Day +16 Ends in a Bang!

WBC 200 (0.2)
Weight 11.9 kilos (26.2 lbs)

He is still eating. For lunch he ate a 1/4 burrito, whole milk, cheddar bunnies, and Odwalla Blueberry Monster drink. No fever. No diarrhea. His eyes look beautiful. Active, but moody. We played the memory card game and he did well and liked it. Tossed the ball. Played Dr. Elmo. He surprised all 6 intern doctors when Dr. Link asked him to open his mouth and he did. The first time he let a doctor look in his mouth without a fight ;-)

He got platelets today. He got them yesterday too. The batch yesterday did not give him a boost. When Bob the nurse told me he needed another transfusion, I requested a repeat blood test. We've never had that happen...no boost from a transfusion. Must have been an almost expired batch.

I tasted the Actigal (oral med to prevent liver damage) again. It left a bitter aftertaste for at least 2 hours. I forgot how bad it really was. Lizzie said it's one of the worst tasting meds, however, all the nurses say it's one of the best. I'm not sure who to believe. I think I will have a medication tasting party, invite the nurses, and blindfold them. Lizzie said he will come off of Actigal at Day +30 or at discharge, which ever comes first. Lizzie told me about the oral meds he will go home on and which ones taste good/not. He will stay on IV hydration at night when we go home.

Thank you to Anonymous, who gave me the number to the Lactation Center at Stanford. I spoke to the breast pump rental clerk and she put me in touch with Renee Tavares, the onsite dietician and lactation consultant. She said the Medela Micro Scale will not measure anything over 24 lbs, so that is not an option for us since David is 26 lbs. She said to try to use the regular scales. We'll see if it works. I'm not holding my breath. She knows Grace, the nutritionist, so she will talk with her. I don't like stirring things up, so I prayed for God to give me favor.

Now for the bang! Shortly after I finished a healing fast, my dear friend, Jeannette, called to tell me she had a surprise. She wrote an extensive, well-written letter to Odwalla asking if they would support David with a shipment of juices. The answer was YES! I can't wait to tell Lizzie and Grace ;-)