A little bit of rest and a refill...

Like a boxer getting ready for a fight, Joe laid very low yesterday. Part in preparation for today's event (transfusion) and part from just feeling pretty worn down. Hindsight being what it is, our little man probably needed the transfusion last Friday, but we'll mark that one up in the lesson learned column. Along with rest, our Hero used a combination of BBQ chips (his new favorite food) and cheddar cheese (of which he has been having some really intense cravings - one such craving that hit him at 1am. But hey, when a hero needs to eat, he needs to eat.)

Today had JoJo a little scared given that the last time in was a bit painful - who wants pain after all. But much to everyone's relief, Team Taylor is rapidly putting into place the tricks of the trade and Joe himself admitted that "it didn't hurt today." Hopefully a couple more successes like that and the anxiety around those trips will lessen a bit.

The transfusion took about four hours and went smoothly but by the end of the process Joe was already starting to feel better. It's a wonder what a good oil change can do for a growing boy. He was off the couch and re-introducing himself to his toys. A welcome sight to all.

Our normally cherubic little man is, thanks to the steriods, becoming even more so. Mom says she's worried his cheeks are getting so big he may just tip over. Joe continues to weather the pain like a champ and has experienced some nausea but no vomiting. The first line of defense is working well but in the event that it stops working, Mom has another line of defense which will help too.

That brings us all to the big day tomorrow. Below you'll find your schedule for when and where to point your prayers and positive thoughts:

12:30pm - Appt with Dr. Thompson
1:30pm - Vincristine Treatment to dole out a beatdown on the remaining bad cells
2:30pm - Sedation for his 3rd bone marrow lumbar puncture (As painful as that sounds, Mom and Dad know the real challenge will be keeping our Hero out of the BBQ chips and cheddar cheese starting at 7am - no food.) But on the brightside, this will allow Frito-Lay and the dairy industry a couple of hours to replenish before JoJo returns to get his fill.

So there, we all have our orders. We'll most likely have the weekend to continue to say our prayers and positive thoughts that the numbers come back as we hope and expect next week. Viva JoJo!