Day Zero -Transplant Day!

Elle received her transplant of donor stem cells today.  Prior to the infusion, the BMT chaplain, LaDonna came to lead a Blessing Ceremony for Elle and Elle's cells.  The ceremony was beautiful.  The chaplain prepared programs.  We each played a role and read some passages, everyone was moved to tears, it seemed.  Love spilled out of each prayer and Psalm. 




Pastor Dale from Normandale Lutheran, along with Karin and Marlyce came to be a part of the Blessing Ceremony and transplant



All of the family present annointed and blessed Elle, even Chloe

The chaplain gave Chloe this beautiful prayer shawl to pray for her sister



Grandma and GG gave it a try too

The stem cells came and the insusion started at noon and finished at just after 1 PM.  Elle's nurse, Natalie, TOLD Elle that the infusion would be uneventful, and so Elle complied.  She did "urp" a little before and after, but not a lot and didn't seem to bother her much.  She is starting to retain fluid though, so they are weighing her, her diapers, and checking blood pressures frequently. 


Her stem cells: A+  and appropriate because it is a PERFECT unrelated DONOR match, 8 of 8

Stefan, releasing the roller clamp, starting her cell infusion and the beginning of a new life for Elle

Cells going into our baby to take over and make her skin better and stronger than it was before

A protective angel holding a butterfly from Mama, Daddy, and Chloe to help carry her until she can fly on her own!



Elle, Mama, Chloe, Daddy, Pastor Dale, Grandma, and GG

Nurses came in with ballons, presents, and a signed card

Elle, surrounded with gifts, love, and prayers

Even Chloe got gifts and baloons!

Once the cells were flowing, all the Docs came in to assess and peek at her

Smiles easily at baloons and Mama and Daddy



Mary (orienting) and Natalie were her nurses today





Letting every last cell flow in via gravity



Marlyce from church hugs stefan in congratulations


 

 

Now we just await the MSC (Mesenchymal cells)* which will be infused very soon now as the other part of the protocol.  The MSC help the tissues that are already affected and rush to their aid to help them heal. FYI, neither the stem or mesenchymal cells are embryonic

Too boring for Elle, she had to snooze, little angel. Grow cells, grow!

*Mesenchymal stem cell - An undifferentiated cell found in mesenchyme and capable of differentiating into various specialized connective tissues.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types[1], including: osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and adipocytes (fat cells). This has been shown in ex vivo cultures and in vitro or in vivo.

Stromal cells are connective tissue cells that form the supportive structure in which the functional cells of the tissue reside. While this is an accurate description for one function of MSCs, the term fails to convey the relatively recently-discovered roles of MSCs in the repair of tissue

Mesenchymal Cell

She did very well, but just developed a fever of 99.2 axillary (armpit) after the Mesenchymal Cells -her dad cools her with a wet cloth while the PM nurse tries her blood pressure

Great news! Baby Daylon, who we followed daily way back early in his transplant process is going home right now well to RMH anyway, but his hospital stay is over -yay!