Soaking in happiness - and Arthur is more himself

Thank you for celebrating the good news today with us (all the comments and "likes" on Facebook!!) And thanks for continued prayers.

Happy on mommy's lap this afternoon (poor guy has dry skin...normal newborn stuff, but I don't think this hospital air helps)

Tomorrow afternoon we will hear about the final results of the spongy part of the bone marrow. Even as we wait on that we are told that it is for sure, based on today's report, alloimmune neutropenia, the diagnosis we hoped for, as it is one we can live with. We are grateful we didn't have to wait long for the bone marrow results. It surprised us today to get this news so early.


Today is a huge victory, however, our hearts are still on edge 'till we know he is antibody free and full of warrior neutrophils and happy platelets floating around! We pray for protection for Arthur and for the antibodies to be gone quickly. We pray for his doctors to have continued wisdom as they care for him as an out patient. We are grateful and relieved ten-fold, but we recall we once left a hospital feeling on top of the world and then well...lets just say we just need to get to the point where the antibodies are history... as this path feels a bit too familiar and as rational as we can be, it is still fresh in our memory, what happened two years ago.

In other news...the antibody test did return negative, but we were told only has 50 percent accuracy rate. So, bone marrow test trumps that and we can ignore that test entirely.

The next few days will involve Myers and I learning how to give him his GCSF shot (Myers did a great job tonight, I think maybe I can just always be the assistant ;) ). We may or may not be giving him the shots at home - all depends on the plan after she sees what's happening in his marrow.

They will leave the PICC in his jugular for the remainder of his stay here. It makes drawing his blood for labs easier...I'm just praying it does not get infected.

Arthur is much happier today, eating normally and not as agitated when awake. It is wonderful to see him feeling better...hope he stays that way! He still as a diaper rash which is no fun, but he seems much more comfortable in his tummy, latching is normal again and he is off Tylenol and seems just fine, so I think the spot where they got his marrow isn't as painful anymore if at all.

Myers is the best dad...he comes here and changes diapers all day long, even after getting hit several times in the last two weeks with a shooting fountain. He holds him, sings to him and swaddles him like a master swaddler and reads The Hobbit to him just like he did Lillian years ago. Myers goes back and forth an hour's drive every day and brings clean blankets and clothes for out little guy (today Arthur depleted his full supply of blankets and clothes today, mostly from leaking diapers...his "out put" has always been good). He trucks over anything I may need from home and takes my laundry back home. Arthur, Lillian and I so are blessed.

The thought of taking this little guy home - daunting in some ways though it may be (we will do everything we can to keep him well, even as we are not supposed to live in a bubble - normal, common sense hand washing and avoiding sick people) but just the thought of it almost seems to good to be true...I'm almost too resigned to this situation... I think Myers will have to pinch me a few times once we are home to help me know it is real. I'm scared in so many ways - as I can't hook him up right away to antibiotics and I don't have doctors and nurses to answers any concern day or night...but truly, a hospital actually puts him more at risk for getting sick than being home and I need to trust on that and believe that.

Happiness...and relief - soaking it in...again and again. Thank you, everyone for your care and prayers...