Our Hero's Journey Continues...

Tuesday started with a trip into the hospital for the labs and lessons have been learned and tricks shared to avoid some of the challenges from previous trips - specifically the utilization of numbing cream for the impending 'poke.' Team Taylor was under the belief that this trip was going to be a brief one - a blood draw and then back home. But another lesson being learned is, these doctors and nurses, although amazing, can be sneaky so after the draw Joe had to stick around to make sure a doctor's visit, transfusion or other things didn't need to be done. This, along with the port being accessed via IV for the hour wait, did not please Joseph. After a bit of time of letting everyone now he was not pleased with how things were going (Mom calls it his siren) he eventually figured it might be a bit more tolerable if he just took a bit of a nap with Mom, Non and Yiayia.

As those that know him know, sometimes the task of getting JoJo to turn off the siren can be a tough one and it took it out of the Mom brigade a bit but a familiar face popped in - Chris Duff. Mr. Duff it turns out is the individual responsible for selling the equipment that is going to help heal our hero. Team Taylor has ALL the bases covered.

After a bit longer they came in with the results, and although he is still above the spot that would require a transfusion, Joe's Hematocrit has remained a bit flat which can result in some lethargy and irritability - which Mom and Dad have noticed a bit (NO ONE can blame him for feeling those things.) So that being said, the decision making department of Team Taylor (i.e. Mom and Dad and the medical staff,) will convene to decide when a transfusion will take place to give our Hero a bit of a boost. Again, this is not only not a rare thing in treatment, it is often part of the process. The odds are that this will take place on Thursday.

On the way out to the car to head home, the long awaited call regarding JoJo's bone marrow test arrived. Here is our report card:

10/22 - Diagnosis - Hero marrow contained 98% Leukemia Blasts
11/2 - After 7.2 Days of Treatment - Hero marrow contained 28% Leukemia Blasts

Although this sounds like a pretty rapid response to me, to be considered in "Rapid Remission" the Leukemia Blasts need to be at 5%. The reward for lopping 70% of the Leukemia Blasts in his bone marrow? Another bone marrow sedation and test on Friday, 11/9. Again, not doubting their brilliance because we love the doctors and nurses, but they are sneaky. They notified Team Taylor that our Hero would still qualify for the rapid responder path after this Friday's test (Day 14) or even by Day 28. So to sum up - for the rest of the week our Hero will be having a transfusion, an appt. with Dr. Thompson, a round of Vinicristine Chemo and then the sedation and bone marrow test. Kind of makes your work week look like a vacation doesn't it?

If there has been one advantage to this it's that Joseph has been able to endulge the competive eater that exists inside him as the treatment results in a fairly insatiable (even more than usual) appetite. This (along with the steriods - these are legal and will not affect JoJo's home run chase) has resulted in a bit of a distended belly and some chubby cheeks and round face. But if ANYONE looks good with that - it's the handsome Hero, Joe. So mangia JoJo, mangia!

Well, as he has this whole time, our Hero has grit his teeth and taken it to this illness. Keep all the thoughts and prayers coming that he continues to be... well... heroic. Mom and Dad and all the family can't thank you enough or tell you all how lucky they feel to have you. So keep it up everyone!!!

As always, stay tuned...