Day +287
Sam overcomes again and again. A few days after my last post Sam tested positive for Covid, he recovered fairly well but his illness delayed his entry back into school. He spent a couple of good months at school and then tested positive for Influenza while on Spring break in Utah. The flu hit him really hard and he ended up developing pneumonia, all of which kept him out of school for a full week. He has had a lot of good health since then and his skin continues to improve. The GVHD is now very light and is only on his scar tissue.

Sam has joined the ultimate frisbee team at school and also made it into a school production called Center Stage. He is busy and having a great time. His body is still rebuilding and he still needs rest, but he is getting stronger and stronger!

Sam's doctors re-ran his chimera test and found that the 2nd part of his immune system is growing and is now at 91%, up from 73% in January! We are so happy! His skin is looking great, his new immune system has fought both covid and influenza and he is physically able to do more and more. 
He was able to stop taking his immune suppressant medications last week and now his immune system is allowed to grow unfettered. His pill count has gone down from 22per day to 8per day and in a month that will decrease again. 

Exciting news: Sam has been granted a wish by Make-A-Wish Minnesota and has chosen to go to Florida!! We are so grateful for Make-A-Wish, and hope that this helps heal some of the trauma by enjoying this time off together and create lasting memories.

We will return to Maryland in the end of July to do a 1 year follow-up, I can't believe we are getting so close to that milestone!
Sending you all love ❤