01/25/06 - GREAT NEWS!!! Hannah's bone marrow aspiration went VERY WELL today and Hannah is BACK HOME!!! Although a bit tired and in some discomfort (to be expected) Hannah made it through with NO COMPLICATIONS. Hannah's blood work today was even MORE ENCOURAGING. Her blood results seemed to be leveling out a bit more NORMAL. These results are making the doctors LEAN more to the conclusion that Hannah my have some type of VIRAL INFECTION, like mononeuclosis. Nothing is yet CONFIRMED. BUT things seem more ENCOURAGING. The bone marrow aspiration today will be the DEFINITIVE ANSWER but until those results come in the doctors are able to perform another test on Hannah's blood. This test will be able to tell us if Hannah STILL has more donor cells THAN her own. Because Hannah's donor was a male they can ACTUALLY determine which cells are male and which are female. ISN'T THAT AMAZING!!!!!These results should be received in about 2 days. Thank you all for your prayers. They ARE working!!!!!

01/24/06 - Some ENCOURAGING NEWS today. The blood test results were not as drastic as the doctors had anticipated. Although they were ELEVATED they were expecting the results to be much higher and more conclusive. Because the results were not definitive Hannah will be going in tomorrow for a Bone Marrow Aspirtation. This will determine whether she is having a relapse. If all goes well after the aspiration and she doesn't develop a fever she will come home later the same day. The DRAWBACK to this test is that the results WILL NOT be available for 2-6 weeks. As we continue to wait for the news let's keep Hannah in our prayers. The doctors did say that there are also certain VIRUSES that could be altering her blood levels in the same way. Let's HOPE AND PRAY that's all it is. Another GOOD NOTE, IF NEEDED there is still enough bone marrow left from Hannah's ANGEL donor to give her a TOP UP , which MAY BE all she needs. Because of the INTENSITY of the chemo Hannah received before her Bone Marrow Transplant in July it is not ABLE TO BE GIVEN for a full year following transplant. The TOP UP of donor bone marrow can be given without chemotherapy, IF REQUIRED. Let's all remain POSITIVE and PRAY for the BEST results possible!!! GOOD LUCK TOMMORROW HANNAH!!!!WE LOVE YOU!!!!

01/23/06 - HANNAH NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing has been confirmed yet, BUT Hannah's blood work on Thursday showed some irregularities. She went back for blood work today and the counts were VERY concerning. Tomorrow some more extensive blood tests will be run to CONFIRM or RULE OUT what the doctor's are suspecting. These abnormal counts have been similar to Hannah's 1st diagnosis of J.M.M.L. BUT the doctors HAVE NOT confirmed that she has had a relapse. They believe it may be one of three things: The medication she has been on, the recent infection of her lip, or the UNTHINKABLE!!! We do not want to speculate or think the worst before we have all the facts BUT Karen & Stephen need your prayers TONIGHT!!! It was one year ago next week that Hannah was diagnosed with J.M.M.L. and it is NOT something they want to relive again. Especially when things ARE going so well. So please PRAY for Hannah that her test goes well tomorrow and everything is FINE! BE STRONG!!! GOD IS WITH YOU ALL!!!!!!!

01/16/06 - Just had some EXCITING NEWS to share. On FEBRUARY 2ND Hannah's CENTRAL LINE wil be COMING OUT!!! All Hannah's blood work has been coming back AMAZING. She will have her FINAL blood draw from her central line on February 1st. WAY TO GO HANNAH. No news yet as to the date the G-TUBE will be coming out, but it won't be much longer after that. Hannah will be looking forward to her first SPLASH in the BATH in a LONG TIME. Just in time for the SUMMER SWIMMING.

01/14/06 - Everything's well again!! Hannah, Mommy & baby Jacob are all home and enjoyed their first night all together with Daddy & Emily. The NEW Elias family, now COMPLETE!!

01/12/06 - It was a bit of a DISSAPPOINTING day today. Hannah was going to be able to visit her mom & baby brother at the hospital but had to go to Sick Kids for an unexpected CHECK UP. Hannah had a small cold sore on her lip which over the past few days became worse. Karen & Steve were concerned and Steve took Hannah to have it checked out THIS MORNING. Unfortunately the cold sore was infected and Hannah had to be admitted for a few days of IV antibiotics. The good news is that Hannah was able to be transfered to Credit Valley tonight for the few days of IV therapy where Mommy & Jacob are so she will not be far away. Karen will have the chance to see Hannah tomorrow as Stephen will be spending the night with her tonight. Hannah will have to wait PATIENTLY to meet her new baby brother. It won't be long Hannah, keep strong and you'll be able to hold Jacob VERY SOON.

CONGRATULATIONS HANNAH!!

01/11/06 - CONGRATULATIONS HANNAH!! You're new baby BROTHER has arrived. Jacob Stephen Elias was born at 8:38 this morning weighing 8lbs and was 20.5 inches in length. Mom and baby are doing GREAT!! I bet you can't wait to see him and give him a BIG HUG. After this long, hard year Jacob's birth is a new beginning, a new start to a GREAT year to come for you and your WHOLE family. I'm sure you'll be an AMAZING big sister to him, just as you are to Emily.

01/04/06 - IT'S THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS!!!!!!! Hannah had an AMAZING Christmas being at home and the NEW YEAR could not have started any better. Hannah went for her blood work today at Sick Kids and she is in 100% REMISSION!! She no longer has a nurse coming to the house everyday. She does not need any IV medications. She only has to go to the hospital in 2 weeks for blood work and check up and after the next visit if all remains well she only has to go every few MONTHS! HOW INCREDIBLE!!! Hannah's progress and recovery has been so tremendous and unexpected. Thanks to ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS Hannah is enjoying life again. In the next 4-6 weeks Hannah will also have her central line and feeding tube REMOVED. Things could not be any better. We would like to thank EACH and every one of you who have PRAYED for Hannah, SENT GIFTS, KEPT UP with her PROGRESS and have made INCREDIBLE DREAMS COME TRUE. All of you have had a hand in Hannah's successful recovery. You are all so special to us. And to Hannah's Angel Donor whom without you Hannah may not have been here to see this wonderful NEW YEAR we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You will be forever in our prayers. Hannah's story has touched many peoples lives and her great success in fighting this disease has inspired many. You can read about Hannah's story as she is featured this month on the Hospital for Sick Kids website at www.sickkidsfoundation.com Things are really coming together for Hannah and her family and it could not have come at a better time. Hannah is going to be a big sister (again) on January 11, 2006 as Karen and Stephen will have their new baby. Best of luck to the whole Elias family for a HEALTHY AND HAPPY 2006!!!