Marcia's News for January 21th

Hello Everyone:

Marcia continues to hang in there through this incredibly long and difficult process.

As of now the Graft-Versus-Host Disease(GVHD)has slightly returned in her digestive tract. Another issue that she had last October has come back as well and unfortunately the treatments for each of these "counteract" each other so they are watching them carefully but not heavily treating either of them for the moment.

Then Tina noticed a very slight change in her respiration that, after more diagnostic work, turned out to be a bacteria in her blood. It was a very good early catch on Tina's part and that is being treated. Tina's being there all this time has really been a benefit... one morning Marcia had a seizure - after much diagnostic work they still don't know why - that Tina discovered well before any of the staff would have and was able to get fast help with.

Much testing has been done in terms of the transplant itself and most of that is not back yet. We'll let you know what that shows however early indications are that the transplant itself is doing well and/but the secondary or side-effects of it are what are creating the enormous challenges she is struggling with right now.

In addition all of the medications and the combinations of them have made Marcia extremely weak so that she has been working hard on her physical and occupational therapy but both are tremendously difficult and exhausting for her. As we can only just imagine she is pretty discouraged right now, mostly due to her complete lack of ability to move independently.

We ask that you continue to keep Marcia and her entire family in your thoughts and prayers. This has been an unbelievable journey for all of them and they are nowhere near past the challenges yet.

Thanks to you all,
Marcia's Family

[Writer's comment... How about a little 'get well and we're thinking about you' card campaign?!? Let's see how many wonderful cards and messages we can send to Marcia McNulty at University of Washington Medical Center, Room 8216, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195]