Pain, Infections, nurses, and smiles

Hey all,
Well, after being flat on his back for four (4) days, Logan is finally upright today!!!!!! We'll see how long it lasts, but so far, so good. As I said previously (I think), Logan had a slow leak (kinda like my tyre), from his spinal fluid, making vertical positions painful. However, he has mastered sitting today and is enjoying looking out his window at the chickens and small birds which flutter around our back lawn.  And before you ask... no! we did not see snow yesterday... we had texts from everyone around Hamilton and Te Awamutu filled with excitement, but it missed Hamilton East (we forgot to put our order in).
Anyhow, on Saturday, we went back into hospital again (did I tell you that?) as he had a fever. A phone call on Sunday to us, revealed that he had a staphylococcus infection (and yes I looked up the spelling on the web). So they said he would have to stay... Logan kinda didn't want to curb his free time, so we negotiated a get out of jail free card by suggesting that the DHN come and do antibitoics at home (I'm sure I'm repeating myself!).
To cut a long story short, he was doing great... until a phone call yesterday said that he was very low on platelets (only 10 when they range is 150 - 400!). So I raced him up to outpaients to get a transfusion of them.  His first one. They look kinda like apple and pear sauce.  It was quick tho, only half an hour, and then we were heading back home.
Since then Logan has improved greatly, and as I definitely mentioned, is now sitting up.  We assume the platelets did their hob and plugged the hole!.
I also had a call from Starship today to let us know that Logan will be having a load of appointments on 24/8 so they have pushed his chemo back a couple of days. We will still head up on 23/8 as we cant afford to get stuck in traffic. His first appointment is at 11am with the Haematology and transplant team, followed by a 1.20pm appt with Radiology.  This will be the first time that we hear what the radiation plans are and their protocol, and how it affects Logan. We have had a tentative date of radiation conditioning (stupid word, has nothing to do with making him smoother, stronger or shinier), which is 19 September. From this date, as far as we know, Logan will stay in Auckland until the completion of his treatment. So that would be a good time to start practising your writing skills and send him cards and letters.  It gets severely boring up there.

Ellyn checks to make sure that Logan's heart really is beating... she is not one to take your word for it!

Logan and Ellyn, always joking around. He decided the duck bill mask looked better on top of her head than on her face... 

Sparky, Logans cat... the nurses keep trying to move him, but he stays devout. Of course, it could also be something to do with the fact that Logan has the sunniest room in the house!

Today his Adolescent liason nurse, Ellyn, came to give him some drugs and visit... not necessarily in that order. She always makes him smile. We have been blessed to have her to guide us thru this journey as it has not been easy. She makes everything seem less scary and more normal. She often laughs and sings with Logan. They 'get' each other.
Until we chat again...

stay well and remember... hugs are free, but have so much value, so go give someone you care about a hug... RIGHT NOW!
Tracy