Update #21


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Posted by Jeff Tubo (4.224.0.216) on 21:58:27 18/05/04

Jeff here. Our strength is from God, Family, and friends.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< This is the answer to the question you all often ask us. I want to personally thank all of my friends and others that were responsible for the "Reverse Raffle" last Saturday night at St. Martha's. I consider you all friends for life.

We did not get discharged from Akron Children's Hospital until 11:00 PM last night. Joey needed Blood and Platelets for the Stem Cell Harvest this week in Cinci. Gina is staying with Grandma Bonnie (AKA "Grandma SCORPIAN") at our house. She has a busy schedule that Grandma will be trying to keep up with. She also will be spending time at her friend Kelsey's and also the Harris family in Stow. Gina will be with us this summer here in Cinci. We took of this morning at 8:15AM. After a couple stops, we arrived at 1:05PM for our 1:00PM appointment with the transplant team her in Cinci. Joey ran a fever last night and developed some redness, which may or may not have been "pink eye" (I had pink eye and the flu (2) weeks ago). The docs here think he may have some sort of viral issue and Joe was admitted tonight for Antibiotics. They will continue to knock out this situation and we may need to delay his harvest a day or two. Joey's harvest is scheduled to be "out patient" and should take about 4-5 hours a day. This "gathering of stem cells" is a painless procedure and basically involves being hooked up to a machine (looks like a ATM machine!) and just sitting there while trying to look for the "immature cells" that are the product that will be transplanted back into his body when the transplant occurs this summer. These stem cells are the cells that your body uses to create red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The strong chemotherapy agents destroy cancer cells as well as good cells that the body needs. The transplanted stem cells will help give his body the ability to reproduce the cells that he needs to form red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Laura and my sister Lori booked this cool hotel (10) minutes from the hospital. It looks like an old school building that was renovated into a hotel. We are staying in a suite that has a kitchen and bedrooms. It's like the size of a large appartment! It also has an outdoor pool for Gina this summer.

The hospital is very nice and the rooms are also nice. Each room is equipped with Road Runner Internet access, so, Laura and I will be able to keep everyone updated on Joey's progress.

Thanks again for all of your continued prayers and support. - Jeff, Laura, Gina, and Joey



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