Day 52-Day 58

 Day 52-Day 58

5/5 and 5/8 clinic days

WBC: 2.0/2.6

Hemoglobin: 8.2/8.0

ANC: 816/1539

Platelets: 21/17

Generally things are looking up!  Platelets and Hemoglobin are still low, but we went a whole week (this week) with no transfusions of platelets or hemoglobin.  ZiLong has been doing a bit of school over the last week and a half, and when not in school we are always on the search for ways to entertain ourselves.  The week before last we were able to see our friends from the hospital whose daughter also went through a stem cell transplant.  She is just a year older than ZiLong and her brother is a year younger, and the three of them have a great time together! We also spent lots of time with another family who has been staying at the Ronald McDonald house with us, who was also at the hospital with us.  The little boy is a cutie with a ton of energy, and ZiLong has been so great with him.  He really has some serious skills when it comes to little kids, he is super patient with them and really good about getting down to their level to know how to play with them.  This is one way that he is really so similar to Maddie, as she is also just amazing with kids. 

We finished updating ZiLong's beads of courage last week and they are now caught up to his discharge from the hospital.  There are still quite a lot of procedures ahead so they will continue to grow for some time, but it is nice to be caught up to discharge!

I flew to Portland last weekend and was able to watch Violet's last two lacrosse games of the season and enjoy some Portland time with the girls.

  Jeremy took over as "Oakland parent" for the week and managed school and entertainment.  ZiLong reports they went out for boba 4 days out of 5!  It's challenging to find activities that he can do- outside, not around dirt, but it's been hot, no bark chips, no sand, not around other people, etc.  We will definitely be happy when we get through these first 100 days!

Today the girls and I flew down so our family is together again for the first time in 2 months, at least for the next two days!  Tomorrow ZiLong, Maddie and I will go to the Zoo, and Jeremy and Violet will drive to Auburn to see his parents. Unfortunately Auburn is beyond the 30 minute radius ZiLong is allowed to travel, so it will just be the two of them tomorrow.