so the attentive, worried, cautious, and guarded mommy that I am, has read on the news that there is a measles out break. It is in 15 states, and is the worst one in 10 years. This could definitely be fatal for immunosuppressed children like Valery. And well it is HIGHLY contagious and you can just catch it by sneezing or coughing. So the most effective way to prevent it is with the MMR vaccine. Valery did not receive at her 15 month checkup because we talked with her pediatrician and it is in fact a LIVE vaccine. And well we thought for sure that a transplant recipient like Val cannot get a live vaccine. Well this is true for some, and lots of transplant centers do not let their patients get the live vaccines, but Children's has enough experience with this that her team is fine with her getting the MMR and Chickenpox vaccine! YAY! I was getting so worried with the measle outbreak and all. So we are taking her tomorrow to get it.
Thank you to everyone who keeps up with Valery and how she is doing. It makes it more worthwhile for me to keep the updates going.