Eli was in CHLA for Shabos where both myself and Bassy stayed with him together which is a rarity but we were able to pull it off thanks to a very comfortable blow up bed we borrowed. We were joined by “the uncles” Friday night for a nice long meal during which we were disturbed by the pretty big earthquake which because we are in a new building in LA its on some type of wheels so the shaking lasted quite a while but BH all was ok. Shabos day a few friends took the long walk and spent the late afternoon with us which really helps break up the long day.

As far as Eli goes his blood counts haven’t quite started to go up yet and hopefully that will happen sooner then later. Bli ayin hora Elis infection is now negative but he is still being treated with strong IV antibiotics to keep it that way. The plan now is to wait until his blood counts go up so we can think about heading home before we need to come back for the 2nd cycle of chemo which is scheduled to run at some point on Pesach. BH Ari and sori were well entertained by my mother and friends over Shabos and we and they look forward to rejoining as a family at home as soon as Eli is up to it.

Please as always continue to daven for Elimelech Ben Basya and any and all zchusim being done on his behalf is very much needed and respectfully appreciated. A GUT VOCH

The results of the blood cultures came back this morning as positive for an infection and they are treating it with IV antibiotics. From the minute a cancer patient comes into the ER with fever they always treat it as if there is an infection and they start the antibiotics right away so BH for that. It is IYH very treatable and they will just take daily cultures to make sure its under control. This morning Eli received another platelet transfusion as well as the stem cell transplant and it seems to have been helpful to Elis coloring and hopefully will kick start getting his blood counts higher as well.

Elis spirits bli ayin hora are intact and while he remains quite weak he is in a decent mood and BH not in any pain. As a result of this fever and infection and low blood counts we will be in CHLA for the forseeable future and that as time goes on will be a test on Elis and our sanity.

Today there was a request for zchusim on matzav.com and it immediately yielded many zchusim on behalf of Elimelech Ben Basya. Some that I was informed of and I’m sure others that I may never know. A total of over 50K was donated to tzedaka today all with one purpose a refua shelayma bkarov. AMEN

Today started at 1AM when Eli woke up with a high fever. We immediately packed a few small things and headed to CHLA ER where he was admitted and will be in patient for the next while. As I mentioned earlier that if this were to happen they would keep up until Elis blood counts which right now are very low get to a level that is considered to be not neutropenic, the DRs are guessing at best 10 days. He required a platelet transfusion and already 2 blood transfusion today just to keep his blood levels stable.

The planned stem cell transplant didn’t happen because of all this going on and IYH will happen on Thursday instead and beezrat hashem that will kick start the blood levels to head back up where they need it to be. Anyone that can donate blood on behalf of Eli should please coordinate with Bikur Cholim by calling 323-852-1900.

Today I was very tocuhed by the thoughtfulness of a child in Elis class that has done so much for Eli. On many different occasions he has come over to play with Eli and has always had the extra patience Eli needed. On Purim aside from bringing shalach manos he brought a huge poster he drew up for Eli. Today he brought a beautiful Chumash Shmos (which is the parsha Elis class just started) engraved with “Elimelech” on the cover. To see a 8 year old care so much tocuhed us. Yakov Levin you should continue to give your family only nachas.

I am calling on anyone that can to do something on behalf of Elimelech Ben Basya as a zchus that he so desperately needs these days to do so. Specifically to give tzedaka or do a chesed having in mind and specially doing something extra for Eli. R’ Shlomo Yehuda gave $1.2 MILLION dollars of extra monies bzchus Eli. An anonymous person gave 25K bzchus Eli to a local mosad today. Obviously everyone isn’t financially able to write such amounts but what you can and to who you can as an extra would mean a lot and IYH be a zchus for Elimelech Ben Basya. Even a chesed be it at your home, your office, your shul or as a public thing is a tremendous zchus. Tizku lmitzvos

Eli BH is slowly getting back to himself. He does remain extremely weak and pale but the pain and most side effects hopefully have passed. He remains in a very good mood and is as happy as ever. Eli got a visit from his rebbi Rabbi Weiner which he very much enjoyed and appreciated.

On Wednsday in the morning we will be back in CHLA probably for most of the day as they plan on giving Eli some of his own stem cells back to help him regain his blood counts. He will also probably need a blood transfusion. We also hope to meet with the DR to discuss the next course of treatment and decide how to continue with which treatment etc.

Please as always continue to daven for Elimelech Ben Basya that he should continue to have the strength to fight and win this battle and that all should go as planned tommorow and every day after that one day at a time.

The chemo seems to be having its effect today wasn’t the easiest day for Eli as he was very weak and very nauseous most of the day. The good news is beezrat hashem the chemo is doing what its meant to do the sad and hard news is to see him in this state. I had to do something I hoped many months ago was the last time which was to give Eli a shot which when he is so weak is hard to give but its supposed to help bring up his low blood counts.

On Wednsday Eli will IYH be receiving some of his stem cells they harvested right when he got sick and wil be giving them back to him in hopes of that to will help bring up his strength and blood counts. Eli is now back on 12 hours of TPN to help keep his weight together and give him much needed calories and nutrition.

This morning there was a yom tefila on behalf of Elimelech Ben Basya and I know of literally around the world different shiurim and weeks of learning are being sponsored in the Mir yeshiva and in Monsey in Bais Hachinuch as well as in many other places. Every zchus is needed and appreciated and we look forward to continue to help Eli fight and win this tough battle.

After a long hard and tiring week at CHLA Eli finished this round of chemo and BH was discharged soon after that. We got home during Shabos at about 3:30PM and we look forward beezrat hashem to helping Eli regain some strength and prepare for what lays ahead with the future treatments. On Friday night we had a seuda in his room in CHLA where we were joined by 2 of Elis favorite “uncles” . On Shabos morning we were visited by a few special people that took the long 1.5+ hour walk each way to visit Eli and myself and it was very much appreciated and right before we were discharged the local Chabad shliach also came by. Even after Eli had a blood transfusion today with of course yidishe blood arranged by Bikur Cholim his counts are still very low and germs and infections are high on our watch list.

The next scheduled thing is a IYH a visit to the DR on Wednsday morning and exactly what or when after that isn’t certain. We are taking one day at a time and looking forward to helping Elimelech Ben Basya be zoche to what he really needs a refua shelayma bkarov. A GUT VOCH

Looking forward to the final chemo treatment of this round late tonight. The plan is beezrat hashem for Eli to go home some time this weekend. Depending on how he does this week they will decide on which route to continue meaning if they will do another set of scans to see how he responded to this round before they continue. Hopefully it did all it was meant to and is stopping and shrinking the tumor.

There will be a Yom Tefila for Elimelech Ben Basya Sunday morning at Sharei Tora 334 N La Brea Ave 9:30AM.

A GUT SHABOS

Not much to update BH as all remains status quo.

Na lilmod vlhispalel bzchus Elimelech Ben Basya bsoch shaar choley yisroel

For the most part today was BH ok other then the fact that Eli isn’t in the mood of eating anything which isn’t surprising and is pretty usual while getting chemo and will probably be that way until this round is done. He is back on TPN 12 hours a day now for the forseeable future as a precaution to keep as much weight on as possible.

Eli has already began day 3 of 5 of this round of chemo and bli ayin hora the extreme pain that he had over the weekend is basically gone.

Please as always continue to daven on behalf of Elimelech Ben Basya that all should go as planned with no pain C”V or side effects.

There isn’t much to update other then late last night day 1 of 5 of this round of chemo began. Some of the chemo will only be given some of the days and one of them will be given all 5 days. I don’t have much information as to why other then this is what the protocol is.

We are taking one day at a time and juggling work and Sori and Ari who aren’t having the easiest time with the fact that Eli is back in the hospital and they can’t visit him since its still flu season in CHLA all I can say is thank gd for skype.

Please continue to daven for Elimelech Ben Basya that the known chemo side effects don’t happen and that it should do only its intended purpose of destroying the tumor.