These are Tracey's words from the Children's Hospital Care Pages. This is her update today.

March 05, 2008 at 12:22 AM EST
We are truly blessed this day...

Tristan had clinic yesterday and needed platelets again. We also met with Liz, the bone marrow coordinator. Liz informed us Tristan would need a x-ray of his lungs and an EKG. We were able to get both of these tests done yesterday after clinic. Although Tristan was not happy about the longer day at the hospital, I have to say he was very cooperative once he vented.

I am proud of his strength, courage and faith as he matures and fights for his future. May we all learn from his innocence and treasure everyday we have.

These tests are needed before the collection of his own stem cells. They will be frozen for back up just in case the donor cord does not graph. The collection will be sometime next week at Karmanos in Harper Hospital. Tristan already became buddies with a male nurse after they bonded with their sports talk. The nurse told Tristan that they have all the ESPN channels. The collection will take about 4 hours, so they say.
We have clinic again on Wednesday. Dr.Savasan the Bone marrow doc wants Tristan's blood work done again to see how soon it will be before he will be ready for the collection and when Tristan can stop the daily Neupogen injection I have to give him. You know I always wanted to be a nurse, but a little bit of schooling would have been nice first. Anthony laughs at my technique when I give the shot and says he never saw a nurse give a shot like I do. I asked him if he wanted to do it, but the tough guy chickened out.

Thank you God for our neighbors, Ron and Belinda, who whipped up dinner for us tonight. Tristan's school for donating the lap top. Matheson Heating for fixing our furnace at no charge. My old work buddies from Mac Valves for their fund raiser this past month. My job for their support and disability program offered to employees, Anthony's job for their understanding and generosity. We have been blessed with so many generous and caring people the list is endless. Of course, I can't forget the Doctors for their intelligence and wisdom, as they research and cure our son. God has blessed us and we no longer have to ask why our family was chosen for this journey. Thank you for taking the ride with us.

God Bless and may peace be with all the families we have met at Children's.

Together we will, "MAKE HIM BETTER"!!!!

The Saputos