All in all, it's been a better day. They gave Tanner a platelett transfusion yesterday and that always gives him a "boost" the next day. Seeing if he feels better tomorrow will be the real test after he's 48 hours post transfusion.

The only real problem he's had today is that his back is hurting. When we told the nurse about it at the hospital today, she said that's a good thing because it means his body's bone marrow is producing new stem cells and is a "good pain". As the day has gone by and the pain has worsened, he's not so sure how "good" it is. He asked me why it would be just one spot in his back that is spasming and that he's going to ask the nurse that question in the morning.

I just got back from Walgreen's and bought him a heating pad. He said it "melted the pain". He didn't sleep much last night because of the pain, so he wants to take something to relax him before bed. I hope he doesn't have another really bad night.

His numbers are rising but are nowhere near high enough for him to go home yet. Hopefully, they will start rising by leaps and bounds. His white blood count has to reach a 2.0 (today they were .41) and his plateletts have to be 50 (they were 29 today - but that's a day after transfusion so they will most likely drop a little before they rise back up again). He will have to hit those numbers before they will take his triple lumen line out and they don't do that on the weekend so if he doesn't hit them by Friday, then it will be Monday at the earliest before we could leave.

Of course, now that Dr. Barlogie has said "discharge on Thursday", Tanner really, really wants to leave ON THURSDAY. He asked me today if we could leave Thursday - even if it's late after they get the lines out. He said he could "help drive" and that he needs only one leg to drive. Like I could relax with Tanner driving with one leg in a cast!!

When Tanner went to the Infusion Center yesterday morning, his lab work had changed radically overnight and the PA said it indicated that there was an infection of some kind going on in his body.  They ran a bunch of blood cultures and a nasal swab and are checking for any blood infections, respiratory infections, pneumonia, or a lung fungus.  It will be 24 to 48 hours before they get the results.  In the meantime, they gave him an IV infusion of a broad spectrum antibiotic to attack any infection that might be happening.

I talked to him last night and he told me he was feeling better than he had in days so I guess the antibiotic has helped out with whatever was going on.  

His Granny Jane made it to Little Rock and brought him a new lap top that she and Pop Jerry bought for him and last night Janet text messaged me that he was very engrossed in his new "toy" and that he had eaten a very good lunch and wanted to know what was for supper.  Having an appetite is a good sign that he is feeling better!

I took my car to the Mitsubishi Dealership here in Fort Worth and had the air conditioner fixed.  Before I arrived my boss, Bruce, went to the Dealership and talked to one of the managers and explained to them what my family is going through and they took $300 off their bill!  As Bruce said, it makes you feel better about your fellow man when a business is willing to do something like that for a stranger.  

Tanner, myself, and our family have been touched so much by the kindness of family, friends, and even strangers over the past few weeks.  The donations for Tanner's Medical Fund have been coming in daily from the PIE agents - and family and friends - and I can't even begin to express our appreciation.  It has taken some of the stress off worrying how we are going to survive over the next few months while living in Little Rock and maintaining our homes in Fort Worth.  Thank you to each and every one of you!!