Going up!!

Things are finally beginning to look up. Nevan's fever broke and has not been back for over 48hrs, his rash has gone down, his lips are healing nicely and has begun to eat again. A true sign he is feeling better? He smiled and even laughed yesterday.... For so many weeks even the attempt to tickle him brought out grunts and groans, but yesterday it was an out right giggle... Best sound ever! He was also expected to be transfused both blood and platelettes today, but his marrow has kicked into high gear and brought both levels up on his own!

Nevan has been weaned off his morphine now and this morning I am bugging the nurses to send us home. I have asked twice already and it is only 9:30am. Of course the decision isn't theirs, it is up to Nevan's oncologist, but the nurses can be pretty persuasive so I'll hit them first.

Nevan needs to go home. He has had enough of this place and it has taken everything I can think of to keep his spirits up. We downloaded some new games on the iPad, I got him hooked on Pinterest (the funny animal pics crack him up) and we took the sheets off the bed and built a fort using his IV pole and Vitals Cart. (this lasted until someone else needed the vitals cart and the nurse had to change Nevan's IV bags... But fun while it lasted!).  I even did the ever so popular "drop the ball and pretend to go down the stairs to get it' at the foot of his bed - always a big hit!  I am running out if gimmicks however and Nevan is tuning out of patience. When he was sick, he seemed to understand why he was here, but now that he is feeling better, he just doesn't get it.

His appetite has come back with a vengeance and with no steroids! He is feeling the sores in his stomach now and he chooses to sooth the discomfort by eating as much and as often as he can... The best part? The noodle cravings have switched to salad! Crunchy salad loaded with Kraft Ranch dressing (made the mistake of giving him Hellmans once... Didn't fly!)

If we do get to head home today I suspect that we will see some brighter days from here. The next two weeks are free of chemo to give Nevan a break and we only have a few oral meds to administer. After that we will start to treat his Central Nervous System and he will be sedated twice a week for 2 weeks. They will also begin his intramuscular injections, the first of 30 he is receive.

During some of the darker times, we told Nevan about the fundraiser 'party' that is being put together for him.  He has been asking to go to his party ever since. He doesn't understand that it is weeks away and we don't want to get him overly excited in case it turns out he can't go.  Even if he feels well, it will depend in his counts... We may take him over during set up and let him roam before the event starts.

Cute Story of the Day
Nevan starts whimpering and fussing around 1:00am
Me: "Nevan, what's wrong?"
Nevan "Noone's rubbing my back!"
Me: "Pardon?"
Nevan: "I woke up, now I am trying to go back to sleep..... Someone should be rubbing my back!"
Me: "is that someone me?"
Nevan: "yes"
Me: ugh "ok... How's this?"
Nevan: "Now that's more like it! ... Goodnight"

I've created a monster