Clinic Update

We went to Clinic today, and Alex got his beloved "sleepy milk", and a dose of Methotrexate into his spinal fluid and brain. He also received his Vincristine through his Port, and we get to start the steroids tonight.

He still has a fever, and if it is still there at 6pm, we may need to go back to the ED for additional antibiotics.

His ANC was 6,500 today - the doctor (not our normal one) even asked me if I had missed doses of his Chemo. I said "absolutely not"! He said, "not even one?" - I guess I felt a bit insulted. This is my child, and we are making sure we give him his poison EVERY day. This is a fight for his life - not something Eric or I are quick to forget...

Anyway, the counts are "too high"...but that just may be from a possible infection (hence, the fever, with no other symptoms). So, we jump through another set of hurdles that cancer has put in our way.

Hey, if I stretch my neck out, and squint my eyes, I can just about see the light at the end of this obstacle course....

Dodging a Bullet

We got to the ED at 5pm. By 6:30, the labs were back, and Alex's ANC is 5,300! So, we get to go home, and come back tomorrow for his regular Chemo appointment.

We are all so relieved!

Blasted Fever

100.7

The nurse said to call back in one hour - if the fever is the same or higher, it's off to the Emergency Department (ED) we go.

He is hot to the touch, and has no other symptoms...not a good sign...more info to come in an hour

No Fever

Alex woke up in a good mood with no fever, so we'll just keep watching him, to make sure he's ok...

Sleeping at the Dinner Table

Alex fell asleep again at the dinner table at 6pm tonight. My "worry" radar is up, and I'm concerned that he is either getting sick, or his counts are dropping again...

I hope it is just the innocent exhaustion of a 5 year old boy who played with his buddies today, and just wore himself out.

I wonder.

Will I ever get to shake the worry of the chemo and cancer side effects? Even once the cancer is just a ghostly nightmare, separated from my son by time, and healing?

Kyron Horman

Hello everyone, this little boy in the picture here disappeared from his elementary school less than 20 miles from our home. His name is Kyron Horman, and he is only 7 years old. I'm posting his picture here on my blog in an effort to "spread the word" on his disappearance. It is the least I can do.

I cannot fathom the pain that his family is going through. It makes me realize just how "lucky" we are.

Lucky? Cancer? Am I reading the right blog?

Yes.

We get to wake our children up every morning. (Sometimes, they wake us)

They get to play with their friends and each other during the day.

We get to read them stories, and give them kisses and hugs goodnight.

They get to go to bed knowing how much they are loved.

We get to teach them lessons on integrity, and honesty.

They get to teach us lessons on how to remain joyful, and experience the wonder of a new world every day.

We get to watch them learn new things - constantly.

They get to experience the pride of their accomplishments.

We have the opportunity to try and rid our son's body of this cancer.

Our children get to grow up into amazing human beings - in spite of this cancer.

We get to tell them both how much we love them - all the time.

They get to tell us the same.

We get to be together as a family - every day.

Our family, and so much of our community is on "high alert" looking for Kyron. We hope that his family can wrap their arms around him soon, and enjoy a simple "I love you" with their precious boy.

Please take a moment to look at Kyron's picture, and if you have even the "slightest" feeling that you have seen this boy, please call the tip line 503-261-2847. For more information, click HERE

Counts Update...Again

Alex had his ANC checked today. We are stable at 1000, so we are staying the course for another two weeks. We'll evaluate his counts at his next Chemo appointment. Alex is quite excited for that one, since he will get his beloved "sleepy milk"...and a lumbar puncture to throw more poison into his brain...

Silence Is Golden...

It has been quite a while since I have posted on this blog (about a month, give or take a day). After the last blog entry, we were able to release 4 weeks of built-up stress and worry about a relapse and/or a secondary cancer.

I cannot begin to tell you the level of relief we felt. I gave myself some time to just "live in the moment"; that Alex was only battling one cancer, and that a relapse was not an immediate concern.

During the past month, Alex has been on a 50% dosage for his oral Chemo, and even with the reduced potency, Alex's body still had to battle fatigue, and discomfort. Eric and I had to readjust to the "Chemo-normal" behavior - which can be anywhere from cranky to clingy, and everything in-between.

Today, we went back to the clinic to check Alex's counts, and to give him his monthly dose of Vincristine. Good News. His ANC was 1,000 - right in the middle of acceptable range. The doctors decided to bump up Alex's Mercaptapurine dosage a bit over the next month, to see if they can squeeze in any additional poison without sending Alex's counts plunging towards zero.

Since the success rate for his Chemo protocol of 80-90% cure for first-time diagnosis is based on full Chemo dosages, I very much want to see Alex's treatment follow the protocol as best as we can. A 50% dosage just doesn't seem "aggressive" enough - especially after getting a taste of what a relapse/secondary cancer scare is like.

So, in two weeks, we will go back to the clinic for a counts check to see what this higher dosage is doing to Alex's counts.

In the meantime, we will give our son his nightly poison, and hope that the higher dose is tolerated.

If you don't hear much from us in the next two weeks, it probably means that our "normal Chemo" routine is back, and there is nothing really to report. You have heard it all before...the steroid rages, the regressed emotional state, the exhaustion, and manic behavior.

Please remember, that my "quiet time" with the blog, is really just us living our lives with the strength of all of you - our friends and family holding us together. It means there is no crises, and that we are not up against any new problems.

Really.

In this case, our silence IS golden, and we are basking in the warm glow - with fingers and toes crossed...