Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Week 5 but just as important... Thanksgiving and a Birthday!!

Hi everyone,

I am so sorry I didn't update earlier. I was taking care of Mike all night and all morning today and then when he was finally feeling better I was able to go run some errands and pick Katie up from school.

He is napping now so I can finally sit down and let you all know how things are going. He did really well yesterday. I think the people at Sloan forgot to take their speedy pills yesterday because we were in the PDH (Pediatric Day Hospital) for 4 (yes, FOUR hours) for a push of meds into his mediport that took about 10 seconds! It was frustrating for the adults (my dad came in with us :) ) but Mike was so great. He played and ran around and was just so good. He HATES having the port accessed and he hates when the nurses and Drs come near him but once they finish doing what they have to do, he is great! LOL

So, after they accessed his port we waited for the Dr/NP visit. It went ok... his levels went down again. His platelets are 126 (platelet transfusion level is 100, normal range is 160-400), his WBCs are 4.6 (Normal is 4-11), his HGB is 9.1 (transfusion level is 8, normal range is 13-17) and his ABS Neut is 1.7 (infection fighting antibodies...low end of normal range is 1.5 and they consider them Neutropenic (sp??) when it gets closer to 1.0). So it seems like he is hovering right at the cusp of low end of normal for some and below normal for others. :( The protocol that he is on calls for the 10 week induction phase in which weeks 5 & 6 are just the one drug, the Vincristine. Hopefully with this being week 5 that will help his levels to come back a little since it seems like the Carboplatin is what makes the levels drop so low. So, keep your fingers crossed that those levels go up for the next 2 weeks so that we don't have to worry about transfusions!!

After chemo Mike had a ophthalmologist appointment. I was worried about this one. Not only because I hate eye doctors and because Mike hates any doctor but because I was so worried about what the Dr was going to say. I know that I see a HUGE improvement in his left eye movement so I was hoping that I was not just seeing things. Well... the ophthalmologist agreed with me! He said he sees a really big improvement from just the month ago and that he feels pretty sure that there was no permanent damage to the 6th nerve!! :) HOORAY!!

Now, onto Thanksgiving. Hug every child you know. And when you are done hugging them...hug them once for me. Thank God that they are here, and healthy and that you are lucky enough to love them and know them. I know that I have been squeezing my kiddies a little tighter and a lot more often (if that's possible!) than before. I am so thankful for them. They are truly the lights of my life and I wouldn't trade either of them for anything or anyone in the world. So... this Thanksgiving, first and foremost, I am thankful for my kids. They have taught me so much and I love them more than I could ever express. Next my family...they have been so amazing that I can't even put into words how much they mean to me and how much I appreciate all that they do for and with me and the kids. My friends... I don't think anyone has a more supportive group of friends than I do. They make me laugh when I need it, they let me cry when I need to and they are just always there for me. I don't think any Thanksgiving has meant more to me than this one that we will celebrate tomorrow.

And last, but certainly not least... and yes, it will get it's own post... next Monday, December 1st is Mike's 3rd birthday!! I can't believe he is going to be 3 already! Where did the time go? I can't believe how fast it has gone by so far. And I can't believe how much he has gone through in such a short time. I know, and I pray, that all will be ok and he will have 100 more birthdays!! But... more on that in the Mike's 3rd Birthday post over the weekend!! :)

Well, that's it for now... it is time to wake Mike from his nap so that he sleeps tonight. I hope you all have a Wonderful, Blessed & Happy Thanksgiving!!

Love,
Chrissie

2 comments:

Kathryn said...

Girl, you know you aren't supposed to make a woman cry when she's too stuffed up to breath properly and can't talk to tell her kids why she's crying and hugging them.
As always continued prayers for all of you.

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I'm hugging my kids extra, just for you. xoxo