Day 22

Switching things up tonight, we'll start with the daily update, because, really, how could I wait to tell you that Ari's 3rd (and now final!) lumbar puncture came back CLEAR?!  Can I get an "Amen?"  Gotta admit, I'm not surprised.  Cause let's be honest...this kid of mine is built tough. 

So tough, in fact, that it only took him 36 hours this time to decide he had enough with the little annoying tube stuck in his nose to provide extra calories.  But Ari will once again be sedated Thursday for a CT scan of his chest (to confirm the mass is completely kaput), and so my guess is they'll replace the tube.  Again.  (And then he'll just pull it out.  Again.  What's the definition of insanity?)  If you're like me, you'll wonder why he needs extra calories when he's ingesting more food than a sumo wrestler?  Wish I had an answer.

In other news, Ari's ANC count is up to 350 today (at 500, he is considered no longer high risk for infections) and his white blood cell count is also up from yesterday.  No blasts in the blood.  No cancerous cells in the spinal fluid.  Now it's just a waiting game 'til the bone marrow test at day 30-32ish.

And best of all, Ari looks like himself once again.  He has color in his cheeks and a smile on his face.  He is blowing kisses and reading books and playing with toys and singing songs.  He is trying to make everyone laugh and he's laughing at everyone.  Phew.  He's still my same Ari. 
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Ari has 1 very clear name for every one he loves.  But for his father, he uses two names.  Most of the time, Ari uses DaDa or Daddy.  But when Ari really wants to get his attention or wants to make him smile, he calls him Matt. 

And it sounds something like this...MATT!MATT!MATT!  I will take credit for this since Ari is mimicking me yelling calling out for my husband.

Here's a short clip of Ari using his best "make the parents smile" technique in order not to have to go to sleep.  (Little does he know a dose of benadryl was just administered in his iv line.  He'll be narcoleptic in no time.)

I hate to say it but I'm a little jealous.  I want two names.  (Oh wait, I have two names.  I guess I want three.)  So the supportive hubbie that he is, Matt assured me Ari's new found obsession with chop suey is really the little guy's way of showing he loves me.  Huh?  I don't understand.

He calls it "suey".

Short for Julie Suey.

(Thanks honey.)

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