August has arrived...which means one month from today...

I can't believe that August is here...and that one month from today we will be back here! Our research nurse handed us Woody's follow-up appointments...Sept. 1 and 2! Oh, boy...haven't any idea when Woody will be released from this visit...and already have the next!

He received very good comments from all the doctors today...including Dr. Rosenberg, the head of Woody's research protocol and many, many others. He told Woody that they were very pleased with the way things were going for Woody. Later in the day the main doctor for the weekend and Woody's Fellow (neither who are "fellows" as Woody would say!) came in and were very positive with him also. He was "warned" that there may be some tough times ahead and that he could even still end up in ICU. His creatinine levels (kidney function) continue to rise (normal according to Dr. Rosenberg...and of course we know that happened to him last time). He is also still having hallucinations...which could worsen according to the doctors...and...either of these could send him to ICU...along with other unknowns. They say that these hallucinations are described by other patients as very vivid. He was seeing patterns on the walls today and of course the other day he saw spider webs all over the floor. He says that the "visions' that he has when his eyes are closed are not pleasant...but he does still know that they aren't real...and that opening his eyes usually makes them go away. This evening, he thought that the hallucinations were getting less. He is still neutropenic...but his neutrophils are starting to rise...a good sign. And, he hasn't had a fever...as a matter of fact it is a little below normal. His blood pressure has been good too.

What is being anticipated by the doctors is...what might happen when his body starts making its own IL-2 and it meets all these billions of new cells. So the next couple of days may not be the most pleasant for Woody. Today they continued to try to rid his body of retained fluid. They started doubling up his lasix and that seemed to work...he had lost two pounds since yesterday morning when they weighed him this morning. At the end of the day his breathing didn't seem quite so labored when he got up and walked.

He spent the afternoon keeping up with a baseball game on the computer. They have a computer/TV on a movable arm next to his bed. We have it set up so he can sit in a chair and look at things on the computer (reason to be out of bed). He hasn't had much interest in the TV...but has enjoyed keeping up with his baseball team and of course the blog...he likes finding out what ails him and what his day has been like by reading the blog! He enjoys the comments and seeing where in the states and the world people are looking at the blog.

We are thinking that yesterday's mystery bird may be a falcon...perhaps a peregrine? One of our friends living in England at the moment thought that it looked like a falcon that lives in her neighborhood in Illinois. And, Melany looked up birds in the bird book that she has on her Ipod and she also thought that it might be a falcon. Still interested in other bird experts' thoughts! Saw this bird soaring several times outside of Woody's hospital window today. I can now recognize its call and usually can spot it when I hear it. I think that it must enjoy the wooded area around here...lots of prey!

When I left tonight, he was hoping to get some much needed sleep...if he dozes it seems that someone always comes in for some reason or another...maybe tonight will be a quiet one for him.

I warned the person at the lodge desk that I had found what is in tonight's picture being built right next to the sidewalk where the guests walk...I will look tomorrow and if it is still there I will tell them again...figure that they would like to take care of it while it is small!