Update

February 27, 2010 – arriving in San Francisco

Koret Family House on 1234 10thild Avenue becomes and is a HOME for Kiki, mama Emy and grandma Katia for 5 months already *.

February 27 – March 15 – Kiki gets a treatment of a bad ear infection as an out-patient. The Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) was rescheduled for the end of the month. Two weeks of unexpected waiting, full of mix of feelings: fear from the unknown, fear from the well known, a lot of hope, a lot of love…It was also a time well spent together in one of the most unique and beautiful cities in the US and probably in the world, San Francisco.

March 17 - Kiki gets a PIC line inserted under full anesthesia. He still has it and it is been used for administering drugs, blood products, fluids,for drawing blood and providing nutritional support. Kiki knows well how important it is that the PIC line is clean and protected but still he is very nervous and a bit scared every week, when its dressing needs to be changed. At that time he not only gets the professional and very gentle care by the nurses but also a great emotional support by his favorite child life specialists.

March 18 – Kiki is admitted to UCSF, Long 7, BMT unit, room 735. 12 days of aggressive chemo therapy follow. A combination of very strong medications during the chemo is given in order to destroy the abnormal cells in the patient’s marrow, to weaken his immune system, and to allow the donor cells to grow normally. It also prevents the patient’s body from rejecting the donor cells. A very difficult time with scary allergic reactions and other side effects of the chemo but Kiki handles everything with the only thought: “I’ll be a healthy, strong boy after all this!”

March 31 – The BIG Day, the day of the BMT. Cells from a perfect match unrelated donor are delivered over night on an airplane and slowly infused into Kiki’s body. (Kiki is looking forward for the 2 years required period after the BMT to pass, so he could meet his donor in person, and tell him how thankful he and his family is for his exceptional gift, the gift of life).

March 18 - May 3 - 6 weeks of protective isolation*, 6 weeks of wait for the donor cells to grow in Kiki’s body and begin producing red and white blood cells, and platelets, 6 weeks of specific post BMT treatment.

May 4 - After 47 days Kiki is finally released from the hospital. For the last 3 months he receives post-BMT outpatient treatment. He gets weekly consultations with the BMT doctors and continues to undergo procedures at UCSF PediatricTreatment Center. In addition, he receives medical Home care twice a week. During this time Kiki ends up twice in ER and is hospitalized with some serious health issues.
Things are improving though, slowly but surely, except the total loss of appetite. After loosing some weight, now, finally Kiki is trying to follow up with the dietitians’ advise. Any additional suggestions by his friends, which could improve his appetite, would be highly appreciated by him and his family.
Kiki is looking forward to having his immune system stabilize soon and being able to go home to Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii, where everyone and especially Katie, daddy, grandma Radka and grandpa Emil can’t wait to give him their love in person.
We will keep all Kiki’s friends updated on how the post – BMT treatment goes. We’ll share how he feels, what kind of activities and events ** he is involved in.

Dear wonderful friends, Kiki and his family would love to hear back from you.

“My FRIENDS and my LEGOS are my LIFESAVERS!”, he says.

So please, keep checking once in a while his web site and stay in touch with him! Thanks again!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND CONTINUOS GENEROCITY. YOUR SUPPORT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND HIGHLY APPRECIATED BY KIKI’S FAMILY!

——————————————————————————————————————————————

* During this time Kiki developed the so called “hospital syndrome”, and the first time he got a permission to play in the hallway in front of his room, he refused to do it because of fear he might get some infection.

** This part of the web site is still under construction but will be up soon.The first coming event is Kiki’s LEGO- Land Exhibition on July 26 in St. Anne of the Sunset Church in San Francisco. This will be the beginning of a Travel exhibition of more than 130 LEGO toys. Kiki built them on his own with few only exceptions (when he was very tired from the Chemo but wanted to see them finished). Building LEGOS was and still is, not only a fun play, but an amazing rehabilitation tool, “the main booster” of his emotional condition before, during and after the bone marrow transplant.