We Can Check Out + We Can Leave

14 hours into his latest round of freedom, Pablo woke up with a fever. We were scheduled to be back at CHLA for a 9 a.m. blood transfusion, so Jo Ann got P dressed and headed over. I stayed home to work for a couple hours.

On the way to CHLA, Jo Ann called and said we might have to stay. The thought of another series of days in this place shot through me like an unwanted bolt of lightning. Or like the time I got electrocuted when I was a kid by touching
one hand to our trailer and one hand to the old skool metal refrigerator outside our trailer. Ouch. It shocked me just like that.

Alas, there is good news! All the shocks went away when I make my way to our little corner of the oncology day hospital. Jo Ann had just gotten the results of today's blood test. Pablo's ANC - a key metric for one's ability to fight infection - had risen above zero. This means we get to go home!

Lauren Katz's blood started dripping into Pablo's port 30 minutes ago. Three-and-a-half hours to go. Pablo is happy and having a great time with Play-Doh and some Scoob on the toob.

Now that we're all in a good mood, how about an E! Hollywood True Story? When I got in line for my CHLA sticky pass in the front lobby, there was a huge group of shiny happy people talking, smiling, shining. Definitely not peeps who were here to see sick cousin Timmy or whatever. I looked at the crowd and kind of recorgnized one guy: 'Is that dude on, like, an infotainment show I saw on a plane? Man, he looks familiar....'

Then I walked away and forgot about it.

When I got to our stall in the day hosp, Jo Ann told me that the crew of celebs in the lobby was Jessica Biel and her friends. How could I forget? Today is Jessica's holiday party for all in- and outpatients. Time to turn off my sassymeter and get with the program. The guy from the celeb gossip show I watched on Jet Blue is probably raising millions for CHLA, and is certainly gonna raise awareness of the good work being done here.

Now, I gotta run - have to track down my old buddy Justin Timberlake. Haven't seen him since Jo Ann made his first solo video. The one on top of 7-11. I was there. And Jo Ann made JT's day by making him the first ever singer to be granted access to an actual 7-11 for a music vid.

Lastly and most importantly, here's our shiny happy hero with his latest Play-Doh creation: finger warmers....