Weekend at Stanford

The weekend has arrived and Sulwen will have a chance to rest. Yesterday brought many tests and exams to monitor and continue with diagnosing her illness. It was a tough day on everyone. She slept last night and is finding comfort in the arms of her mother and continual presence of her father. The family is hoping to establish as much peace and tranquility as possible over the weekend to restore Sulwen and themselves to a calmer and more rested place.

Sulwen will be monitored closely and will have ongoing lab work done to ensure proper care. The Rheumatology team is taking the lead on Sulwen's case, to the approval and support of her parents. They feel these doctors are caring, communicative and excellent. In fact, the department is world-renowned. Although they cannot diagnose Sulwen definitively yet, Rheumatology is leading her care because her symptoms present mostly like Still's Disease, also known as Systemic Junior Idiopathic Arthritis. At this point, it is imperative that they rule out other illnesses, like cancer and infectious diseases so that she receives the proper treatment. The deductive diagnosis process is critical so that any treatment is the proper one, as treating her for the wrong illness could have negative ramifications. This means we wait, take one step and test at a time and move towards a more conclusive diagnosis.

To that end, the Oncology team will have bone marrow test results on Monday which will help rule out several forms of cancer. In addition, Infectious Disease also will monitor her blood work and lab tests. At this time, there are no other major tests scheduled. The goal now is to get as much rest as they can, monitor Sulwen closely and provide as much comfort as possible to her and her parents.

Tanna and Stephen send out their love and gratitude to all who have been in touch with them and with our families.