Dear Idan’s Army,
It’s been a while since we last checked in with you all. We wanted to thank you again for all your support, and let you know how everything has been going.
After three weeks of pre-transplant tests, we checked into Seattle Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, October 16th, for Idan’s bone marrow transplant. Idan received five days of chemotherapy and handled it like a champ. He received his new bone marrow through an IV infusion on October 23rd, and was in the hospital for several weeks. We were discharged on Tuesday, November 19th. Since then we have spent most of our days going back and forth to the outpatient clinic for frequent follow up visits and occasional “scares” (issues with the central line, stomach issues, etc.), but all in all, Idan is doing very well. He ate, laughed, and played right through transplant and continues to thrive outside the hospital.
We expect to be in Seattle for at least two more months for continued close follow-up care, both to monitor Idan’s new immune system, and to make sure we are aggressively treating any signs of infection, viruses, or GvHD (graft v. host disease). It is still too early to know whether the donor cells will make a permanent home in Idan’s bone marrow, but by Day 100 (100 days post-transplant), we should have a good idea whether or not the transplant was a success. Regardless, it will be at least a year until his immune system is fully functioning. Until then, we continue to follow the same strict protocols to keep him away from germs and pollutants so he remains healthy.
On a very positive note, with your help and support, we have reached our fundraising goal! We are relieved to be able to focus entirely on Idan’s health and well being, and are tremendously grateful to all of you who have donated and encouraged your friends and family to donate as well. So many of the donations came from complete strangers, but you are not strangers anymore. You are all part of this fight to save Idan’s life, and you have all made a huge difference in his quality of life and care. Thank you.
Although our fundraising page on www.youcaring.com/fundraiseforidan is still online, we have moved all updates to our blog, www.idanmyhero.com, and our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/helpfight4idan.
Lots of love,
Amanda, Akiva & Idan