FYI

AJ just got his first two letters at the hospital. One was from his buddy, Ethan. The other from his friend, Claire. He was very excited. To tell you the truth we didn't know he could get mail here. Here is the address just in case (we also check the apartment mailbox every few days)...

AJ Revera

Room 6305

Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt

2200 Children's Way

Nashville, TN 37232

Day +3: Not Day +4

All day today AJ kept referring to today as day 4. It isn't. When I asked for a title of the blog tonight, he again misidentified the day. So today's title is officially "Not Day +4."

Today was another good day. AJ is doing so well drinking fluids on his own that the Doctor let him get off the IV for 6 hours. He took to walking the halls again. The Killians sent AJ a mini basketball hoop. AJ was challenging everyone to his own version of HORSE (a version in which the opponent has to stand far away from the hoop and AJ gets to stand under it). Little did AJ know that Mr. Tim has one in his office and somewhere along the way I became an expert at the long throw into a mini hoop.

Upon observing AJ circulating the halls this afternoon (26 laps) Dr. Frangoul asked Cindy if AJ knew he was three days post a bone marrow transplant. Needless to say, all are very happy at his progress.

This evening, shortly after supper arrived, AJ again became nauseous following his second dose of Methotrexate. But after a couple of hours (and some Zofran) it passed.

AJ recounted to me the adventures we had in June. From Cocoa Beach to Seattle, AJ noted we got to see the whole country from cars and planes in one week. He talked about flying over Mt. St. Helens in a helicopter, paused and said:

"You know dad, I have a great life."

Talk about perspective. (Yes, Cindy and I teared up, AGAIN).

-Greg

Day +2: Good Luck to My New Friend

This morning I had the dressing changed for my central line. It was very painful. But it is necessary to keep it clean. They have to do it once a week.

This is my little buddy Ian. He had a transplant on July 4th. Tomorrow he gets to leave the hospital because he has been doing so well. Good luck to my new friend.

The doctors want me to walk every day to get exercise. Today while walking, I raced my new car with some of my friends from the floor. And look at the great hat Mom and Dad got me --Go Canes!

This evening I got to talk to Anna on the web camera over the Internet. It was way cool! Thank you Anna, Mr. Mike and Ms. Jackie! I can't wait to talk to more friends soon.

When we were done on the camera, my nurse Karie got me some Ramen noodles. They were yummy. (Don't worry the doctor said it was OK).

-AJ

Nashville Address

Our Nashville apartment address is:

4141 Woodlawn Drive #66
Nashville, TN 37205

Day +2: Medical Update

First, a shout out to my sister-in-law, Denice, who missed Colby's (her son's) birthday on Monday to be the shuttle service and personal nurse/play buddy for Austin. We love you Denice.

I thought some of you might appreciate a medical update on AJ. The chemo drugs AJ took last week all did their jobs. That is, they emptied out his marrow to a large extent and wiped out his immune system so as to not fight off Austin's marrow. AJ literally has close to zero white blood cells right now. He will continue to lack an immune system until Austin's marrow finds its way into AJ's bones and begins making new white blood cells. The Doctors said that usually takes 14-18 days.

Yesterday, AJ had a dose of Methotrexate. He'll have this drug four times, days +1, +3, +6 and +11. Methotrexate is another type of chemo drug that namely kills off rapidly multiplying T-Cells. T-Cells are "programmable" white blood cells. Each T-Cell carries around programing to fight off different foreign invaders. (For example when we get a flu vaccine, we are programming certain T-Cells to recognize the virus as foreign). When a T-Cell finds a foreign cell it is programed to fend off, it begins to rapidly multiply.

Right now AJ has some of Austin's T-Cells in his body. We don't want the T-Cells that are programmed to fight off AJ's tissues (and causing what is called Graft vs Host Disease). So the Methotrexate is to kill off the T-Cells that have become activated.

-Greg

Day +1: Thanks

First, I would like to thank my "identical brother," Austin, for helping me. Thank you to Ryan for being Jack's big brother and looking after everything at home.

Thank you to everyone else for all the gifts and prayers you have sent me. Today I felt really good. I got to spend some time with Austin again. Then I opened some great gifts. I got some new hats for my hat collection from everybody at my dad's work, and a few from mommy's friends. I even got a huge comic book. Thank you, James. It is all Calvin and Hobbes. They are so funny.

After that I played some board games and dominoes with mom and dad. Thank you to the McGarry family for sending me those. Thank you, Aunt Vanessa for the big balloons. They arrived today. And thank you for all the hats to everyone. We will start having a hat of the day soon, but for now, I still have my hair.

In the evening I watched Pirates of the Caribbean with mom and dad. I don't know why they had to ruin a perfectly good pirate movie with kissing at the end. Yuk!

Hoping for another good day tomorrow.

Love,
AJ

Day 0: A New Beginning

Today was a new beginning for AJ. For the rest of his life, he will celebrate this day as a second birthday of sorts. A second gift of life. The gravity of the events was not lost on him. When it was time for Austin to leave this afternoon and return to the apartment, AJ broke down, hugged Austin and thanked him for his marrow. Austin smiled, ever appreciative of the affection of his older brother. Austin told AJ that he would miss him and hoped he would be able to come home soon. Cindy and I are truly blessed.