Team Donavynn Says Goodbye to 2008!!!

What a year it has been. With many wonderful highs and some heartbreaking lows. I am anything but sorry to see it go. I only hope that 2009 brings about happier times. 2009 was supposed to be a year of celebrations first Donavynn was supposed to complete treatment in June, and then I was to graduate in December. A year worth looking forward to. Though it won't be quiet that great, I am hopeful that it will still have much more to offer than this one has. This year I learned so much! And as bad as some times were I can't complain entirely because 2008 was the year that I met one of my very best friends and I learned that you don't have to know someone your entire life to feel as if they are a part of your family. And that is exactly how we feel about Rachael and her family. Through every up and every down this year, she was there. She was there the day that Donavynn relapsed and she drove me home, we stopped at her house and had her husband follow her down so that she could get home. She was there throughout the summer helping me plan his benefit that we had believed at the time would get us through until he finished treatment. She was pregnant and had to be exhausted and uncomfortable but she was always willing to help. And she did the same with the most recent fundraiser, even though it was held right at the end of finals week! I was able to be there for the birth of her 3 child, her beautiful little boy Mason. And we helped each other through the ups and downs that come with the second semester of nursing school. After we moved here the hardest part for me was being away from all my friends, and it took a while but I found a true blue friend in her. This may sound corny, but walking through life you meet so few people with hearts as good and kind as her and her family. I have however been blessed enough to meet a few others, like my great friend Abbey. It is nice to see that there is still so much good in the world today.

2008 has brought a lot of heartache to our home as most of you know. The uncertainty of Donavynn's health has been of great concern. His relapse tore us all apart. Though we knew that it was possible, by that stage in treatment I just didn't think it was likely, he was doing so well! It brought back all of those old feelings of resentment and anger toward God. Feelings that I hated to feel, but impossible to shake for awhile none the less. I began to wonder, once again why Dave and I had to fight so hard for him only to have him spend his life fighting as well. He has now spent more than half of his life fighting cancer. I wonder how that is fair. Though I know that life isn't fair, you want to think it would be semi fair when it comes to children. You would like to think that they wouldn't have to endure the pain of sickness, or loss etc. But Donavynn isn't the only one who has been fighting this cancer. We have all been fighting it in our own way. Because when your child has cancer, what that really means is that your family has cancer. Nothing is normal, we were so close to that normal life again, we could just about reach it. The light was so bright at the end of that tunnel and in an instant, it all changed again. My husband and I had to reevaluate everything again, my daughter had to hear the news and try to understand why, she had to try to see what that all meant for her and our lives. She has had to be juggled around and be away from home when Donavynn has to stay in the hospital, whether it is for treatment or illness. Thankfully I have 2 wonderful parents who have been a huge help as well. I don't know what we would do without them. And though she is happy there, it still can't be easy to be away from home, all while wondering what is going on with her brother. For awhile I contemplated putting school on hold again. Though I am glad that I didn't. As hard at it has been, it has been my only normal. My time away. And I need that for my sanity's sake. December proved to have another challenge in store for my daughter and her other side of the family. Her dad was just recently diagnosed with Lymphoma and has a difficult path to take now as well. Cheyenne has had to now try to understand why cancer seems to be all around her. It has however, brought her closer to her dad, or at least that is what it seems like to me. So we have been keeping them in our prayers as well. All of this makes you take a step back and really think about what you want to do with your life. It makes you appreciate the little things even more. For example, Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. This year was especially hard to get into the holiday spirit with all that has happened in the last few months. But I went and rented some holiday movies and sat down with the kids and watched them. I made sure to stick with our yearly traditions, started some new ones, and did what we could for others. This Christmas, inspite of or because of all of the pain in our world right now, was one of the best I've ever had. The kids were happy and full of life, their smiles and laughter lit up the rooms and my heart. I think that we all appreciated the little things even more. For the first time in a long time I felt that Christmas magic.

This year brought new babies to many of my friends! As mentioned above Rachael had Mason, Elisa had Hannah and Mandy had Monika. So through all the pain and disappointments there have many so many good things. So many things to be thankful for, that it makes it hard to feel the pain for too long. After Donavynn's relapse, I blogged about needing a moment to break down and feel the pain. And I did, and sometimes I still do. It is natural, and healthy. But I am thankful that I am able to see through all of that to enjoy the blessings that surround me everyday. I can see through it and see that though Donavynn has a long road ahead, longer than we had planned of fighting, he is strong and a true fighter and has responded very well to treatment. This is good. I can see that though my daughter has had to endure more in her 10 years than some do in an entire lifetime, she is strong and every heartbreak and hurdle molds her into the strong, loving woman that she will someday be. I can see that even when I close myself off from everything around me to take time to throw myself a pity party, I have an amazing husband who will be there for me when I'm ready to talk. Who won't take my silence or my screaming personally. Who knows that every now and then I just need to blow up and then I'll be ok. We have learned so much from each other this year, and even more since this journey as Team Donavynn began. His strength and tolerance through it all is awe inspiring. There are days when I can barely tolerate myself lol So I often wonder how he does it! :) He isn't just an amazing, understanding husband but a terrific father. Every year regardless of what obstacles we get over together we are constantly learning about each other, about how to help each other the best, what we each need at any given time etc. Just when you think you know everything there is to know about someone you learn something else. I really think that I should stay away from blogging when I'm this tired, because a start with a few thoughts and end up with a novel full of ramblings. Either way my point is that I'm not sorry to see 2008 go, and I'll be celebrating to the fullest, screaming the loudest I've ever screamed when we ring in 2009, but even with all the bad. There is always good!!! After every storm the sun always comes out to show us what the rain has brought - new life, and with it hope for a better tomorrow.

Staying Home Again...

Well it has been a really long day. I didn't get back to sleep until 6 this morning and then I had to take him to get his counts checked. After that we had to hang at my moms because my dad and Dave were fixing the leak. They finally finished and Nancy finally called his ANC is only 425 and it needs to be at least 750 to start the next round of treatment. So we'll have his counts checked again next Wednesday and if all is well he'll be admitted next Thursday. He has been feeling great, very playful and happy. The upside is that we'll get to spend New Years Eve at home with friends. And Dr. Shore said that these delays are expected. I wasn't the least bit surprised because the Cytoxan usually drops the counts hard and they were still 500 last week so I figured that they'd probably drop some more. I don't have all his other counts yet, but his platelets are over 300, his total white count is 2,000ish and his ANC is 425, and those are the most important numbers.

So the upside of the household disaster is that they were able to get the leak fixed. Whoever put the piping in before did a half assed job so it was basically a water bomb waiting to explode! The other good thing is that though it is really wet and nasty there was no sign or smell of mold. So we just now need to get it all dryed out so that none grows and gut that mess as soon as we are financially able. So I am obviously still worried because you never know what you will find the more you tear out, it could be worse than we think it is. But hopefully all is well. I'm just grateful right now that Donavynn is feeling ok. He had a sore throat last night and a cough but he hasn't had any problems today. I'm praying that it stays that way. Ok I'm exhausted and I gotta get some stuff done aroud here so I'll go for now. Thanks for the prayers.

Trouble Sleeping

It is just after 4 in the morning and I've been lying awake for 45 minutes now. I'm hoping that if I write all this crap down that is going through my head that perhaps I'll be able to squeeze in at least another hour before Donavynn wakes up. Everyday I worry about him. I worry that he could get sick, I worry that, well I can't even write the words because it hurts too bad to think it. And last night I got another reason to worry. We noticed that there is a weak spot in one of our bathrooms, right near the tub. We assumed it was from the floor getting wet after baths, or even the flood we had in there in July after the pipe broke. We also assumed that we would just fix it when we got our tax money and that it would likely be no big deal. Until my dad and Dave started digging around and removed the panel that shows you the plumbing to the tub. There it was discovered that the pipes have been leaking for God only knows how long and the entire floor under the tub is completely rotted. So this isn't going to be a simple easy fix. And my dad said he thinks it is far too wet for mold to grow because mold needs damp not a freaking puddle. But I still worry. Donavynn is extrememly immunosuppressed, what if there is mold? Obviously the problem needs to be fixed and Donavynn and I will have to stay with my parents while it is being done... but I'm still going to worry. I know that worrying doesn't really help anything but I can't help it, its in my nature. I just can't believe this nightmare. So my dad is going to come fix the leaking pipe tomorrow so that that mess can start to dry out and then as soon as we get our tax money we have to gut the bathroom. I'm telling you, if I had had my way we would have rented forever. Owning a home sucks! Last year it was the furnace, now this.

Anyway, I have to take Donavynn to check his counts when we get up to see if he can be admitted tomorrow. But he has been complaining of the same sore throat that Cheyenne and I have had for the last two days. He doesn't have a fever thankfully but his throat is red and irritated and he does have a cough. So tonight I put the vicks pad in the vaporizer and that seems to have helped, he isn't congested or coughing for now. I just hope that it clears up on its own and soon. I wonder what the protocol is for that if there is no fever but there is a sore throat will they go ahead with treatment? I'm eager to see what his counts are. I don't even know how I'm going to make it through the next 2 years. February is going to be marking our third year of this battle and it doesn't get any easier. I was finally to the point where I was feeling good about things when he relapsed. Now his counts are constantly low which alters so much of our lives and makes things even harder than they were before. I just need to sleep but to do that I have to have a clear head. I don't remember the last time that I had a good nights sleep. I wonder if I'll ever know what that feels like again.

On the upside, if you haven't noticed from the pictures, Donavynn's swelling has gone down finally. His belly went down right away but it took him a long time to lose that moonface look the steroids give. And now he is finally starting to look like himself again, only bald. I've finally adjusted to that look again, though I miss his hair. It does help that he likes to be bald. And that he has a little ring of hair around the back of his head like balding men do, like Dr. Shore does! lol And Donavynn will tell anyone who will listen "I look like Dr. Shore!" Which cracks me up, especially when he told the good doctor that himself!

I have spent the last two days cleaning, weeding things out and trying to get organized. And Donavynn was a great help with that. He loves to help and it is so nice that he is currently feeling well enough to do so. I was so excited the other night because I made brocolli to go with dinner and Donavynn loves that so I thought that for once he would join us for dinner - most of the time he doesn't because he only eats when he wants to because his appetite is so poor due to the chemo. And he did sit down, he took two bites and got sick. Which to me is expected, I've been dealing with this a lot so you clean it up and move on. No point fretting about it. But it causes Dave to worry, he has asked a lot if it is ok that he hasn't really been eating. And I just tell him that they are happy if he is drinking and he does eat, just not that much. They keep an eye on his weight etc and will let us know if they are concerned. It just goes to show you, I'm not the only one in this house that is worrying, it's just I seem to worry about the bigger things that can go wrong. A poor appetite has been something he has been dealing with for 3 years now. But it is good to see Dave being more involved in everything. Don't get me wrong he is a great dad, I couldn't ask for a better father for my kids. But for a long time he distanced himself from anything that had to do with the cancer. I think that was his way of coping. Which is fine, we all handle it differently. But it has been much easier on me, and taken a little of the load off of me recently since he has started to become more involved in his treatment and the day to day things that come with it. It has also seemed to make Donavynn happier too. He has really enjoyed the times that Dave has been able to stay with us at the hospital. I must admit that is pretty nice. But sadly he can't do it all the time, because he only has so much time he can take off and still get paid. Still any little bit helps us out a lot. It lifts Donavynn's spirits and gives me a little break every now and then. Well I'm sure by this point I'm rambling and I'm hoping that my mind is cleared enough now to sleep. Good night or good morning, whichever you prefer at this hour. I'll post again when I have his counts.

A Very Merry Christmas!!!

First let me say Merry Christmas to everyone! It was a wonderful day, I couldn't have asked for more. 3 months ago I never would have been able to picture a Christmas so full of joy, but it went way beyond our expectations. After presents were opened my parents came over with Derek and we opened more presents, then the kids spent the day playing with their many cool toys! We got some great gifts from our Cancer Warriors Christmas Angels. And we were so blessed to have another angel helping our family this year. My 2nd semester clinical instructor sent some gifts for the kids as well and helped to brighten their day as well. I haven't seen a house so crazy with play since I was a kid at Christmas. I think that might be because the older Donavynn gets the more he gets out of Christmas and the more he gets out of his gifts. This was the first year that her really got it, we thought he got it last year but it was no where close to the magic we saw this year. Donavynn started out in his own bed last night, but I woke up when Dave got home from work and found that he had snuck in with me! lol He closed his eyes real quick and wouldn't talk to me right away, afraid I would send him off to his own bed. In the morning Cheyenne asked him if he had seen Santa and he said yes then quickly clammed up and covered his mouth like he wasn't supposed to tell! lol It was so cute!

Ok so let me tell you about our Christmas Eve. We went to Nana and Grumpy's for dinner and then headed home to finish up for the night. After we got home I got the kids all ready for bed and then we baked cookies for Santa.








Then we settled in to read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas and we finished up the night by watching Frosty The Snowman. Then it was off to bed! These little traditions are what we treasure and hold so dear. Donavynn was awake at 6:30 this morning and so that meant that so was the rest of the house! lol He was so excited and this was the first year that he didn't need to stop and finish opening presents later in the day! He got Monster Truck Jam for his DS, which is the only thing he really wanted for Christmas and when he opened it up he said "Monster truck...." then his face lit up and he said "GAME!" He was so upset last weekend when we had the early Christmas shopping trip from Williams-Woody Nissan and the only thing he really wanted us to get him was that game and we didn't get it! So it was nice to see his face light up when he saw that. Cheyenne got her much desired laptop from her Grandmother in Georgia. She has been bugging for one and her Grandmother thought it was time since she is needing it more now for school. And the only nice thing about Vista is the v-chip! lol She also got a new comforter and sheet set for her bed as well as lots of clothes and her very first curling iron, which is a little scary! lol Dave also found that Monster Truck Jam is having a marathon on all day so that is what has been on our tv all day and Donavynn has been loving it! So overall it was a great day and we were so happy to be able to spend it at home. And we are so happy that Donavynn is doing so well and staying so strong through all of this! We are so truly blessed to have the wonderful people in our lives that we do and for his strength throughout the storm!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! I hope yours was as happy as ours!!!

Checked Counts Early

I spoke to Nancy earlier today to see if we could check his counts today, that way we would have extra time to plan and pack etc. So we headed over and had them checked this afternoon, then I took Donavynn home to spend time with Daddy while Rachael and I finished up our Christmas shopping. While I was out I hit up blockbuster for Christmas specials because for some reason the shows we usually can't escape this time of year aren't airing around here until Christmas Eve. So anyway Nancy called while I was out and his ANC is 500. It needs to be 750 for him to be admitted for treatment so provided he stays healthy we will be home for Christmas! YEAH! We will go Monday to have his labs checked again and if he makes counts then he will be admitted on Tuesday. The up side is his platelets jumped back up to 190! Which makes me feel so much better. I worry so much when his platelets are low. So I better get going, gonna finish wrapping gifts and watch the Christmas specials with the family. Just wanted to let everyone know that our Christmas should be a good one, at home with the family the way it should be!

Family Update

I can't believe how fast December is slipping away, how fast the year has slipped away. Though I can't say that I'm sorry to see it go. It hasn't been a great one, something with even numbered years... I'll be more than happy to ring in 2009! With many hopes that things will be better and that Donavynn will stay healthy.

Cheyenne's dad was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma this past week and so we are sending up prayers for him as well. It's going to be a tough battle but he's strong and we have faith that he can do it!

Donavynn has his first LP since induction yesterday. We were expecting an awful ice storm in the morning so to be safe Donavynn and I went to the city and originally wanted to stay at Ronald McDonald house, however they have an 8 o'clock check in and we wouldn't make it so the social worker told me that the local hotels give a discount to families and so we got a hotel room across from the hospital the night before. But as our luck goes, the storm didn't hit till last night when we were leaving the hospital! lol But either way, Donavynn and I had a great night. Through all of the hardships there is a good thing in all of this, well there are many good things but the one is that Donavynn and I get to spend lots of quality time together, being silly and having fun. He didn't want to leave the hotel, he said "I don't wanna go to the hospital, I wanna stay in this bed, in my pajamas all day!" lol And you would think a 4 year old would be bored out of their mind in a hotel room, but not him, he played hide and seek, played the window sill like a piano, danced in front of the TV, pretended the one pillow was a log etc. He was having a ball! Here are some pictures of our fun stay!

So anyway, his LP went well, but he did end up needing a unit of blood, his hemoglobin was 7.7. His ANC was only 590 and likely will continue to drop (usually drops 7-10 days after Cytoxin). And his platelets were only 65, so that worries me, but I'm hoping that they'll be headed back up soon. Because of him needing blood and the fact that the storm waited for us to be on the road we didn't get home till 8 o'clock last night. But we made it home safe and sound and that is what matters. He is supposed to be admitted Christmas Eve for his next round of HD Methotrexate, but he has to have his counts checked Tuesday and if his ANC isn't 750 or above he can't be admitted. Which normally would suck because it would mean another delay but this time I wouldn't be overly upset as being in the hospital for Christmas will kinda suck. But we're prepared for it and it will be a great Christmas no matter where we spend it, because we will all be together! Here are some more pics...
This is Donavynn after his LP, Elizabeth from Child Life was reading to him during the procedure because I can't bear to stay in with him the one and only time I did was the day of his relapse so I won't be doing that again!

Child Life had a wagon full of presents and this Laughing Snoopy was one of the ones Donavynn got! He loves him!

On another note, school is over for the semester, I go back on January 13th. And I got a 3.81 GPA for the semester so as Rachael would say "Hooty Who!" I made Dean's List again!!! And that is about all for our family news. At least all I can think of right now when I'm half asleep. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and I'll update again when I find out where we'll be spending our holiday. Hope you enjoyed the pics!

Sorry For The Lack Of Updates

Well it is quiet for the moment so I figured I would post an update since it has been awhile and things are kinda crazy. As I am typing this my family and closest friend are working Donavynn's Pancake Breakfast Benefit. And I am home with Donavynn, Derek and Baby Mason. Donavynn is neutropenic so the big crowd thing wouldn't be a good idea. He started week 2 of this round of treatment with the Cytoxin and Etoposide and he will have his LP on Thursday. And things are good for now. I forgot to mention too, at least I can't remember if I did mention it before. Donavynn got "a-gaged" lol I've told you all about "Lovey" his favorite nurse, well last month he asked her to marry him and even gave her a ring! lol

This week has been a rough one for our family. I can't go into details because I don't have permission for that. But someone very close has just recieved a diagnosis that is going to require the power of prayer.

But other than that things are ok for now. Donavynn is happy as usual and very active. I finished this semester of school, thankfully. I thought it would never end. And it looks like I will likely be making Dean's list again. So that made me happy. I am going to do my best to enjoy the break. Though I know it won't be nearly long enough.

I guess that is all for now, have a great weekend!

New Month, New Round Of Treatment

So we were admitted yesterday. We sat in the clinic from 9am to 7:30pm before we were finally able to get into our room. Apparently they had some really late discharges. Anyway he finished the HD Methotrexate at 6 tonight (it runs over 24 hours) And all last night as well as from now until we leave he'll have to have his urine checked and they want him to go at least every 2 hours. The methotrexate is eliminated through the kidneys so if he doesn't go the levels will build up in his body and can cause burns in his bladder etc. Very scary. But he will start the leucovorin tomorrow which helps the body eliminate it as well. So hopefully we'll be out of here on Sunday, but time will tell. We'll know more when he has his next methotrexate level drawn, that will tell us how fast he is eliminating it.

He has been feeling really good. Playing his DS, riding his scooter up and down the hall and talking up a storm with all the nurses. It is really nice to see him feeling so well during a hospital stay. There really isn't a whole lot else to tell. I have finals on Tuesday and Wednesday and then I'm off until January 12th which will be nice, but it is pretty likely from what I'm being told that much of that will be spent here with low counts. Hopefully they're wrong, but only time will tell. Either way, I'm just happy to be that much closer to graduation. I can't believe I've just about gotten through the semester that I didn't think was possible because he relapsed right after it started. It went fast. I'm praying that the next year goes just as fast with school and that he continues to kick cancer right in the ass. That is what he tells me, "I'm kicking those bad cells in the pants!" lol He just shows me more and more everyday how strong and brave he is. Sometimes I really wish that I had his strength and his spunk! He just lets everything roll of his back, he is cooperative and kind and just so stinking happy all the time! lol I love it! I know that that positive attitude is going to help him out so much through all of this.

Ok well, I apologize but my mind hasn't been all there lately. I haven't been blogging like I usually do. It's just been so crazy and I've been feeling so drained. Hopefully with the break from school that will get better. Please continue to pray that Donavynn stays healthy, and doesn't get any of those nasty mouth sores. Thanks for the love and support.

BTW the benefit is the 13th. Starbucks has donated coffee etc, Bings donated the pancake mix, and everything fell into place very fast. It should be a great Breakfast with Santa!!! If you would like to attend and need further information give me a call. And thank you Rachael so much for all of your help and support in this difficult time.

Feeling A Little More Awake Today...

Donavynn is doing great! I can't even begin to express how happy this makes me. Every day here is a struggle in some way or another, whether it is that he isn't feeling well, or my brain is going places that I wish it wouldn't with worry. I can't imagine my life without him. He fills every single day with joy, even when he is acting like a typical 4 year old. Which by the way is incredibly hard because he never got an attitude before, and is now begining to test the waters a little more, but even so, I'd rather have that than what we were dealing with throughout October. He lightens my world and the love that he has for his sister and she for him makes it even better. Of course they fight, like brothers and sisters do. And she doesn't listen like she should, like most 10 year old girls. But I have two amazing, loving children and my life would be so empty without them. With Thanksgiving over I have found myself searching to see what I am really grateful for, and I would have to say that the #1 thing is my family. All of it, from my mom and dad to my husband and children.

You would never know that he is neutropenic because currently he and his sister are racing around the house. And earlier he was racing on his smart cycle and going so fast! His energy amazes me because I have so little right now. I have been drained emotionally and that takes its toll everywhere. I wish I could bottle some of his energy. It makes me so happy to see him like this because it shows just how strong he really is. I admire his strength. I have seen such strength in these kids, both on here and in the hospital. You know that much of the time they don't feel good or are in pain and yet they storm the halls of the hospital with the bikes and tractors they ride, they fill the playroom doing crafts or playing games and they laugh! Through the pain and the sadness that is cancer they laugh. I think that often times we the parents are the ones that struggle with this the most, even though we aren't the ones feeling the pain, we have a harder time with all of it. Often times we have a hard time being normal because our brains are going over all the possibilities and the kids are for the most part oblivious. Donavynn told me the other day when I told him that he had to wash his hands or he would get sick "I am sick already!" He doesn't understand that that is a different kind of sick. Much like his friend at school the other day didn't understand. For this I am also grateful. His laughter washes away the fears, at least for a little while. It brightens my day and gives me hope. Know that though I haven't had time to talk to many of you, I haven't forgotten about you or your thoughtful words and prayers. I appreciate everything you all do from sending up prayers to checking up on us. Your support means the world to us.

Didn't Make Counts

So sorry for the lack of updates, but I am still experiencing some computer issues, and it has been pretty crazy here. Donavynn just got his last Erwinia shot for awhile on Monday, so we were up in the city just about every other day since we got out of the hospital. Donavynn has been doing really good. He has been as active as ever and even went to visit his friends in school this week. His friend Jacob was very sad that he couldn't stay. But hopefully they will be able to have a play date soon when his counts are good again and we aren't in the hospital. He was supposed to start his HD Methotrexate yesterday but we got all the way up there and he didn't make counts. The good thing is that we get an extra week at home. I'm trying to see the upside. The only bad thing is that it delays everything and now if there aren't anymore in the next few weeks he'll have to spend Christmas in the hospital instead of Thanksgiving. But we'll see what happens. Either way, I know that he'll have fun. We did our Thanksgiving on Monday, since we thought we were going to be at Mercy today, so today we just had some lasagna. But at least we were all together. Donavynn's grandparents from NY have been in town this week. And it was the first holiday that both my and Dave's family were together. It was really nice.

I even got a little break last weekend. My dad babysat so that my mom, Rachael and I could go see Twilight. Boy, was that well worth the wait! I loved getting out of the house for awhile and not having to worry and we all loved the movie, after going crazy over the books. I'm telling you, it is an obsession! lol

So it seems that at least for now, things have settled down here for awhile. We are praying that it stays that way, but are thankful for everyday that it is. I'm just about done with school for the semester so that will help with the stress level for a little while as well. Then it is just one more year! It seems like it is so far away, but I know that it will just zip on by. Just as this year has. I can't believe that Donavynn is almost 5, and that Cheyenne is almost 11. We have had a rough year, but are so thankful for all the positives that were mixed in with the bumps. So please continue to pray that all goes well. And that he'll make counts next week, as well as that he won't develop any mouth sores from the Methotrexate. Many children do get them, and they are a concern because the mouth is full of bacteria. I am sorry if this is disorganized. It has been a long week and I'm really tired. I will try to update again when I have some free time.

What A Difference Being Home Makes!

Today has just been great. Donavynn danced for the first time in probably two months, was singing, playing the Wii and he even jumped. He ate a little today too, a package of poptarts and a yogurt. It isn't much but it is something. And he even chose the yogurt over fries, so I was pretty impressed with that. He isn't really looking forward to going back up tomorrow and honestly neither am I. But then we'll have the weekend off, as long as all goes well. He has only had one accident today which is pretty impressive, I wasn't sure how he would do. And his bottom is continuing to heal very well. One day at a time, we are just so happy to see him being his normal, happy self. That is about all there is going on right now. Great day with the family, still pretty drained. But boy did we all sleep well last night. To be home, all of us together, sleeping in our own beds! I'll try to update again tomorrow after we get home from clinic. Have a great night.

We're Home

This is going to be short and sweet. We are home. And everyone is doing well. The house has been complete chaos since we got home, which is why I am posting so late. He is beyond happy to be home as am I. I had a dream last night about sleeping in my own bed! lol Which is where I'll be headed soon. I have been up since 4:30 and have to be up with him every three hours for his eye drops. So that is really all for tonight. We are home and happy. Please pray that he stays healthy and continues to do well.

Heading to Bed

Today was a good day, all went well with the HD Ara-C. He even got to go down to play Bingo, he won a matchbox car and a Toss-A-Cross Game. That made his night, and he is now looking forward to future stays that don't involve fevers, that are only for treatment. Thursday nights are Pet Pals and that is his favorite, so perhaps in the future he'll get to go to that. He spent most of the day resting. The chemo takes a lot out of him. And he was on IV fluids most of the day so he didn't get to ride his bike. I took his bike down to the car and then they tell me that he doesn't need the fluids anymore! lol I can't win. Well I'm heading to bed, we have a long day tomorrow. We come back up Friday for his next Erwinia shot. Keep praying that all continues to go well. I'll try to update tomorrow evening sometime if I'm still awake enough to type coherently. lol Have a great night!

AM Update

Things are looking good! His blasts are gone again, which is awesome. And he started his HD Ara-C yesterday afternoon at 3, and so far he hasn't gotten one of those dreaded Ara-C fevers. Lets hope it stays that way. They also premedicate with Zofran, and wouldn't you know after they did that he ate! He ate 2 pop tarts and most of a grilled cheese sandwhich! Perhaps he is feeling nauseas a lot and that is why he doesn't want to eat. He is still sleeping right now, but not for much longer, they have to come in and put in his eye drops soon. And he seems to be getting better with those.

Last night we went down to do a little project in the teen room. They had cupcakes, pretzel sticks and a fruit roll up and he made a tepee out of it. I have pictures that I'll upload when I have time. He also enjoyed coloring with a couple other kids on the big wipe off board they have down there. He was so happy to leave the floor!

His bottom is healing very well, it shouldn't be much longer now before it is all healed. He got his last dose of IV antibiotics yesterday. And it still looks great.

His ANC is 2,230 today, which is up from the 1800 it was yesterday. So that is good. Hopefully it will stay up for a little bit longer and let his bottom finish healing. I spoke to the docs more yesterday about the G-CSF and when to start it and we aren't starting it Thursday, we are going to wait until his counts drop. Because the only reason we had this much of an issue this time was because he had C-diff going into everything, and all that lead to the breakdown of his bottom leaving it open for that infection to get in. So hopefully we won't have as many issues this time, we can only hope. I'm sure daddy has been cleaning up at home, doing the weekly top to bottom disinfection. And hopefully that will help. Hopefully now that he has been feeling better he won't be so lethargic either, which will also help. The more active he is the better.

So the plan is still to go home tomorrow and I think we are both equally excited! The staff here is great and all but we are ready to get out of here. Donavynn told Dave the other day that he can't wait to go out those doors and tell all the nurses "I'm OUTTA here!" lol I can't even tell you how great it is to have my spunky little man back. He has been amazing everyone on the floor with his bike riding skills. He even found a little friend to race yesterday! They had a great time, until Donavynn had to get hooked up to his chemo. They are having Bingo in the teen room tonight, and if he is still fever free and feeling up to it we might go down. I think he would like that. The only bad thing is that he has to leave his mask on when he leaves the floor, because you never know if someone is going to sneeze! Hopefully he'll be feeling good.

Those are it for updates right now. Things are looking good all the way around. Please keep praying that he stays healthy and we are able to stay home more this time around. And please also pray that he handles the Erwinia well, with no reactions. Starting those again, every other day always has that risk. And he really needs to have all the chemo's on the protocol so lets keep praying that his body handles it all well.

Thanks for the love, support and prayers!

Pictures From the Last Few Days, and Today's Update

Playing with Daddy

Making his about me collage

His gingerbread house he made yesterday, complete with
"autumn leaves" on the ground

Making his gingerbread house

(below is from Saturday)

Let's Race!

Today's CBC showed 2% blasts, but the doctors weren't concerned. They said that the machine probably missed them yesterday. They said it is more likely that that happened than that they were gone and rose up again. But they said they'll continue to watch them.

Donavynn has been doing really well. He's been out playing and riding his bike for a couple hours everyday since Saturday. And he hasn't been on IV fluids since then either. He is back on them now because they want to get him good and hydrated before they begin his Ara-C this afternoon. He has been so happy and feeling so good that I am sad that he has to start that up again today. I'm just hoping that maybe he won't get the fevers that the Ara-C is so famous for. He has some peeling on his hands and legs now, which they say is another common side effect of the Ara-C. Fun times!

They removed his last remaining stitch today. So hopefully that will continue to get better, and will be 100% healed very soon. He's sad to be stuck in his room right now. The only thing he wants to do is race and he can't do that with the pole, and besides the playroom is closed until 2:30 because they are having school for the older kids. Overall it has been a good couple of days, I only wish we could have been able to enjoy the at home. We are all so happy to have our happy go lucky Donavynn back!

On another note, my friend Rachael, who helped with the August benefit is in the process of organizing another one, because as I mentioned this protocol calls for many trips to the hospital and many stays for treatment, not to mention the unplanned stays due to fever. She is doing a "Breakfast with Santa" 2 weekends before Christmas. I'm sure it will be great fun. I wish that we could attend but I'm not counting on it. He starts the next phase of intense treatment at the end of this month or beginning of next month, depending on counts. But I am so thankful to have such a wonderful, thoughtful friend. Because God knows we don't have the time to do anything like that right now. I'll keep everyone updated on the benefit so if any of our local friends wish to attend with their children they can.

Well I'm going to sign off for now, I'm sure there is some homework that I could be doing. Please keep praying that he continues to do well, that the chemo doesn't make him feel too bad, or damage any part of his little body, and that he can stay healthy this time around so that we can enjoy some more time at home as a family.

Today's Labs

I don't have a whole lot to say today, yesterday was a great day and I'm sure today will be as well. We are going to enjoy being out of the room today because the Ara-C can cause fevers and he starts that tomorrow. And as you know fevers = staying in the room. I am simply posting this morning because I got his labs and THE BLASTS ARE GONE!!! So that made my day! I had to look a couple times because they only list them if they are there, not like other counts where they will write for example % Mono - 0 or something. Anyway, that was the highlight of my day so far. He is getting his antibiotics now so I'm going to jump in the shower, when they are done we are going to enjoy the day out playing and riding his bike. I'll update later when there is more to tell.

Our Donavynn is Really Back!!!

You better hurry up! Nana's gonna get you!

Here she comes!

Today daddy went home, he has to get back to work. And hopefully we'll be joining him on Wednesday. My mom brought Donavynn's bike with her when she came to get Dave and that got Donavynn out of the room and even more active than he has been! He road his bike up and down the halls for probably 2 hours! I'll post some more pics later but here are the ones I got from my phone. He is doing great and if it wasn't for chemo on Monday we'd probably be out of here by now. We are just hoping that he stays this way after this next round of chemo. I'm going to talk to the doctor again about when to start the G-CSF, because his counts won't tank for about 5 days or so, so maybe we'll wait a little longer, because I don't want him on it any longer than he has to be. Please keep praying that he continues to do better!

The Current Plan

Dr. Shore visited again today and I was able to talk to him about the G-CSF schedule. He said he is fine with starting it sooner, he said that they don't usually give that with a chemotherapy drug but if it might help than we can give it a shot. I'm just not sure how it will work as far as with counts... do we start it and then stop when they are ok, then start again when the Ara-C drops them? I'll have to look into that further I think.

They are very pleased with his progress. He has been off of IV fluids most of the day and has been drinking really good. He's picked at food here and there but nothing really worth talking too much about. However his bottom seems to be doing very well. So the plan as of right now is to shoot for a Wednesday discharge. They will likely start his next round of HD Ara-C on Monday provided he makes counts and if he does than we'll be going home on Wednesday. But we'll see, none of that is set in stone.

Donavynn's friend Kaeden is in the hospital now too, with a blood infection. :( Maybe you could say some prayers for them too.

That is about all for tonight, it has been a good day and he keeps improving. Thanks for all the prayers.

Congratulations Elisa!

Hannah

Wow, this morning turned out to be better than I thought. I just got a call from one of my best friends back in NY. She had her baby girl this morning. 7lbs 5oz 20 inches long born at 8:30 EST. She looks just like her mommy! I miss you girl, wish I could have been there! Congratulations to you both! Please keep sending me lots and lots of pictures! And call when you feel up to talking.

A Much Better Morning!!!

So the last few days it has been like pulling teeth to get a copy of his labs. Which is nerve racking, because I know that if they don't bring them right in, if they hem and haw about it than there is a problem. The problem has always been that there are still blasts. I have tried to explain to them that I am aware of this, and all it does by beating around the bush is make me more nervous. Apparently they finally got it because when I woke up this morning a copy of his labs were sitting on my laptop! And guess what! They dropped again, and this time by almost 400 instead of the 100 they have been dropping. So I feel much better! Now they are at 6%. People must have been praying along with me last night, thank you!

Nancy his APN (advanced practice nurse or nurse practitioner) stopped up last night because I needed someone to calm my nerves. I spoke to her about how another patient on the same protocol is getting the G-CSF after the first dose of Erwinia instead of the last and how that seems to have helped him spend less time in the hospital, so I asked her to talk to Dr. Shore and see what he thinks. If they have their reasons as to why it is after the last dose than ok, I just didn't feel that it could hurt to ask. She also took a peek at his bottom and she said that it looks pretty good. It looks like there is some granulation tissue there which means it is healing good.

The doctor was just in and she explained that they want him on at least 10 days of IV antibiotics (we are on day 8) and then they will see how his bottom is looking and decide if he needs another 4 days. That is our time line at this moment for going home. It is still pretty vague but better than before. I'll update more later. I just wanted to share the good morning that we've had with all of you!

We Hit The One Week Marker

Today has been pretty good overall. Still worried about his blood work. The blast count is dropping, and they said that they still aren't worried. But it isn't dropping as fast as I would like it to. They said if he still has blasts next week then they will do a bone marrow biopsy. So please pray that that isn't necessary. Every morning when I ask for the labs I get sick to my stomach. I'm so worried.

He got up and out of the room again today. Peddled the tractor around the halls, made an "about me" collage, and played catch with me in the halls. He is napping now. I wish we could get one of the bikes like he has at home. That would be easier for him to peddle. Maybe I'll have to scrub one of those up and keep it just as his hospital bike. Seen as how we will be spending more time here it seems.

He just had his bipap therapy, which puts him to sleep every time. So he is taking a nice nap now, and then we'll probably go back to the play room and have some more fun!
So please keep the prayers coming, we still have no estimated time of discharge. I'll update again a little later if I have time.

***The information below is for family, I do NOT believe in soliciting help from strangers over the internet***

Hello everyone, I am wondering if any of you have any fund raising ideas. The money from the fund raiser we held in August is almost gone with the long hospital stays and the multiple trips up here. We need to organize something that isn't going to take a lot of time, as we don't obviously have that. But things aren't going to get better for awhile, so we are definitely going to need some help, as hard as that is for us to admit or ask. So if anyone has any ideas please let me know. And if any of our family is interested in making a donation you can click the donate button above, it will put a deposit directly into our paypal account. Thank you so much!!!

Another Pic From Last Night

He LOVES this racetrack!

Today's Update

Walking with daddy

Washing my watermelon! lol

He just kept smiling at me forever when I got back! lol

As you can see by the pictures, he has been fever free for more than 24 hours so he was able to leave his room! We got him up and let him play in the play room then took him for a walk up the halls. But I think we may have over done it a bit because all that walking got him coughing, which is good, it gets all that stuff moving. But they think he may have pulled a muscle in his chest because it hurts him to cough. His chest x-ray has shown great improvement though, so we'll just keep getting him moving. Right now he is doing some great lung expansion - laughing, hysterically to Kangaroo Jack! I forgot that the kangaroo gets hit, and when he saw that he started balling! So I had to explain to him that he was ok, and once he saw that he was he started laughing and hasn't stopped much since! lol

His bottom looks better, redness wise. But 2 of his stitches came out. So they don't want to put new ones in, they just want us to continue to irrigate it and keep the ointment on it. Hopefully now that his counts are back up it will heal quicker.

He's on O2 per venturi mask now when he sleeps, because his sats were dropping into the 80's again. They feel it is likely just from him being immobile. So hopefully the more we get him moving the better that will get.

They aren't starting chemo tomorrow as planned. They want him to get over this infection and let his bottom heal. And we don't know yet, when we'll be going home. That will depend on his bottom. He's only had 2 stools so far today, so that is surely helping. And I'm so proud of daddy! He did so well taking care of him. He was concerned about cleaning his bottom. He wasn't sure if he could do it right, and didn't want to hurt him. So I wasn't sure if he would do it or have the aide's do it. But he did all his care while I was gone, and he did a great job! His bottom looks even better than it did yesterday. So he is really proud of himself too! I think this has been a good learning experience for him. Usually I do all of Donavynn's care, just because I'm usually the one there, and it is easier for me to take time off of school usually, that it is for him to take time of off work. So this is all pretty new to him. Daddy = fun, usually. But this was really good for both of us. He learned some, and had some good quality time with Donavynn, and I learned to give up a little control (lol) and take a break. As hard as it was for me, it was nice to sleep in my own bed last night, and have time to get the house clean so that it is ready when we do get to go home. But (I never thought I'd say this) I'm glad to be back in the hospital! lol I missed him so much!!!

Oh yeah, labs! His white count was up to 10,002, ANC - 4,710, Platelets - 162 and the blasts were down to 8%! Yeah! So we'll keep watching them and hope that they continue to go down. So today has been a good day, please keep praying that he continues to get better and that his wound on his bottom heals quickly!!! Gotta go spend some time with my boy, I'll update again when I have more to tell.

Made For Donavynn by a MySpace Friend!

Sorry about the lack of updates, update

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't posted yet today. I left this morning for school and prior to that I was freaking out about leaving and had a little moment when I freaked out about his blood work. His blast count was up to 11%, scary! So the doctor came in and spoke to me and said that all of his other counts are good. His total white count is over 8000 and his ANC is 3500, so it more than tripled over night. They still think it is related to the G-CSF, which they are now stopping because his ANC is high enough. And they expect them to start going back down tomorrow. They said some people just recover really fast, which he did. Many kids are on it for more than a week before they go up. And when they recover that fast, that is likely to happen. She said they had one kid who did the same thing last week, his blast count was 25% and once he went off the G-CSF it was fine.

He also has a little puss drainage from his wound on his bottom, they will keep an eye on that and think it is likely just because he has a white count now, which you need to make puss.

He did get a fever again last night, but it was a different kind of fever. With the med he would chill hard before and then it would take hours to come down, it even got up to 105. Last night he didn't chill at all, said he felt hot and it was high so they gave him Tylenol and it went down really fast.

He is having a good day with daddy. His appetite has picked up and is doing well. I'll update more later if I get a chance, I have paperwork to do for school. I just wanted to let everyone know that he is doing good.

Evening Update

We had another chest X-ray done tonight to see if there has been any improvement from the breathing treatments, and there has been. They look better than last night, and they are starting to move his secretions so he is coughing them up now. His O2 sats are staying in the high 90's as well, at least they have been all day when he's been awake. The night may bring another story, time will tell. The wound biopsy came back showing the same as the culture, no fungal! YEAH! Only the staph, which they said according to the sensitivity is not resistant! Which is also good. He was up in the chair for 5 hours today! I couldn't get him to walk around the room, but the fact that he was out of bed was an improvement. If he remains fever free (lets keep praying!) then he'll be able to leave his room tomorrow afternoon. He is hoping for that. Tomorrow night, if all continues to go well, will be the first night that he will spend in the hospital with out me. Daddy will be here of course, but that isn't the same, so I'm a nervous wreck! And so sad. But if he is doing well, then there is no reason for me to miss clinical. The semester is almost over, gotta keep plugging along. But even though I know that, my heart is broken to have to leave him here and not be here if he needs me. Our wonderful nurse that we had last night and have again tonight is going to think of many reassuring reasons why I should go, and why everything will be ok for one night without me here. lol He is watching Finding Nemo now. And he's been chatty all night. He also has not hesitated to inform us of what he likes and doesn't like. And if we are doing something wrong. This is what I like to see, my happy but opinionated little boy!

They also did a KUB (abdominal X-ray - stands for kidneys, ureters and bladder) and that is normal. They did that because the resident was pushing on his abdomen earlier and he was saying he was in pain. He ended up vomiting shortly after which was probably the cause for the discomfort, but they wanted to be sure. They are still trying to make sure that they aren't missing anything.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it in an earlier post or not, but the infectious disease doc came in and took a look at his bottom, which is looking much better, and he now has a small tear beside the stitches that we need to keep an eye on. But hopefully that won't become anything major. The rest of his bottom is much better, not so red and not really raw at all. He is my brave little trooper and I am so proud of him!!!

I think that is about it for tonight. I'll probably post another blog in the am before I leave. Please continue to pray for him and say a prayer for me that I can have the strength to do what I have to do, and be away for a night. And that he does well without me here. Please also pray that we did indeed find the cause of the fever and he doesn't spike tonight. He is really looking forward to being able to leave his room, which can only happen when he's been fever free for 24 hours. Sorry if I'm rambling or repeating myself, I'm exhausted. Hope everyone has a great night!

Today's Photo's

He siad "Take a picture of me bald!" lol

He's out of bed, smiling and wearing his hat!

They gave him a costume on Halloween that he didn't get to wear, so he wanted to try on the
Spider-Man mask!

Sleeping with his O2

Bipap therapy

Labs for Today

The doctors haven't been in yet, but the nurse just stopped. She said they are starting him on a 5 day cycle of Zythromax for possible pneumonia, and they are going to take him down for another chest X-ray today to see if there has been any improvement since starting the bipap treatments. He just finished his antifungal and is chilling again, so I really wish they would take him off of that! I'm really starting to think that the nurse was right!

Anyway, he still has 4% blasts but Dr. Shore stopped in, he said that isn't concerning because his counts are recovering and he's on the neupogen. (GCSF) His total white count was 2,740! Up from 500 yesterday! And his ANC is 1069, up from 40 yesterday (don't remember if I put that in the other blog or not) so the med is working well, and fast. His platelets are 134 today, which is down a touch from yesterday but they fluctuate throughout the day so I'm not worried about that. Last time we were here he had a CBC done twice and once they were 77 and later they were 90 so that is no big deal. His hemoglobin is 11.2 which is low, but not bad. He won't be considered anemic even until it is below 10.
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Ok doctors just left. They are going to check the biopsy and remove the antifungal, even if he has a fungal infection then they will just switch to a different one. Because he now has a fever, and with the fever came the puking.

On the upside, he's off of contact precautions now because he went for so long with out pooing, and when he just went it wasn't liquid anymore.

We are waiting on the phenergan to help with the nausea, and hopefully she'll be in here with the Tylenol then too. These fevers are vile, they go so high so fast. So I hope we have found the cause and they will stop! I'll update again after we know more. The doctors didn't have much info at this point, other than that they think that is the cause of the fevers as well, and we are going to do another chest X-ray, they are also switching one of his antibiotics, just to be safe. But his blood cultures are still negative.

Updates for Last Night

I'm waiting for them to bring me a copy of his labs for today. But I wanted to post an update. He hasn't had a BM in around 13 hours or more! I can't tell you how happy that makes me!!! Last night he had an odd snore, was breathing kind of fast, and his O2 sats were in the 80's, so they put him on O2 via simple face mask, and hooked him to a monitor to watch his O2. They also took him for a chest x-ray at 11:30 or midnight last night. We are still waiting for the "official" report on that. Apparently they were still a little concerned because I woke up to them bringing the fun bipap in the room, they did one treatment with that so far. They said he can be off the O2 while he is awake and we'll watch and see what he does. Not sure what that is all about. He sounds a little congested (nasal congestion) and had a big mucousy cough while we were down in X-ray. After he coughed he sounded better for awhile. He's on Claritin for his allergies, but I know that doesn't cover everything. I guess time will tell. They said even if the chest X-ray shows something, treatment likely won't change because he is on antibiotics and antifungals and should be covered all the way around. Part of me wonders if some of this could be viral, because his monocytes were elevated yesterday, but that could just be because his counts are recovering so everything is a little off. As far as our theory goes, no news on what the doctors think yet. He did spike again last night while the med was running. But the nurse passed her theory along, chances are they aren't going to stop that med until his skin biopsy results come back anyway. So we'll continue to watch and see. I'm telling you it can be so frustrating. The advances that have been made in medicine and still so much time is spent playing the "wait and see" game. I'm really hating being on the patient side of medicine! lol The doctors will be in in a few hours I'm sure and I can post another update then, if not before when I get the labs, if there is anything to report there.

Possible Reason for the Fever?

I spoke with the nurse a little while ago and she had a theory. She happened to look at his records and his fevers usually occur a couple hours after he finishes the variconazole (the antifungal medication - given over 2 hours). She thinks that it is possible that the drug is causing the fevers. I looked it up in my handy drug book, that I'm so glad I brought with me this time, and fever is a possible side effect. It isn't a common side effect, but it is a possible one. So that is a current thought. I'll let you know if it happens again after the med. I'm telling you, we got a very observant nurse! She is one of my fav's, sadly she is a traveler! :( But having been so, she has seen a lot (she only does pediatric hem/onc) so she has a little more knowledge then some others may. So anyway, I'll keep you posted on this little theory. Heading to bed soon, so I probably won't post again tonight. I hope everyone likes the changes I've made to the page. Let me know if anyone has any trouble reading the fonts due to their color. Have a great night, and thanks so much for the prayers!

The Video's of the Haircut!!!

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This was after I cut it down so it would be easier to shave.



I'm having issues with google video now, so these 2 will have to do, I have a 3rd with the finished do but these are good. Hope you enjoy! It was hard for me, but I take comfort in knowing that he wanted to do this and is really happy with it. I took him in the bathroom when he was done, and the smile and look on his face was priceless!

Donavynn Has Made A Decision

Ok, not sure if he will change his mind or not but he recently informed us that he now has decided he wants to shave his head. If he doesn't change his mind I'll be posting pictures and possibly a video later. I'm torn, the hair is getting everywhere and driving us nuts, but last time he only lost some and we were able to enjoy him having hair for longer than most. I'm guessing it won't be like that this time because he is on such higher doses of chemo. But it still breaks my heart to watch it go. However, I won't let him know that because he is excited about it!

He also just ate some more chips, which is good.

Lab results are as follows:
WBC 500
ANC 40
Platelets 164

These are great, platelets came back up all on their own, WBC count is up 400 from yesterday and ANC is no longer 0. He did have 4% blasts, and for those of you who don't know what that means, blasts are bad. However, because he is on the GCSF they said that sometimes happens and that 4% isn't anything to worry about, but they will keep an eye on it. The GCSF has the marrow working in overtime so sometimes those cells sneak out.

So, I started this blog before my parents arrived and I'm finishing it now, after they left. And it's done, his hair is gone! :( My mom left the room, she said she couldn't stay for that, and it killed me to be the one cutting it! I did most of it, and my dad finished it off. I got some video footage, but I'm not sure if I can upload it because it may not be the right type of file, because my video camera wasn't charged so I had to use my regular camera. But I'm going to try. I saved all the hair, and will be sending some to Grandma and Grandpa in NY. I can't believe it is gone! But he is happy about it. He keeps saying "I'm bald!"

Before

After, with Grumpy and Derek
My 3 Baldo's!

With Sissy

As you can see by the above photos he was feeling better today, he sat up in the chair for quite awhile. He is resting in bed now, but still talkative and playing. He has his DS and is enjoying his new game. But while the other kids were here he played with some toys with them and had a great time.



Derek has really missed Donavynn, he even woke up crying for him last night! :(


So anyway, still no major updates, other than that he is feeling good, and his counts are on the rise, so hopefully the fevers will go away soon. Although even when he is febrile you would never know, he was still talking to us earlier and playing his DS, as happy as can be with a fever of 105! Which was quite frightening! Hopefully that was the last one, but time will tell. I'll post again if I get the videos uploaded and google will let me post them. I can't watch google videos here either so I don't know if it will work but I'm sure going to try.

Please keep sending up the prayers, they are doing so much good! I have my boy back for the first time in a month or more! And we couldn't be happier. Now if we can just get him healthy and get out of here that would be even better!