An Update before the Long Weekend

Happy Memorial Day Weekend Everyone!

We are all doing fine and looking forward to having lots of fun this weekend.  I hope it is the same for you.

Carson is doing great and feeling well.  His clinic visit last Friday went just fine.  His ANC had risen to 780 or so and he has been able to restart chemo at half dosage.

Francesca and I had a great weekend at my brother's beautiful wedding and will post some pictures soon.  The boys managed to keep the house in tact while we were away.

While we are doing fine, one of our fellow cancer warriors has had a relapse and is facing some serious decisions.  To boot, this relapse occurred right at the end of 40 some odd weeks of heavy treatment.  Just when they thought the nightmare was behind them, they are back in it again.  Please be in prayer for this family.  Pray for strength for all and miraculous healing that will bring glory to God.  All things are possible!

-Jennifer

Weekend

Francesca and I are leaving town for the weekend to attend my brother's wedding. 

The boys will be on their own.

If you hear loud party noises, see that our yard has turned into a parking lot, or see smoke coming from any part of the house, please call me immediately on my cell phone.

Jennifer

Quick Monday Update

Counts came back higher today, 510.  This is good because we instructed Dr. L not to come back to our room at the clinic unless he had good news.  Truth is, we would miss him if he never came back; so we were excited that the blood complied and let him return.

Hemoglobin slipped slightly to 7.3.  Technically, Carson could get a blood transfusion, but energy level and appearance dictate that he doesn't need one.

So, we're waiting until Friday.  We'll return to the clinic for another counts check and possible blood.

In the meantime, do you return to school with only a super suppressed immune system, as opposed to only somewhat suppressed or super-duper suppressed ?  Decisions about that will be made later today.

-Jennifer

Mr. Low Counts Part Deux, or is it Trois?

After nearly a year long vacation, Mr. Low Counts has returned and, as usual, decided to stick around a little longer.

Carson's ANC is now 150 after the manual count.  His hemoglobin is down to the near transfusable level of 7.4 and his other ear is deciding to think about becoming infected too.

Something that did go well was his IGg infusion on Friday.  We hope that will help him fight off the ear infection (s?)

In the meantime, we will spend the weekend at home, return to the clinic on Monday and see where the counts have gone.  We will also see if he requires a blood transfusion (the first in nearly two years!)

Carson looks so great and acts so energetic, you don't realize the toll the chemo is taking on his little body.  It just crashes and then you hope everything will be all right.  As we close in on nearly three years of treatment, we are sure his body is getting EXTRA tired.

Praying we will stay out of the hospital.........

-Jennifer

Carson Triple Play

We've done the King Family Double Play; but of course, Carson had to outdo that and come up with something all his own.

A triple play.  Low ANC (230), Low IGg and an ear infection with a low grade fever. 

Thankfully, this happened on a week day during business hours- no trip to the ER; and thankfully, Carson's fever is not high enough to land us in the hospital.  We spent 2 hours at the clinic and then were sent home.

So, unless the fever spikes, we're home until Friday when we'll visit the clinic again for counts check and an IGg infusion.  Friday will involve some juggling as I have a doctor's appointment of my own, but Paul will stay home to help sort things out.

Meanwhile, Carson is content as long as I tend immediately to his every demand.  So far it is just a constant supply of food (because nothing seems to be tasting right) and TV shows/movies - manageable for the time being and better than being in the hospital.

-Jennifer

LP Monday

Carson had a lumbar puncture (LP)/spinal tap on Monday.  Since the clinic is getting out of the LP business, we were sent to the hospital after Carson finished his Vincristine push and his IV antibiotics.

Everything went fine at both clinic and hospital.  The counts are in the right range for once, so all his oral meds will stay the same.  We will go back to the clinic for a counts check in two weeks.

 Here is Carson before the LP.  He was so hungry and in such a bad mood that he was no longer looking at or speaking to us.

Here is Carson after the LP.  He was still not speaking to us because he was busy eating.  He packed away an entire Starburst package, 2 snack packs of cinnamon Teddy Grahams and countless goldfish crackers.

We got home from the hospital about 2 and Carson was busy running around like a normal kid an hour later.

I love it! You get done what you need to get done, and then you get back to the business of being a kid! 

-Jennifer