Almost feels normal...

Well, tonight we have some good news and some good news.


The first good news is about Levi's counts. We got a call from the doctor this morning with the results from Levi's blood test yesterday. He is maintaining his platelets and hemoglobin levels, which is pretty good considering many patients need blood or platelet transfusions while they're on their "breaks" in between rounds. His white blood cell count is continuing to rise, and it is getting pretty close to the normal range. Finally, his ANC finally hit the jump we were waiting for. When he left the hospital last Friday, his count was 136. His ANC count yesterday was 836. That's a huge improvement, and actually takes him out of the neutropenic precaution range. We are still going to avoid public places and try to keep him from playing in the mud, but I think I can probably stop freaking out so much every time someone sniffles. The faint aroma of Germ-X hand sanitizer will continue to linger around this house for quite a while.

The next piece of good news is that we get to keep him here until Monday. Originally, there was a chance that we would have to take him back to Riley tomorrow to start his second round, but the doctor wants to do a bone marrow test before his second round starts, and he feels that giving him time to fully recover will give us more accurate results. Sounds great to us - this means that we get to spend the rest of the week AND the weekend together! The home healthcare nurse is coming back out on Thursday to do another blood draw, but other than that he's pretty much just living the normal little boy life for now. So, we have big plans to do - well, nothing really, just love on our kids and try to rest up before kicking off Act II. I do think I am on the hook to finish the kids' swing set, and I probably should mow sometime, but other than that it is going to be a nice time together.

Levi is doing very well here at home. His appetite is continuing to grow, and he's now eating more than Caylee. He's playing hard, and even took a few steps for us tonight. He seemed excited at his accomplishment, so I expect many more to follow. His smile is infectious, his demeanor uplifted, and his level of comfort palpable. Caylee is enjoying having her bubby home; everything seems almost normal at times while they are chatting back and forth in that language only they know and arguing over who gets to play with what toys.

Well, they are both sound asleep in bed now, so time to pick out a movie and enjoy some quiet time with my beautiful wife. As always, thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement. They are felt and very much appreciated. Thank you also for the meals that have been brought by, it is amazing how much easier that makes our evenings. We are surrounded by a great group of family and friends, and you'll never know how much we truly love and appreciate you all. We will continue to keep you posted on our little buddy!

God bless,
Michael, Stephanie, Caylee, and little Levi