Numbers, Numbers

This morning it was Kate's turn to get blood drawn. Quite a different thing from Lab trips with Liz....

Kate has cried for days about not wanting to go and the tears started again this morning. She has such a fear of needles and blood and I am sure she has issues that come from watching her sister go through so much. I am proud of her for getting it done.
I would appreciate prayer for Kate. You may remember that in January, she had abnormal labs that actually looked like Liz's. She was even admitted and then referred to Hem/Onc for follow up. Two weeks after abnormal labs, her blood work looked good and we were grateful and just moved on.
For the past four-five weeks, she's had some awful bruising and it has made me a bit nervous. I mentioned it to the pediatrician during one of Lizzie's visits, and she wants to check Kate's counts. Kate was sick with a sinus infection a few weeks ago, and infection can lower platelet counts, so I have been waiting to get labs until she was better because I want the truest read of her labs.

Though the bruising makes me nervous, I know that Kate is throwing her body around during practice three days a week and that could very well be the cause. Still, it echos in my mind that the doctors have all said that if Kate was going to present like Liz, it should happen around this time. They are identical twins, but Walter and I have elected not to "chase" anything with Kate; meaning, we have chosen not to go looking for issues with her through testing.
Anyway, prayer is appreciated please.

Speaking of blood work...... Liz had her home nurse come today to do PICC line care and draw blood, but I put a stop to the blood draw. Her Pediatrician thinks that we can wait until June 12 to get more labs, and I agree. Taking so much blood each week is a bit much and she's anemic for goodness sake- she doesn't need blood taken away anymore than is absolutely necessary. Plus, she is going to the Hem/Onc today, and they will do a finger stick for basic blood counts, so we'll know those numbers.
I was proud of myself for speaking up and saying "NO MORE BLOOD!" : )
Liz was weighed today and she has lost more weight. Boo!
 Gosh, so much talk about numbers around here! Numbers of cells, number in weight, number in blood counts. Numbers, numbers! Speaking of numbers- we give her HANDSOME home nurse that visited today a perfect 10! Wowza, he was cute!