Day +37............Somebody is smiling again!

Hello Everyone! I write to you today overjoyed with the progress that Dylan has made in the past few days!! He has been EATING, SMILING, and HAPPY!!! WOWOWOWOWOW!! Praise the Lord!! He is like a new baby!! He has been eating almost an ounce every 4-6 hours. This may seem like a little bit, but it is a HUGE step in the right direction. As we taper down his TPN, he will become hungrier, and therefore eat more and will not need the IV nutrition anymore......the day is coming soon!! He has also been smiling more! A LOT more!! Not back to normal happy D, but getting there!! He was sooooo excited to see and hear from his daddy on Friday night. I have not seen such a huge smile since before transplant and his eyes opened wide to see who was talking to him! He is still not opening his eyes all of the way, all of the time, but again....he is making progress. He has been less grumpy, and he even slept for more than an hour for me last night! WOOO HOOO!! Let's pray I get another night of more than 3 hours of sleep :) His WBC was at 2200 today, which was more than yesterday....and we will continue to pray that it increases. He is still on oxygen...its been about 4 days now. He is on around the clock Lasix to rid his body of fluids, but he is still retaining a lot, therefore making it hard for him to breathe. Maybe tomorrow will be the day he gets off!! Let's pray for that!!!! He is not showing any signs of GVHD (Graft vs Host Disease), and that is a HUGE praise!! One more obstacle out of the way!! God has protected him so much from all of the things that COULD have happened and that often do to those going through transplant. All the more proof that the Lord's hand is holding Dylan through this process.

It has been really nice having Daddy around! I missed my hubby and D missed his Daddy! I feel like more of a family and less of a single mother when Erik is in town. Please pray for him as he is struggling with wanting to devote his time to us, but also trying to provide for us. His business is like a roller coaster (real estate), so please pray that God gives him a clear direction in where he wants him to go. He will be here for the next few days and we will cherish every moment with him. Even if that means me sacrificing the TV and watching sports with him ALL day long....oh how I love football, and more football, and then a little bit more!!

We are getting used to our new routine. Clinic days have been anywhere from 4-6, sometime 7 hours long....and although it seems like it takes forever, at least we are not living in the hospital. Our little Tucson condo is suiting us well also. It is quite comfortable with a lot of amenities of home....such as a fridge!! And washer and dryer! And a bed that is not hospital grade....it's the little things that I appreciate so much!

I talked with yet another family who has a baby with leukemia :( They are a friend of a friend, and they found out about a month ago. Their little one was 6 weeks old when she was diagnosed--her name is Bailey. Please pray for their family as they get ready to endure the biggest struggle of their lives. I will ask her mom if I can post a pic and her website so that you guys can pray for their family and their specific needs. Just 4 months ago I was oblivious to the world of cancer and the effect that it has on it's victims and their loved ones. I never even knew that babies could get cancer. God has opened my eyes to a world of suffering and pain that I never knew about...and maybe he has us enduring this so that we can be an encourager to other families who feel like their worlds are falling apart. God has given us another glimpse into His plan....and although we feel that we will NEVER understand....we will continue to walk by faith. This is the HARDEST trial.....and we appreciate all of your prayers and support.

Have a blessed week, and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE,....hug and kiss your kids and loved ones relentlessly...they are healthy and alive and NEVER take that for granted.

Love,

Michelle, Erik, and baby D