Day 6

It's still too early to say anything about where this is all headed, but so far Sam is both handling the treatments well and, given how some of the numbers and such look, seems to be responding. (The lead doctor is very cautious but he, too, shows signs of being encouraged.) Fortunately, Sam also continues to be more or less himself. His intake and output are very good, he's as vocal and ever (which they say is always good), and he looks like himself, if a touch puffy from the steroids. 

Next hurdles: the MRI and spinal tap (aka lumbar puncture), both designed to see if there's been any of what the staff euphemistically call "brain involvement". They tried the MRI yesterday, but we couldn't get Sam to doze off. I think they'll have to knock him out to get him to stay still. The LP requires his platelets to be higher than they've been (they need to be sure that his blood will clot if they're gonna poke him internally), so we'll see if/when that happens. 

Alyson's mom stays the night with him sometimes, which is enormously helpful--it gives us a chance to get a full night's rest in our own bed, distance from the hospital, and the very soothing knowledge that Sam will be watched and held by somebody who loves him. ICU staff are great, but family is family. 

It's looking like Alyson's mom is going to stay here on a long-term basis, which would, among other things, give us a second car, extra hands around the house, a nanny of sorts, a medically literate advocate, and Alyson's best friend all wrapped in one. It would also make it easier for me to go back to work (where we get our insurance).

We are enormously touched and gratified to have received visits, gifts, notes, and to hear of concern and efforts on our behalf. It's humbling and flattering and, admittedly, a bit uncomfortable for people who aren't very good about accepting help and are generally wary of feeling that we'll be imposing. (I realize that's absurd under the circumstances, but it's still true.) 

Everyone asks if there's something they can do, but the truth is that right now we don't know; we're sort of taking things hour by hour. We need to eat (both there and at home), but don't know who's going to be where to receive food or groceries or do anything useful with it before it goes bad, etc. (Just yesterday I learned that there's a fridge at the hospital for family use, so that's good to know.) We benefit from time away from the hospital, but again, don't know yet how to see into the future to plan such things. Visits are also nice, but traffic in the ICU is supposed to be limited, and with Alyson's parents and my dad currently here (if in and out a lot), it's hard to say that X or Y is a good time. Or maybe it's not at all hard, and we're just too overwhelmed to see how easy it actually is?