Jimmy continues to have a temperature of 100-102 degrees. His blood counts remain very low. Dr. Waller (one of our outstanding doctors) decided this afternoon to have Jimmy given a blood transfusion. He hopes that by Friday the blood counts will have increased enough to start the stem cell collection. In the meantime, we will remain in the hospital in the bone marrow transplant wing, where Jimmy will receive intravenous antibiotics and the best possible care.

This morning, Jimmy spent several hours in radiology while they put in a port so that they won't have to keep looking for veins to stick the IVs into. While Jimmy was downstairs, Parker Grow (who is one of Valdosta's own, and a wonderful young physician at Emory, as is Parker's wife, Kelly) stopped by our room. Parker reassured me that, while seemingly very alarming, all of this was not particularly uncommon or unexpected. At least, that's the way I interpreted it.

I am, of course, staying with Jimmy in the hospital, sleeping on one of those lovely foldout chair things. I will only be able to write updates from the apartment. I have to get back to the hospital now, but hope that very soon will have good things to report.