Today has been a little better than yesterday, though you can tell that Tanner's energy level is decreasing as the afternoon wears on.

He started out the morning much like he did yesterday - meaning very silent and withdrawn. I got him up around noon and he had some potato soup before we left for the clinic. We had to wait over an hour in the waiting room at the MIC and I was talking to some of our neighbors from the apartments and Tanner was totally silent. Then he went and got a Twix Bar from the gift shop next door and all of a sudden he started talking and interacting with others. I told him maybe we should keep some candy bars on hand in case he needs a sugar rush.

We asked Allen (our RN today) how long the break would need to be in between consolidation treatments (if Dr. B decides he has to have a second one). He said it could be anywhere from 28 days to 2-3 months though he said Tanner very well might not have to have another course right now.

The patient next to Tanner was having an IV of some "investigational" medicines and Allen told us that little bag was over $250,000. I asked if the patient's insurance was covering that and he said no, the pharmaceutical company was supplying the meds for the investigation.

In the room next to us, they were treating a "prince" from Lebanon who the nurse told us flies in once or twice a year for tests and treatment. From what I've seen, people come from all over the world to Little Rock for treatment of their Multiple Myeloma. I guess you just never hear of this place unless you know someone with this form of cancer.

On another note, I've found that sometimes people go back on the blog and make comments a day or two after something has been posted so I was scanning through the posts this morning when I noticed there was a comment I hadn't seen before on the entry posted on November 30th. It was from a lady who said that the blog was being circulated in the UK. I had no idea that anyone was reading these other than the family and friends back home but I wanted to be sure and thank this lady for her kind words.

Tomorrow the chemo bag gets disconnected so hopefully things will get a little better. I know that he still has to bottom out, but maybe just being able to get off the DEX will help him feel better!