ANC 1156 (normal 2,000-6600)
Plate 286 (normal 140-440)
Hemoglobin 11.7 (11.0-15.0)

Another clinic day with good counts. Today we were able to get away with just a finger poke. Eli is such a big boy when it comes to those. He fusses a little, but then it is over and he is just fine. Because we were so quick at clinic we went ahead and had an echocardiagram and and EKG. They need baseline pics in case the steroids he starts on next week affect his heart. That wasn't much fun, especially the "stickies" for the EKG. They don't hurt at all, but Eli hates anything like that. But it was really efficient for MUSC and we were done in about an hour.

I am getting a little scared of starting on these steroids. Apparently this is the only place in the entire treatment where all of the children have the same (bad) reactions to them. There are no parents that say that this didn't have a negative impact on the way the children act. That coupled with the fact that Eli is a two year old with regular two year old stuff and you have "SAVAGE SPAWN"!!! So please pray next week for this.

Eli continues to amaze me with his amazing strength and adaptability. I wish sometimes he was able to give me some!!

Love to all of you..I probably won't write this week unless something comes up....this is our one week completely free of chemo in a while and for a while....

Maria

Please continue to pray for Charlie and Elijah, two little boys trying to fight this beast!!