Grateful and Tired

The ever-competent Miss Leslie

Steven is getting better and better about getting an IV. This time he didn't worry about it at all until it was time to put it in, on previous visits he's started worrying a month before we went to Memphis.

Miss Leslie the nurse never misses the vein and has never had to fish for it. Once she got the needle in and no blood flowed, but when she reminded Steven to breathe, everything starting working as it should.

Steven's a trooper

This was Steven's first IV without Elomax, the expensive numbing creme they put on before they stick him.

So he's gone from being heavily dosed with ativan and plenty of Elomax and two people to hold him still to nobody holding him, no ativan, and this time, no Elomax and no tears. I'm proud of him, it's not easy to face your deepest fears.

MRI with one of our favorite techs, Terry

He had his MRI yesterday, we got the results today and it was the words we'd prayed for: "No Change".

Dr. Gajjar's nurse, Miss Valerie is about to become a Mrs. and she'll be leaving St. Jude in September for Houston to get married. She'll be at Baylor, which is one of the few hospitals that are doing SJMB03, the clinical trial that Steven is being treated on.

Valerie, Steven and Dr. Gajjar

We thought about going out to celebrate, but the reality is that we're too exhausted, based on California time we've been having to get up at 4:00 am every day since Sunday and tomorrow we'll have to do it again.

The extent of our celebration was chicken and turnip greens at Grizzlies House provided by Hampton Inns, and some wild virtual driving in the game room.

Another driving victory under Steven's belt

Tomorrow is endocrine clinic, then we'll be heading home.

Grateful and tired, that's us.

- Kathleen