Clinic and Halloween

Here's a few photos from Halloween. We spent last Halloween in the hospital, so this year was terrific! Columbia had its annual Trunk or Treat complete with tons of candy, music and bounce houses. Carson went down early to hit the inflatables before everyone and their germs and had a blast! Unfortunately, when we went back for the actual Trunk or Treat he was already worn out. He lasted about 45 minutes and was done. He slept very well last night though!

Nona is here visiting and got to see the Halloween Parade at preschool on Friday!

Two firemen and a the unique "rapping swimmer" ready for Trunk or Treat.
Thankfully, there were no fires or drive by shootings during the festivities!

Saturday, our "fly girl" participated in a duel meet with North Baltimore Aquatic Club.
Both clubs brought their best of each age group - Curl Burke rocked!

Counts check at the clinic last Thursday was quick and easy. Well, the finger stick to get the counts wasn't easy, but we once again survived. Carson's ANC is a whopping 2000, hemoglobin good and platelets too. Despite a higher ANC than the doctors would like, we are still moving slowing with increases in chemo dosages. These next two weeks we'll increase the methotrexate to right around 100%, but the 6MP will stay right where it is at 50%.

Next clinic visit: November 11th. -Jennifer

Deep Thoughts with Jennifer

I get wrapped around the axle about the smallest things. I tend to focus on the here and now. I get stressed all the time. I lose perspective quite easily.

So, today's post is unusual for me. Bear with me while I explain.

We have been reading a book in church these last four weeks. It is The Family God Uses by Tom & Kim Blackaby. It has been a valuable study, a good reminder about raising a family that is grounded in the values of the Bible and a look at God's design and purpose of the family.

I admit though, I was pretty much going through the motions of the study, not thinking too hard about any of it. As usual, it takes a ton of bricks, to wake me up. Those bricks sure have a funny way of dropping at the most interesting of times.....

This is what I read "When God spares a child, it is for a reason". This is just one statement in an 180 page book, but I zeroed in on it. I started thinking about both of our children. I do believe both of our children have been spared by God, both should have probably died, but both are still here living happy lives. They are thriving in fact, despite their circumstances.

The book specifically mentions how Moses was saved from death when his mother hid him in a basket and floated him down the river, only to be found by the Pharaohs daughter. God protected Moses and he lived to lead Israel out of Egypt. I never thought about Francesca's experience being somewhat similar to Moses'. God took care of Francesca. He took her out of a circumstance in which she would have died and sent her where she needed to go to live. She is alive because of His protection. Think about this: We were living in a foreign third world country, we were almost not allowed to leave the country to go on R&R in the states. We flew out and about the same time Francesca was diagnosed with diabetes, Cote D'Ivoire was in the middle of a coup! Everyone had to stay in their homes under lock and key; there would have been no going out to the hospital with a sick child. She would probably have died if we'd have had to wait it out.

When we brought Carson to the hospital, he had an enormous white blood cell count (85% of which was cancer), almost no platelets, and no immune system. Yet he wasn't sick (apart from the cancer), he wasn't bleeding internally and no cancer cells had managed to migrate to his central nervous system. And now, SO FAR, we've had nothing but good news regarding his prognosis. Right now, his life has been spared.

And if I believe the author's statement about God sparing children for a reason, what is the reason my kids are walking around today??? What does God have planned for my children,??? How does he wish to use their lives to further his purpose? My kids may not grow up to lead countries, or be famous; but God has a plan to use them in some way. And, finally, what am I doing to make sure they grow up able to be used by God??

Serious business. The thing is, I should be asking those questions of myself with or without a brush with death. Something to think long and hard about for me. I need to focus on those questions above, maybe I won't get so stressed about small things, I won't lose my perspective. Axle?? What axle?

-Jennifer

Free Fitness

As if one blog wasn't enough, I started blogging about my marathon training on my Leukemia and Lymphoma Society TNT page. You can read about, and feel sorry for, all my aches and pains as I get ready for Disney. Then you can laugh about how you're glad you aren't the one doing it!

As my training continues, I'm still raising funds for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society....and I have another prize to raffle off for all of you who are local. It is a one month free membership to Vantage Fitness. This is a great time to win a free membership to the gym because the cold, yucky, rainy, snowy weather is coming. If you're like me, you'll want to be exercising indoors instead of outside and Vantage is a great place to do it.

Located in Falls Church, right on Broad Street, Vantage Fitness is a beautiful, light, bright, small and personal gym. I have been a member there for nearly two years, and have taken advantage of nearly all of their services. They have friendly staff, great fitness classes, babysitting and super smart trainers. Not only that, there is a massage therapist in house and a physical therapist too!

If you're the lucky winner of this raffle you will get a one month free membership to this great gym, plus you'll also have the registration fee waived. That amounts to a prize valued at $175.

The details: Donate through my TNT fundraising page between now and midnight on November 7th, 2010. For every $10 you donate, you'll receive an entry in the raffle. If you've already donated through my page, don't worry, you are already entered. But, if you choose, more entries are yours, with an additional donation! Those of you who haven't yet donated - get with it! You could win a gym membership for as little as $10! What a deal!

And if you need more inspiration to donate, just take a look at this......

All of these children have a blood cancer. Let's find a cure sooner rather than later!

-Jennifer

Another Week

Clinic
Carson was due for Vincristine(chemo) and Pentamadine (antibiotic) on Wednesday. That all went fine. His ANC counts were good - too good in fact. Guess what that means? Time for a change in the oral chemo routine! Sheryl Crow once sand "a change will do you good", but I don't think she was talking about medications for a near 5 year old. At any rate, Carson will continue on the same dosage of 6MP, but will go to full dosage of the methotrexate. This is yet another new dosage experiment and we'll find out how it plays out in two weeks. For now, we have a week off from the clinic because Carson started his 5 day burst of steroids and that will elevate his counts while he is on that.

Fundraising Update
A group of us had a Team In Training Happy Hour Fundraiser at a local restaurant, Ireland's Four Provinces, on Thursday. We had good attendance, great raffle prizes and a lot of fun. We are really thankful to everyone that came to the event and contributed to our fundraising efforts! Thanks also to our generous donors! And finally, thanks to Francesca, who developed writer's cramp while writing every one's name and phone number on their raffle tickets! We raised over $1,000 for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Way to Go!

Marina and Kathy get ready for raffle ticket sales galore!

Carson, of course, cared not at all about the fundraising. He instead spent nearly 3 hours playing all around the restaurant with friends Nils, Riley and Andy- he was too excited to even eat. Subsequently, he crashed when he got home and woke up starving the next morning!

How can anyone resist these face??? THIS is why we run!

Now, just in case you missed all the fun and excitement, or want to experience the thrill of donating yourself, it is not too late. Just look for the TNT logo on the right of this page and donate away!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!
-Jennifer

Fundraiser Reminder

Just a reminder that tomorrow, October 14th, is our Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training Fundraiser. Location: Ireland's Four Provinces, 105 W. Broad Street in Falls Church, Time: 5-8 PM. We plan to have a FABULOUS time!

If you can't make it, feel free to donate on line (see the Team In Training logo at right), or contact me via email if you'd like to purchase raffle tickets.

Here's a list of just some of the raffle prizes:

• (1) One hour massage from Deanna Staniszewski.......$95 value

• (1) One hour massage from Mei Acuna Arrington …...$60 value

• (5) Boxes of 4 gourmet cupcakes from Sweet Charity Cupcakes.....$12 value /each

• (3) One hour personal training sessions with Marina El-Ghoul of Vantage Fitness.....$228value

• (1) One month free membership to Vantage Fitness in Falls Church......$75 value

• (1) Chunky foil glass amber bead Necklace – 42".........$32 value

• (1) Gift certificate to Virginia Runner.....................$25 value

• (2) Gift certificates from Restaurant.com..................$50 value/each

There will also be a silent auction for a legal document package (valued at $1000) from Susan Earman, Esq.

See you there!!!! It will be a great evening!
-Jennifer

Ten, Ten, Ten

Our good friends Mark and Libby got married yesterday, on 10/10/10. Naturally, we managed to have a great time.


The ceremony was short and sweet; Carson managed to hold it together and be quiet. The reception was fun filled. Carson even danced, when he wasn't busy following Mark and Libby around, or trying to get our friend Chris to play with him.

Thanks for a wonderful evening Libby and Mark. May you have a beautiful life together!

The best part though.... seeing my family dressed up for a change, happy and well!




-Jennifer

Clinic Report

Carson's clinic visit went pretty much as expected yesterday. His ANC had risen considerably to around 1100. That means it is time to start the chemos again. This time there is a new plan though. He will remain on the same dose of methotrexate (currently at about 75% of what is called for), but the 6MP will be cut to the 50% dosage. They plan to keep the 6MP at that level for at least one month; and if counts hold, the plan is to only increase the methotrexate and try to get that up to full dosage. In a nutshell, they plan to move slower with any dosage increases and to only increase one drug at a time. Perhaps some day we'll find the "Carson dosage". At this point I would rather have a smaller dose every day than stopping and starting all the time.

Because his counts were high, Carson was "rewarded" with the flu shot. Poor guy! Low counts mean you stay home and away from people, high counts mean you get to take even more medicine.

Surprisingly, with all the happens to him, Carson absolutely loves the clinic. He is so excited to go on his appointment days that he constantly asks "when we go to clinic?" "I go play with Ms. Gretchen". "who's gonna listen to me when I get there?" (translation: "which doctor is going to do his exam - which includes listening to his lungs") It is a real credit to the clinic that with all the not so nice things they must do to children there, the kids still want to be there and they still make it fun for them. Obviously, there's some real special people working there and we are grateful for that.

Lots of great events coming up in the next few weeks which directly benefit pediatric cancer research and Children's National Medical Center.

Our friend, Officer Tom of the Arlington Police Department is participating in Be Brave and Shave which will benefit Children's National Medical Center. Lots of policemen and firefighters are receiving donations and will shave their heads to benefit CNMC on November 7th. Click here to donate. There's a great picture of Carson and Francesca with Tom there as well.

The CureSearch Walk on October 17th benefits the Children's Oncology Group (COG), a world wide organization of which the doctor's at the clinic are a part. The COG treats approximately 85% of all pediatric cancer patients. They are making huge strides in treatment for kids because they share information with each other and make changes as they discover what works best. If you want to learn more visit this link. Nurse Katie from the clinic is participating along with others that we know.

Thanks everyone for your continued prayers, words and deeds of support. They still mean a lot to us as we're on this long journey!

-Jennifer