How Great Our Joy!

How great our joy!
Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy!
Joy, joy, joy!
Praise be to God in heaven on high!

Today was to be a day spent in the hospital. It started off with great difficulty getting the children off to my parents'. They were heartbroken to be shipped off from Mama and Daddy after such a wonderful holiday. We were all in tears as we said, "Good-bye" for the day.

We have had to wait at the Cancer Center for an hour and a half or so, but with wonderful results. John's hemoglobin remained high enough to avoid a four-hour transfusion (9.8)!!! He is receiving an injection and we are going home!

The doctor was pleased to hear that the swelling is reduced, the incoherence gone, the pain managed, the appetite strong and spirits high. He does not want to see John for three weeks! His strongest recommendation was that we get a plush mattress cover to help John sleep without pain.

We will still come for blood checks each week, but a transfusion will only be given if needed. Please continue to pray about the blood levels since the last transfusion was followed by full-body rash and hives. Ugh.

Thank you all for your love and prayers.
Merry Christmas!