Day 12

Vlad's feeling much more like himself today. The groggy bear is gone. He got a CPAP machine last night, like the one he uses at home, which helped him sleep much better. Plus his pain has dissipated: No more Neupogen to stimulate his marrow, which is painful, and his mouth sores seem to be improving as his white cells multiply.

His numbers are fantastic: WBC 10.0 (!); RBC 2.82; hemoglobin 8.4; platelets 37; and neutrophil absolute count 7.80. He's doing beautifully. If he manages to avoid Graft-vs.-Host symptoms, he could go home this week. (Please knock on wood now.)

He's been given the OK to walk beyond the 11th Floor today, so we'll head down to the 2nd Floor Park this afternoon so he can enjoy some new scenery. He ate a big breakfast. I just took a shower while the IT nurse was here for the final "special changing" of his CVC dressing. It will go back to normal weekly changes in a few days.

Between doctors' rounds, the dressing change, shaving off his shedding beard, breakfast and political discussions while watching "Meet the Press," he's tuckered out and is napping as I write this.