Even in a storm, it can't rain forever.......

With sincere gratitude, we report that Meghan is through the worst of the meningitis. Her fever broke last night, and also the head/neck ache dissipated. She finally slept well, for the first time in almost a week. It was so nice to see her sleeping peacefully, without wet washcloths over her eyes, around her neck and soaking into to her PJs. She woke up, ate a good breakfast and asked if she could join the other kids in the Resource Room to play St. Patrick's Day BINGO. She even won a "Life is Good" hat which she wore all day today. The three of us agreed: "Life is really good for the Kleinleins".

After lunch, she went back to the Resource Room where Mrs Free was making holiday crafts. What wonderfully kind and patient volunteers are in the hospital. Mrs Free was Meghan's left hand so that she could complete her craft while the doctors spoke to Stephan and I.

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We have had 3 blessings today. The first is an answer to prayer. The Rickman Resevoir was growing a bacterium--a particularly stubborn one, so Infectious Disease immediately changed her IV antibiotics as the current protocol was not killing this bacterium. We are grateful because this knowledge guarantees success.

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Our second blessing was the news that the fenestration of the tumor (removing the fluid) was a success. The tumor is now 60%-70% smaller thanks to the ability of MGH to have very specific tools like the metallic cautizer, and the skill of the surgeon who used that tool so effectively. The tumor is unable to heal the hole that he burned, so the tumor walls collapsed in on themselves. (the body is so amazing that the tumor will manage to eventually heal itself). The surgeon told us "I haven't changed anything on the microbiology of the tumor itself but in removing the fluid, I have set the brain up for healing." Thank you for guiding us to this man. We both feel that we have been led to Boston: The medical resources here are fabulous when you have a complex brainstem glioma like Meghan's.

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Our third blessing is a more subjective one. We removed the Rickman Resevoir because the consensus was that it was the source of the meningitis. Yet 24 hours after this surgery, Meghan has been able to lift her left arm to shoulder height, and she is able to lightly grasp items with the left fingers. This is truly a miracle. The neurosurgeon felt that it was probable that the catheter which extended into the third ventricle, could have been contributing to the left side weakness. Daily, we ask for divine guidance to make decisions that are in Meghan's best interest. In retrospect, if we had made different choices, we might never have removed the resevoir--and Meghan might have been left with some left-sided weakness that we would have attributed to two seizures and a myriad of brain surgeries. The moral of the story is to ask for divine guidance, and then trust your heart--even when it's not logical.

Our final good news of the day is that we were discharged today, and we were immediately transfered back to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital . So yes, blessing #4 was that they saved our bed!).

This is perhaps the first ambulance ride where Meghan, Stephan and I are completely at peace!