Day 17

Hello Dear Ones,

This is a big week for Tom. He must must must start producing white blood cells, the key sign that the transplant is working. He must also make them feel at-home in his body, so that they don't attack him. We place our confidence in the love and synergy that Tom and Steve have been professing to each other since the transplant occurred. I'm personally eagerly awaiting hearing that number go up. It had jumped up to .2 last week, briefly, but then fell back to .1 and then 0. It has been back up to .1 for several days. Waiting each day for Tom's blood count I am reminded of how distraught Tom and I were when Gabriel was born such a skinny little bird who didn't catch on to nursing right away and didn't begin to gain weight quickly. Tom and I would stay up nights just trying to get him to eat and our favorite day of the week was the day of my breastfeeding support group, where they would weigh him with an accurate scale. Tom would wait eagerly for me to call with that number and we would relish in every new ounce. Well, the tables have turned and Gabriel and I are eagerly awaiting each rise in Tom's count and we expect to have a similar experience, filled with steady climbing.

In the meantime Tom has been eating well, feeling well and looking well. Just as I expected he has a great shaped head and looks quite handsome with no hair. Tom has also gained 10 lbs since entering the hospital-much of it is suspected to be fluid retention - due to his cornucopia of i.v. fluids, from antibiotics, to nutrition to anti-rejection drugs. He likes to claim that he's getting chubby. So far, he's the only one who's willing to go that far.

He's also enjoyed a good number of visitors from family, to clients and friends from all aspects of his life. He welcomes visitors and has remarkably avoided developing infections or other illnesses-so exposure has remained gratefully under control . At this point he only asks a few minute heads up and recommends a visit after 10 AM, when he feels he can stay awake. And I'd like to ask that if you have the opportunity to take a picture of your visit (particularly if I'm not there camera-ready) that you do and forward the photo to me. Among his many visitors was our weekly bible study group. Tom and I have studied with this group for about 10 years and Tom was so happy to see them all last Tuesday. Tomorrow they plan to visit again and, this time, have the study in Tom's hospital room. This effort has seemed to me to be such an example of the interpersonal community-oriented nature of the early church. We have always felt that John and Laurie (Barnts) have lead us through a unique and enlightening study and the spiritual, emotional and practical support we have received from the group during this time is such a vivid example of its strength.

In other supportive news a steady stream of blood donation continues, to Tom's great pride. Each time someone contributes in Tom's name Tom feels like a superstar patient: contributing to his own care and sometimes to that of others. If you are able to donate, and have time, please stop by and visit Tom when you donate. Tom is keeping each "Donor Designated" card that comes with the blood and platelets and hopes to track each one back to the donor, so save the number they give you when you donate.

Gabriel and I are still working to find a nice groove, sometimes hampered by whining, frustration and pouting . . . and Gabriel gets pretty upset too. We don't have as much time to relax and enjoy each other as we'd like, but I try to make time when we can and he is enjoying his many play dates. I am really looking forward to Tom experiencing first hand the developmental strides that Gabriel has made in the recent weeks. Each day I'm more amazed that in the midst of all this that Gabriel is flourishing in the areas of reading, making up and answering addition and subtraction problems in his head, artwork and Spanish. Today I particularly noticed how he's beginning to read more fluidly and adding common inflections. As a lover of books I can't tell you how excited I am for him that he's opening the door to a whole world of imagination and fascinating information. He has read some to Tom over the web cam, but I think it will be an even more rewarding experience for Tom when he's able to hold Gabriel on his lap and enjoy a book.

Gabriel was also excited that Aunt Lisa came to stay with us this weekend. My sister came to help me with some of the bigger cleaning projects on which I haven't been able to get a handle. It was so nice to have her here and a huge relief to get the house ready for Tom's return. I also thoroughly enjoyed taking the web cam around the house to show Tom the results and hearing him say, "Wow, it's like a whole new house." I liked even more hearing him say he's going to help with the upkeep when he returns. I liked it because I like the sound of him coming home, and besides, I could use the help. ;-)

I've also appreciated all of the help those of you have offered by signing up on the Team Tom calendar. This is a key week, so I'm going to ask that if you have any time this week (particularly from approximately 8:00 - 11:00 on Wednesday or Thursday night) to please sign up on the calendar. This is the best time for me to visit Tom after getting to spend most of all of Gabriel's waking evening with him. (www.my.calendars.net/teamtom; login: teamtom; password: support).

Expecting that Tom will be producing blood like gangbusters by Friday, Gabriel and I will visit Santa Maria this weekend to celebrate Babies Kiana and Lily DuBransky's first birthdays, and the expectation of Baby Boy DuBransky #4 awaited by Jeff and Diane. It'll be a quick trip, but Gabriel has been looking forward to it for weeks.

Considering how successful all your prayers have been so far we dare ask that you continue, especially through this critical week. I, too, pray for Tom. I also am so grateful that I can't help but pray that every family and every individual struggling through these difficult times would have the kind of wonderful community that we have on which to rest their heads and their hearts. Love, The Highland Park DuBranskys