October 2011 Updates & Prayer Requests

So I never posted an update after Matt's last blood test, but hopefully you all knew that all was GREAT!  Results had some elevated levels in July so everything had gone back into good ranges.  It is always a bit of a roller coaster ride as we wait out his results, especially when the dr. tells you that if levels don't go down they would be having to do another bone marrow biopsy.  But again, praise God, all was well!

For those who still flow updates, please know I have two more prayer request for young men here in our area that have been diagnosed with leukemia in the past 2 weeks.  I'm not going to share names here, but God knows who these two young men are.  One just graduated last year from the same high school my kids went and the other is a student at Texas Tech.  He came home last Friday run down, thinking it was mono....he just had a bone biopsy on Monday....so all the emotional feelings are still so fresh as he and his family begin decisions on his treatment.  So please pray for peace and healing for both!

We are enjoying low 50's here in Austin this morning...what a blessing after our long summer of 110+ weather.

Love to you all and have a great week!

July Blood Updates

Matt had his followup (4 wk) blood test, only to learn he won't have results back for a week.  It basically is a test, similar to blood marrow test, without the bone biopsy part.  So they are apparently going to compare results from four weeks ago to yesterday.  There were some elevated levels or something that made them want to do the test over.  So we really don't know what all this means, good or bad.  So on for a waiting game......this I'm sure will just be a part of our normally life until we hit the 5 year mark.

We just continue to pray for God's total healing and that Matt won't fret and worry.  So thanks for all of your continued prays during this part of Matt's journey!!  Love to you all!

July Updates

After last month's blood test, Matt was told his levels were all good and they didn't need to see him again until September.  Then the next week he received a call from the doctor's office that there was a test they wanted to re-do in four weeks.  So next week is the four week mark.  Matt has been living on edge the past few weeks, worrying that something will not be right and the AML has come back.  I keep telling him to have faith that all will well.  Again, as I'm sure it will be during the next 4+ years, anything that isn't normal will cause worry for Matt.

Please continue to pray for Matt and his medical professionals.  Pray for less worry and more good news!

Love to you all!!!

The cytarabine shortage has reached a crisis level in the U.S. and is affecting cure and survival in AML

So thankful that Matt was able to get the chemo drug he needed for his AML.  Sounds like there is still a shortage.  Found interesting information about shortage of ARA-C from Dr. Hagop M. Kantarjian in Houston.

Normal All The Way

Praise God, Matt's blood work came back normal in every way today.  His next 3 mo. checkup will be in September.

Everyone was impressed at how good he looked, hair, muscles, weight.  We were so happy to see nurse Gloria there too.  Dr. is very lucky to have a great lady on his team, I'm just so glad she was at the hospital when Matt was there, don't know what we would have done without her!

Thank you all for your continued prayers.

Blood Test Time Again

So this will be Matt's life until he hits his five year mark, blood test every three months.  So next Tuesday afternoon Matt will go in for the simple blood test to confirm counts are remaining normal.  Of course he starts to worry, which I guess I would too if it were me, that something might not be right.  So pray that he doesn't worry so much and that God will continue to bless him with good news.

One of his wonderful nurses at the hospital is now working for the doctor.  Matt is going to remember to give Gloria a big hug when he see her.

Have a great week and love to you all!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Matt had a wonderful birthday!  He worked out at the farm with Kyle, coming home tired and sunburned.  So after he cleaned up today, he wanted to eat his favorite food at Mandola's...Ravioli and cheese pizza.  It was fun to have Suzy, Matt and the girls join us.

Of course his plan this past week was to go up to see his wonderful nurses up at the hospital to thank them for getting him well to celebrate today.  We got there later than we had hoped, so we missed several we wanted to say hi to, but it was nice to see on of his favorites Sandy there.  Sandy got Matt through many a night while he was going through some of the supper ruff times.  Don't know if we could ever thank all the staff enough for the wonderful care.

Thanks to all of you who have continued to pray for Matt.  You too are a big reason we have so much to celebrate today!

Love to you all....and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Matt's Birthday Is Sunday!

Matt's birthday is Sunday.  Wow!  What a difference six months makes.  November was doom and gloom, with so much fear of the unknown.  So much fear he would pull through to even celebrate his birthday.  Thanks goodness for all the blessings God has given Matt during these past couple of months....giving him the gift of life....a life full of possibilities.

May this birthday be full of blessings for Matt!

Belated Mother's Day Update

Matt continues to improve more and more each day.  Both physically and mentally.  He is doing daily weight lifting to begin gaining back muscle lost over the 5 months of treatments.  He is also gaining back, I'd guess about half, of the 25 lbs. he lost.  So he is really looking good.

His hair is continuing to come in, really dark and now with lots of gray.  He continues cuts it really short now, I guess he got use to it that way all those months, but it looks good. 

He did need glasses so he looks very "smart" now with them on.  He says he can now see and is excited that his headaches have stopped.

For those of you that had been praying for various needs, thank you.  Your continued prayers a very much appreciated as we start the long five year journey of blood test to confirm remission continues. 

All Continues to Be Good!

Matt had his one month blood test after the biopsy.  All counts are good.  So that news continues to be GREAT!  He will go back again in two months and then start his every three month schedule.

I'm excited that he has now slept in his own room again.  He had been living down on our couch since he came out of the hospital in December.  He is beginning to switch out his sleep patterns back to sleeping at night and up during the day.  He has begun lifting weights again too.  Looks like he is beginning to gain back some of his 20+ pounds that he lost.  His hair is really coming in, but he is keeping cut short.  I still think that might be because there are some curls coming in.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for Matt.  I don't know if he realizes just how blessed he is, especially after learning yesterday of a 22 year old girl in Colorado that my sister knew, who was diagnosed about the same time with AML, but who passed away this week.  I can't imagine what her family must be going through right now.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Love to you all and have a blessed Easter with your families!

REMISSION!

Praise God....dr. called to say remission confirmed.  We are still waiting for part of the biopsy test....will take about 2 1/2 more weeks....but bottom line REMISSION.

Thanks for all your continued prayers for Matt!

Love you all!

Shortages of Cytarabine/ARA-C

I think I mentioned in earlier post that Matt wasn't able to have his fourth consolidation treatment for AML due to shortage of his chemo drug ARA-C.  We praise God that Matt's AML was diagnosed in November and was able to get the treaments he needed.  I can't imagine what families must be facing right now knowing that the one drug with such a high curer/remission rate is not available.  I pray for them.

You can learn more info here about the shortages of ARA-C/Cytarabine.  Here is an article from Houston.  I also found this news video from Phoenix that helps explain.

Praying the Day Goes By Fast

Today's the day Matt should get his proof from the biopsy that he is in remission.  I know he has been worried about the results all week long.  So for his sake, I hope the day, or at least the time until he knows his answer,  goes by fast.

Praying for the great results that I'm trusting will be given today for Matt.  He has been down a long road and needs something to have joy about.

Love to you all.....and I'll post the results this afternoon.

Matt's Surgery - Still Awake

Matt's body is just crazy!  I apologize for not updating on Friday after the surgery, so here is the scoop.  Matt had to have five times the normal dose again for his biopsy, so he was pretty much awake and talking the entire time....he was still talking when they wheeled him back in the recovery room too.  We were all laughing at him cause you could tell in his glassy eyes that he had had the drugs but he was just talking 90 miles an hour.  The doctor said he didn't know why Matt doesn't go under, but hopefully this is the last time he has to have this test, so it won't matter in the future.

We finally got home after 1 p.m. and Matt wasn't even the least bit tired.  He was a little unsteady on his feet so I'm glad I took the afternoon off.  It hurt too much to lay on his back so he did sit up most of the weekend.  As of today, Monday, he seems pretty good and not complaining of any back pain.

Now we just wait until Friday to get the confirmation of remission.  I think once Matt actually knows the test prove remission he will a little more excited and ready to continue with the rest of his life.

So please continue to keep Matt in your prayers, even as the blog begins to have updates less frequently.  I know that God has truly blessed Matt and your prayers and lifting him up in good thoughts have made all the difference in the world.

Love to you all!

Today's The Day

Matt will head off this morning for his bone biopsy to confirm remission of leukemia.  They've added extra time for putting him to sleep since he was awake for the last one of these back in November.  Last time they had to give five times the normal dose and he was still awake for the proceedure.  Of course he slept about three days straight afterwards.....hopefully that won't happen today.

Thanks to all for your continued prayers and good thoughts.  We won't have the results of this test until next Friday.  Matt is still a little concerned about the results.  Pray that he can just trust that he is in remission.

Love to all and enjoy your weekend!

Praise the Lord - REMISSION!

Well it is official, or at least semi official, Matt is in REMISSION!  He will have a bone biopsy April 1^st, but the doctor isn’t expecting anything different than a confirmation of remission.  The doctor did share that there really isn’t a ration anymore of the ARA-C but that there just isn’t anymore available in the US.  So there is none to be had for Matt.  Typically AML patients go through anywhere from 2-4 consolidation treatments, so with Matt have had three consolidations and with his young age the AML should be really in remission.

The plan is for the next two years Matt will have quarterly labs to keep a check on everything.  Then it will spread out to every four and then six months until he hits year five.  After that he will be considered truly healed.

Of course, the pessimist that Matt is, he is still worried that the leukemia will come back quickly and waiting three months will be too long.  After some discussion, that that would happen, Matt convinced the doctor to do labs in one month, then two then three months instead of three months.  I know Matt just needs reassurance, but hopefully he can let go of his fears and just trust.

I will have to write more at another time as a reflection of just how wonderful God has been and how He was in charge of every little part of this journey.  God’s timing was perfect. 

If Matt hadn’t been diagnosed in November, but later, there wouldn’t have been enough of the chemo drug.  Our understanding is the ARA-C is what works on AML.  So any other drug option wouldn’t have had as high of a cure rate.

Our family practice was able to see the rash Matt had and know it was a high possibility of being leukemia.  Thankful we referred that day to Dr. Kocs who specializes in blood cancers.

The first few nights in the hospital Matt was blessed with the most wonderful and understanding nurses.  They were able to speak frankly with him and help guide him through his fear (and grieving) processes.  Matt was blessed though out his treatment with wonderful hospital staff.  From the nurses, to the custodians that would reassure me they had Matt in their prayers, to the sweet gentleman who came by daily to scan all the equipment and always asked how Matt was.  At each moment when the situation would seem to be at its worst, there was always encouragement.

Our family has been blessed beyond belief by all the small acts of kindness from family and friends, to co-workers, to strangers.  There were nights that I could literally feel a calmness and peacefulness surround us in the hospital.  I know it was due to the prayers that were never ceasing.  We will never be able to thank everyone for that gift.

Some of the verse I have relied on during this are:

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Jeremiah 29:11-12 – “For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”

James 1:12 – “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Headaches???

So the dr. couldn't really figure out why Matt is getting and keeping the headaches.   Matt is going to try a new medication that shouldn't be additive or have too many side effects for the next two weeks.  After two weeks we should know if it is working and he can stick with it.  If it isn't working he will try another type of medicine....etc.  So here is to hoping this first round works.  It may take a few days to see what it does, but hopefully this will work. 

His blood counts were all great today. 

Matt has been feeling really good the past couple of days (again, counts are good so that makes a world of difference). 

Thanks to everyone for their continued prayers.

Matt Missed the Fevers!

The shot worked, we are now out of the time frame where Matt would have been going to the ER with fevers.  All his counts were up yesterday so everything is looking good, blood wise.  He has an appointment tomorrow to help figure out the headaches and what might work to stop them.

As I've said before, the chemo is on hold due to the shortage nation wide.  We will know more at his regular dr. appointment on the 22nd.

We are all home for Spring Break this week....most of the days are filled with dr. appointments, but I think we are going to try and enjoy some of this beautiful weather.  Hope you each enjoy your day!

Friday Headaches Are Back

This afternoon was a long dr. appt.  Matt started a headache around 3p.m.  It was getting so bad he couldn't drive himself to his appointment, so I left the office to get him.  By the time we got there at 4 p.m. he was sick to his stomach, sensitive to light and sound.  He could barely talk to the nurse or the physician assistant.  He ended up having and IV for fluids and meds to try and stop the headache.  He ending up throwing up as they tried to get the IV started.  He had three people trying to help him at the same time.  I felt so sorry for him, cause I know he was really feeling bad, yet he was trying to be nice to everyone helping him.  He was trying to tell them to be quite without being ugly, he was trying to be nice when he tried to tell them, but you could tell it was taking a lot of energy to just speak.

We are finally home at 5:40.  I'm to stay and watching him to see how his headache is.  He can have his pain pills every 4 hours to try and keep the pain down.  If it continues or gets worse through the night we will need to head to ER.  As the PA said, there is always the chance of brain bleeds.  They've told us that before and when test have been run, it doesn't show anything.  So I'm thinking it isn't bleeds.  Matt has an appointment with a Neurologist next week so maybe they can shed some light as to why the headaches are so bad.

He is wrapped up in his new quilt of "comfort and prayers" with a pillow over his head.  I can't tell the ladies of Central Baptist Church thank you enough!  Maybe the dark and quite will help.

Pray he feels better overnight and that we can get answers to why the headaches are so bad.

Have a beautiful and relaxingly weekend!  Love to you all.

Long Day Yesterday

I was to tired to update last night.  Matt had two bags of blood that took forever to get started.  He is running out of veins to use so it took almost an hour to get him ready for the first bag.  He finally finished around 12:30.  We then head over to the doctors office to get labs completed.  His platelets were already low, but not enough for another transfusion yet.  But the good news is his neutrophils that had been .1 on Tuesday were now up to 4.4.  So the shot is working and those are on the upward swing.  Maybe we do get to miss our monthly trip to the ER after all.  Praying he remains fever free this weekend.

I received a phone call the other day from my A&M suitemate & former Luby's wives, Debbie.  Keep her in your prayers.  She has had a rough past four months.  She had a chemical reaction to a hair product that just about killed her.  She sounds like she is still filled with toxins and is allergic to just about everything now.  She has lost a lot of weight and still has much recovery to go.  Pray for total healing and that she may follow God's plan for her life. 

Have a great day!

Lovingkindness

Matt's platelet transfusion went well.  We are head back this morning for him to get two units of blood.  Hopefully his counts will be on the upward swing afterwards.

Yesterday the ladies of Piece and Comfort Quilters @ Central Baptist Church gave Matt a beautiful quilt they had made for him.  When I gave him to him last night he was really impressed at how nice it was.  He couldn't believe that strangers had made it for him.  I explained how many people we don't know have him on their prayer list and how much those prayers have worked towards his recovery.  Anyway, I'll have to sneak a picture of him with it. I found him this morning with the quilt, so he did use it.  Thank you to each of the sweet ladies who had a part in making this for him.  May God continue to bless you.  I can truly say he was wrapped in prayers last night! 

Looking back at Matt journey, it is amazing how God placed just the right doctors, nurses, hospital staff and strangers in our path at just the right time.  Each day, one day at a time, we have been blessed by his experience.

Thanks for all your continued love and support of Matt.  The journey isn't over yet, but we are beginning to see the end of this path.

Love to you all and enjoy what looks like will be a beautiful day!

Time for P&B Again!

Matt's counts are down again.  He has no neutrophils right now so he is open to any little infection.  His shot was suppose to help with those counts, but it takes 7-10 days to work.  Today is day 8.

He goes in tomorrow morning (6:45 a.m.) to get two bags of platelets.  He will then get his blood typed for blood transfusions on Wednesday morning.  We are praying that he stays fever free and doesn't have to go into the ER this weekend, which is normally when he has to go in between chemo treatments.

He has appointment next week with a neurologist to see why his headaches are still bothering him so much.

His friend Kyle is home for spring break, so the two of them have probably been doing way too much.  Matt was very tired and dizzy when we were at the doctors today.  I took forever to get his labs done and transfusions scheduled.  At about 4:50 he then started to hiccups.  It is now 6:30 p.m. and the hiccups are still going strong.  If he keeps them up over night we have to call in the morning to get some medicine to stop them.

So praying the shot he got last Monday will kick in tomorrow to get his white counts up.  Pray that his "stupid" hiccups will stop so he can get some rest. 

Thanks to all for your support and prayers!  Love to you all!

White counts going down

Matt's white counts are heading downward.  The shot he got on Monday takes about 7-10 days to work, so keep praying that it kicks in and prevents the fevers he gets about two weeks after chemo ends.  This is the time he needs to be careful around anyone that might be even slightly sick. 

He has a lot of energy today after his transfusions.  It is amazing what a little blood can do.  His best friend Kyle is home this weekend so he is hanging out over there playing games and having fun.

We won't know if he has another chemo treatment, which would be his last, until March 21st.  There is still a shortage of Ara-C, so if blood workup shows everything is good, maybe he won't have to endure the last treatment.  He will have a bone biopsy the end of the month then just to confirm remission.  So praying what ever is suppose to happen, God will be in control.  So we need not worry.

Have a great weekend.  I'll be donating platelets on Sunday.  Thanks for everyone who has been donating.  I know someone and their family is blessed by your gift.

Love to you all!

2 B&Ps Today

Matt received two bags of blood and two of platelets today.  This seems the earliest after chemo that he has gone in to get double doses.  He had to pre-check in last night, to help speed things up today.  So it only took from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. today.  All the sweet nurses came to say hi to him.  In and out they went.  Some of the nurses now know us for both Matt and for Terry's gall bladder surgery a couple of weekends ago.  So the new nurse must have really been trying to figure us out.  (Again, we may now have earned a room to be named after us at this point....if the number of visits counts for any votes.)

That seems to be what our crazy life is all about these days, waiting.  This month we will be waiting to see if he needs another chemo or not.  Waiting to see if the injections to boost his white count faster will work.  Waiting to confirm the past five months have been worth all the pain and that he is truly in remission.

Today, my little niece was wanting to see me.  She had come by my office with her mom to deliver Arbonne stuff but I was at the hospital with Matt.  So she pestered her mom to come up to the hospital.  I met them out in the waiting area.  She asked about Matt but wanted me to know that she didn't want to look at him.  It apparently has to do with his lack of hair.  The last time she saw him must have been around Christmas when he was completely bald.  So that is all she remembers of him.  When he finally came out to meet us she covered her eyes (but was peaking through her fingers) to take a good look at him.  She still didn't like it, even though his hair is coming in now.  His hair is coming in really black and course feeling.  I think I see some curls beginning.  That will be a very interesting look once it really starts to grow.

Tomorrow if a regular dr. visit and labs.  So praying all counts are back on the up swing. 

Thanks to everyone for all your prays.  I know they are working so please keep them up.

Love to you all.

Boosting White Counts

Matt received a shot yesterday to see if his white count can get boosted faster to help prevent the fevers and ER trip he usually has about the end of week two after chemo.  They gave us his monthly three times a week schedule for lab work and dr. visits for this month.  We will know later this month if Matt will do the fourth and final chemo consolidation.  All along the doctor said Matt would do between three and four consolidation treatments so we will see.  I know Matt is tired of all this routine and is ready to move on.  I guess they will take bone marrow the end of the month and test to confirm remission if they decide not to do any more treatments.  So this month will be a month filled with waiting.

Matt hasn't complained of headaches like he normally does after treatment.  His eyes are sensitive to light, so he has been wearing an eyemask to sleep in during the day and sunglasses when he is outside during the day.  I keep telling him he is turning in to a vampire.  (joke)

Hopefully the rest of this week goes smoothly at home.  Pray the shot works and his counts don't rock bottom out so we can prevent fevers. 

Thanks for all your continued prayers.  We love you!

Back Home

We got home around 10ish last night.  So Matt just has one more round of chemo to go....but we're not sure.  Dr. told Matt that there was a shortage of the chemo drug.  One of the nurses explained that there are three companies that make the AraC.  Two of those have been temporarily closed down causing a national shortage of AraC.   (I'll have to google later to see what I can find about this.)  So with that said, Matt might not need to do the last chemo treatment.  We will know more on Monday what plans we will take.  I know they will start hormone to boost his white count more quickly this time, hopefully preventing the ER visits about day 17.

Matt really feel yukky this time around.  His body is tired.  He aches all over.  So pray for some relief for his body.

Thanks to all for your continue prayers.  We love you all.

Wednesday Night Chemo

Matt will get chemo at 9 p.m. tonight.  He seems very down and depressed this time around.  I was going to spend the night at home tonight (see as how I've been a work from 7 a.m. until 6:40 p.m.) but when I went up to see Matt to tell him that he really wants me to stay.  He is just feeling so much worse this time.  Tired and grumpy.  He doesn't want the lights on or the door open to his room like he usually wants.  Even the tv stays off at night.  Last night he said he doesn't want to do any more chemo after this one.  He really has one more in March and that is the one he is say he won't do no matter what.  I know the past four months have been long and hard for us all, but especially for him. 

Pray his spirit is lifted and he can get comfortable.  Pray the chemo does what it needs to do, but doesn't drain him physically.  Pray that he doesn't get sick at his stomach tonight.

Love you all!

Matt On His Own Monday

So I went on to work after I got Matt a checked in and his PICC line in.  He started chemo around 10 a.m. from what I could understand from him.  He went prepared today with tons of videos and stuff to do.  I was so busy today that I didn't get a chance to break for lunch.  But when I called he must have just fallen asleep cause he was grumpy.  When I finally got off work around 6:15 tonight, I ran to get his milk and headed back up to the hospital.  Again, mister grumpy was asleep and wanted me to be quite and leave him alone.....so guess where I'm sleeping tonight.  My bed is way more comfy than the hospital chair!!  Anyway, I guess I need a good night sleep tonight since I have back to back meetings tomorrow all day.  Hopefully I can stay with him tomorrow night.

MaMaw, Granddaddy and Douglas are headed to see Matt tomorrow during the day.  Hopefully he won't be so grumpy for them.  Matt still has his day and nights messed up, so he may be asleep all day for them.  Who knows!

Praying for a good week for Matt, with little side effects from the chemo.  Praying for the nurses who are so good to him. 

Hope everyone has a great week!

Matt's a Stinker!

Matt is acting like a baby these days.  He didn't go get his PICC line in this morning as scheduled.  So he now will go in early on Monday and get it before he checks in for chemo.  The poor lady had to tell me that they made special arrangements for someone to come in at 7 a.m. this morning...they normally don't come in until 8 a.m.

Special pray request for a co-workers sister, Maria.  Maria had cancer 14 yrs. ago and was in remission but cancer was discovered again in January.  They are working on getting her to MD Anderson.  The family has been told to get things in order....so that isn't the kinda of news you really want to hear.  But we all know the power of prayer!!

Thanks again to everyone for all your support during this difficult time. 

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend!

Life is Good....One Day at a Time!

Counts are good today as Matt prepares to go in for Chemo on Monday.  He is fighting about getting his PICC line put in tomorrow morning, since he doesn't like to sleep with it in his arm, unless he has chemo treatments.  Doc wants to get it in tomorrow so we don't have to wait half a day to start the chemo on Monday.  Matt was really acting like a baby and he said he is going to refuse to go to the hospital tomorrow for the procedure.  PRAY that he rethinks this tonight and gets up ready to do what he has to do.

I'm scheduled on Sunday to give platelets.  Again, just wanting everyone who can give to give if they can.  Your little bit of time means so much to a family in need.  The blood center always needs and it is a free and simple way to give on your part.  I can't imagine what other families are going through, I just know how much blood and platelets Matt has already gone through....which isn't much compared to others.

Update on Terry....he is doing well after his gall bladder was removed.  So thankful they were able to get it out with a major cut.  Terry is very lucky.  The colored pictures of the removed gall bladder was very ugly looking!  YUK!  It probably hasn't been working for years.  Explains a lot about the aches and pains he has been having.

For anyone who wants to hear a great band this weekend in Austin, may I recommend going to see

The 71's Sat: Austin TX - The Ghost Room, 830pm Full info at www.the71s.com.  Email me if you are going and I'll meet you there!

Praying that you each have a wonderful weekend enjoying the good weather and your families.  Be thankful!

Love you!

Waiting.....

Got Matt home a little after 5 p.m.  That is how it goes when we get admitted via the ER.  We have to wait for the hospital to release us, even though we new since 6 a.m. that Matt would go home today.  Wait, Wait, Wait. 

Terry saw the dr. this morning to confirm they will remove his gallbladder tomorrow afternoon.  He will stay over night at the hospital but should go home on Wednesday.  Again, it will be a day of waiting, I'm sure.

I'm wondering, at this point, have we now paid for our own room yet.....or do we get a two for one special???  Just saying......

Matt will be back next week as planned for his third consolidation chemo.  In the midst of my waiting for Terry's appointment to be over today, I met a very sweet lady going through her second battle with breast cancer.  We spoke quickly about each other's journey's.  She had been cancer free for five years only to learn it has come back stronger than before.  It was amazing to hear her speak of how different her treatment is this time around....how it is less stressful for her body and how thankful she is.  I don't think I can describe just how frail and weak she looked compared with how she spoke with such joy and gratitude.  I didn't get her name, but I would ask that you lift her up in prayers....God knows who she is.  Not to compare Matt to her, but I'm so thankful Matt's journey really hasn't been that difficult, when I think of how much worse it could have been.  Matt has been protect by God through so many prayers...hopefully one day he will look back and be able to see how great his life is with a purpose!

Hope you all felt the love today!  Have a great week.

Sunday Night - Crazy Weekend!

So quick update.  Matt has been fever free since 11 a.m.  Hopefully he will be out tomorrrow sometime. 

About 2 a.m. this morning, while I was still trying to get some sleep in the hospital room, I get a text from Terry....I'm in the ER.  Couldn't figure out why I was getting that text...but ended up he was actually down in the ER with pain.  After tests it was decided he has gall stones.  I spent last night going between the 3rd floor where Matt was and the ER.  I'm glad most of the nurses know me now so I could go up and down the elevetor directly to the ER area.

Got Terry home around 8:30 a.m. with some good drugs.  I'll get him to the doc in the morning and hopefully surgery tomorrow sometime.

Be praying for us tomorrow. 

Back in Hospital

Matt went back to ER today running fevers and headaches this afternoon....same timing as last month after chemo.  I've come home to get stuff to stay overnight will they run some test on him.  We spent the last five hours in ER and got a room back on the third floor with all our favorite nurses.  They are super great to Matt.....they already were getting him a good bed and already had my bed/chair in the room waiting for me.

He will have to stay until he is 24 hrs. fever free, if it was like last time.

Sitting Tight...Waiting

Matt is officially in that period where he can get sick easily.  His white counts are pretty much nothing right now.  He had magnesium iv today.  Blood and Platelets are up after his transfusions yesterday.  So we are just in the holding pattern, praying for no fevers during this low white count period.

Thanks for continued prayers!

Double B&P Done!

So we are finished with the double blood and platelets.  Only took from 1 - 6 PM.  Matt ended up having to go get everything done up in his "old" room on the third floor instead of as an out patient.  He didn't seem to get sick this time with anything, so that was good.  His color already looks better than it did.  He was looking a little pale when we went in.  Crazy boy and his shirts.....he honored everyone with his zombie shirt...zombies covered in blood.  Really Matt??

Thanks for all the prayers lifted up today.  They could be felt and were working. 

Love to you all!

Matt Gets to Double Up

Darn, Matt is low on both blood and platelets, so he gets to get a double dose of both tomorrow.  I have no idea how long it will take to do two bags of both, but as well as I remember, the blood takes a while.  He is looking pretty pale today, and gets out of breath easy today, so you know, just by looking at him, he is reaching his low point.  Hopefully he will have more energy after tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who donated blood today at work. I can't believe they blood bus was able to process about 36 people in the four hours they were at work.  AMAZING!  What a gift.

I have to be so thankful to God for all he has done in our lives because of what Matt is going through.  I know when we finally get to the other side of Matt's journey will will be able to look back and count it all a blessing.....good and bad.

For those prayer warriors out there....please specifically pray that everything goes smoothly with the transfusions that Matt will be receiving tomorrow.  Pray he doesn't get sick at his stomach and that he doesn't "bleed out" afterwards.  Pray that the transfusions will give him the energy his body needs to fight off and protect him from even the smallest germs (that seem to be everywhere right now).  Pray the little sores he is getting on his body will heal and not get infected during his bodies weak period.  Pray that he doesn't develop any fevers this week.

Thank you all out there for all your support and prayers.  Have a great night!

My Challenge To You

My challenge to each of your reading our blog, wherever you may be...take time to donate either blood or platelets regular, if you can.  As I've written before, it is so very easy.  I'll be donating platelets tomorrow and so many of my co-workers have stepped up to donate at our blood drive on Monday.

You can watch this video from the Red Cross & Johnson and Johnson to learn more.  You can make an appointment at the Blood Center of Central Texas or at your local blood center.  You will be truly giving the gift of life to someone who is going through a similar need as Matt is.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support and prayers!

Forgot to Update Yesterday

Opps, forgot to update yesterday after we got back.  Labs look good.  He counts are on the start of the way down, which means he is getting closer to being Neutropenic.  This the time period after chemo he is open to infections more easily, and he can't have fresh flowers, fruits and veggies that are raw. 

Pray that he stays healthy and fever free in the coming week.  I guess we will be back for the third consolidation the last week of the month.

Enjoy the rest of the snow and the beautiful day it is looking to be!

Count your blessings!

Blood, Blood Everywhere!

So Matt's platelet transfusion went pretty good.  His nurse today, was the little nurse who was his ER nurse the night he was diagnosed with leukemia.  She is really sweet, she said she had wondered many times about Matt since November and was glad to see him doing so well. 

She was so kind with Matt today, staying in the room with him making sure he was comfortable and everything.  So we get done and he stays in the room to hold pressure on the IV spot for about 10 mins while I go get the car.  Matt was pretty drowsy today, so I'm glad I took off to take him.

I pull round with the car, he gets in, off we go.  I'm going to take him back home and then I'm head back to work.  Off we go.  Then Matt starts telling me somethings wrong, mom turn around somethings wrong....I'm like really, what, then look down and blood is coming out of his jacket arm sleeve, all over his hand.

So I quickly head back to the hospital, while is trying to get his jacket off.  He keeps saying how wet it feels.  He was right, pretty gross, blood pretty much everywhere....which is amazing coming out of such a small IV hole.  Anyway we get back, run in the area he had just been in and the nurse start getting pressure back on the whole and getting him cleaned up.  The nurse really had to scrub and rub to get the blood off his arm and hands.  Finally she gets it cleaned, and puts a big bandage and a lot tighter bandage around and around his arm.  Now we have shirt, shorts and jacket to try and get all the blood out off.  I'm thinking hydrogen proxide will do the trick.

I'm afraid that all the platelets that went into him, came right back out today.  I guess we will know more tomorrow when the test him again.  Pray enough got in him to help even out his levels.

Matt has Platelet Transfusion Tomorrow

Boy, it is really cold.  It shouldn't be like this in Texas.

Matt's platelets have already dropped, so he goes to the hospital, as an out patient, for platelet transfusions in the morning.  He had an IV of magnesium this afternoon.  Hopefully it will go smoothly, last month he got sick when he got platelets.  So I'm praying he feels great.  I just know it is going to be soooooo cold when he has to be there in the morning.

Ya'll get warm tonight.  And thanks to all who are keeping us in your prayers!

Matt Should Be Happy - It is COLD

Matt always is complaining these days about how hot he is.  Well at 17 degrees this morning, he should be happy.  The downstairs of our house is sooooooo cold right now.  I don't want to get out in this stuff today.  Thank goodness we don't have ice.

Matt is going to go on his own this afternoon for his labs and his 2 hr. IV drip.  So he is to call me only if he gets dizzy after the IV is done.

Everyone stay warm today.  I'm off to shower and find layers to wear to work today.  I feel bad that I'm complaining...poor Bekah, up in NM says it was -2 yesterday and only getting colder today.  They've already cancelled classes and it apparently hasn't stopped snowing since yesterday.  Snow not as fun when you're not skiing on it!!!!

Enjoy your day...I'm gonna try harder today to find more joy in the simple things in life. 

Monday - Updates

Can't believe it almost February, November 4th seems like yesterday still to us.  I'm so thankful that we are entering month four of Matt's treatment.  That means there are only two more months to go.   My prayer is that come May 22nd he will have the best 21st birthday anyone can have, and that he will be 100% completely curried and cancer free for life.

So Matt's schedule will be the same as before for blood work....Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Right now it looks like he will go back for the third consolidation treatment February 21-25.

His counts look as good as expected right now, except for his Magnesium, which he will get IV's for on Wednesday.  Hopefully that will give him the boost he needs so his magnesium tablets will kick in and begin to even out his levels.

In your prayers, please be thankful of the wonderful nursing staff that has so lovingly taken care of Matt, even when he was grumpy.  They deal with so much minute to minute and they could really use your prayers.

Love to you all and happy early February!

Sunday - Same old Stuff

So Matt says his lungs and legs are on fire right now.  This time home is very different than last time in December.  I guess there is a build up of chemo meds in his system so he will progressively felt worse each time.

We will know tomorrow his doctor's schedule this week, but I'm betting it will be every Monday, Wednesday, Friday again.  I think this week and half of next will be pretty good, but then things will go down hill from there.  We are expecting both blood and platelet transfusions again, but hopefully that will be week 2 or 3.

As you may have noticed, I've had to remove "google ads" from this site.  Apparently, they don't have to have a reason, other than invalid activity.  So many of you may not know, but funds were being raised via google ads.  Google sent a very ugly letter with basically no right to appeal their decision and have suspended the ads and kept all funds earned December and January, which was a substantial amount.  I'm wondering how many other people this has effected....seems a little fishy to me...I wonder if they have every had a suit filed against their practices?

I have three spots left for the blood drive at RRISD.  They are after 5:30 p.m. on Monday, February 7th.  So let me know if you want to participate and I can write your name in.


Anyway, thanks to everyone for their various gifts, whether it be blood, platelets, prayers, or money.  They all have meant so much to us.  So thank you for your continued support.

I'll have to share some music I've been listen too, thanks to Gina's. The group is the Avett Brothers and the song she posted called January Wedding was perfect for the video of her daughter's January wedding.

Speaking of weddings, I want to share one more thing unrelated to Matt's journey.  My dear friend and breast cancer survivor, Rhonda, is a huge blessing to so many of us. Us girl friends have been praying for her the right love and joy of her life .  We had a very specific list for God to meet for our very special friend Rhonda.  Isn't it truly amazing how God goes above and beyond when answering prayer.  He has sent to her a true BLESSING, John Blessing to be exact.  So come June, Rhonda will be known as Rhonda Blessing.  A name fitting to someone who has truly been my Blessing in so may ways!!!

Love to you all!

Matt is Home

So Matt is now home from the hospital.  His last treatment ended around 8:30ish tonight.  So after the flushed the lines, pulled the PICC line, gathered up his things, he is finally home.

He still feels just tired and blah.  We haven't got the schedule for next week, but I'm sure it will be the Monday, Wednesday, Friday blood test and doctor visits.  If things go as before, next two weeks should be not so bad.  But then his counts should start falling, and the blood and platelet transfusions will begin.  Then the next week counts should turn up...and then we start the process all over again with Chemo.

Please continue your prayers.  They are truly a blessing to us. 

Thursday - Getting to the Blah Days

So one more day of chemo, tomorrow.  Matt still is just blah and grumpy.  Gets pretty boring I'm sure.  They hopefully will move up chemo in the morning so last dose is 5 PM so we can get home at a normal time.

Again, thanks for prayers and support from all.  Thanks for everyone who is bringing in blood coupons.  The blood drive I'm coordinating at work is full but for two spots, which is great.  I think that ends up being 38 people who are giving!!!  I think that this will just about gives us all the coupons we will need to carry us through his treatments in March.  YEA!!!!

Love to you all and have a great Thursday!

Wed. Morning - Chemo Day

Matt slept through the night, lights off, tv off (which mean I got a good nights sleep too.) He just seems so much more blah and yukky this time around.  Just tired.  I left at 6:15 a.m. and Dr. hadn't made his rounds yet.  So hopefully all is well, they are to call me if anything is up.

Matt will start chemo around 9 a.m. and then 7 p.m. today.  Trying to move him up so his last dose on Friday will be around 5 p.m. so we can get home around 9 p.m. on Friday.

Pray all goes smoothly today and Matt gets some energy back today.

Night 2

So Matt slept most of today away.  He still has an upset stomach and yukky feeling all over.  I don't remember him feeling this bad last time.

The nurses have been great putting up with his not so nice behavior.  They said he did pretty good by himself today.  He had Arby's for dinner and then I've headed home to go back up for the night.  The getting up at 4 a.m. just about killed me today, so I'm sure I'll sleep pretty good tonight.

Pray Matt's yukky feeling will not be so severe.  Pray he sleeps okay through the night.  Chemo will start again tomorrow morning, I think around 11 a.m. and then they will move up the night chemo by an hour.  Hopefully they can move it up an hour our two so we can get out before midnight on Friday.

Have a great night and thank you all again for all your prayers and support!

First day of Chemo Done

So all in all last night went well.  Matt is already getting upset stomach with this chemo.  So the drugs they are giving are making him very sleepy.  Hopefully tonight he will let me cut off tv and lights so I too can get some sleep, before I get up 4ish to go home and shower.....otherwise I might have to get me some of his sleepy drugs!

Hoping for boring updates from doctor for Matt. 

Pray for today.  There is a woman, 37 I think on of the other families I met in the lobby said.  Brain cancer, with a son, maybe 9 year old.  Apparently she is in a comma and has just a short time.  I've seen many family members going in and out through the day and night.  Please keep her family in prayers.

Chemo has begun....finally

So took an extra long time, 2 + hours, this morning to get the PICC line in Matt.  Then they only put one instead of two lines.  So he didn't come back up to the room until 10 a.m.  Apparently there were still meds to give, blood to be drawn, etc. before chemo finally began at 1:20ish today......he was suppose to start chemo by 9ish, per the doctor.  So don't know where the mess up was, but I hope it doesn't happen again.

I'm home real quick to get changed and up to hospital to spend the night.  I've got lots of paperwork to go through before I meet with Blue Cross/Blue Shield on Wednesday.  I just have been too overwhelmed to go through it all, but I've got my notebook, hole punch and a HEB reusable bag full of bills to sort.  That will keep me busy for more than tonight.

My plan is to be up and home by 4:30 a.m.  Shower and then head back up before the doctor makes his rounds at 6 a.m.  Then head to work to print handouts for a meeting and then be over to the other side of the district by 7:30 a.m. to be at an all day meeting.  Not sure if I'm gonna be able to hold up this routine all week, but I'm gonna try.  (I better get me some Wheaties!!)

Matt seemed to do okay alone today, I'm sure I will hear the whole story of the day when I get up there.  Pray that tonight goes smoothly, we get some good sleep and awake energized and ready for the day.

A special thanks to Shirley from work.  She made two wonderful casseroles for us to enjoy this week.  with me getting home so late this afternoon, this was a great blessing!  YUMMY!

Thanks as always for your continue support and prayers.  Love to you all!

Giving is so Easy!

So I wanted to update everyone on just how easy it is to give platelets (or blood) at the Blood Center of Central Texas.

Come to find out, I apparently have tons of platelets, which means the platelets were processed quicker.  So instead of two hours it only took one.  The little nurse kept bragging about my number.  Come to find out that the shelf life for platelets are just five days.  That is why it is so important to give platelets if you can.

It was a very painless process.  The only effects I felt was tingly tongue, which has something to do with the calcium and I got very cold, which would stop the machine.  They finally brought over an electric blanket.  So all was good!

During my hour there, they "small talk" with everyone, asking what made you want to donate, etc.  So I shared my "Matt" story several times while there.  They were moved and hoped that Matt and I might send in our story of why it is so important to donate and how it truly touches lives.  It was so easy, I agreed to donate platelets every two weeks and let them get double platelets each visit from me. 

Okay, I'm going to confess what I do when donating blood and now platelets.  I pray over what is being taken from my body and pray God's blessing, healing and protection to whomever will receive my donation.  I pray for their families and how the illness must be effecting their lives.  I pray for the medical personal who are working to heal the person.  I pray their family will be as bless as we have been with support from family, friends, and strangers. 

My prayer tonight is that someone reading this blog will be moved to become a regular donor of either platelets or blood.  And that all fear will be removed about the process.  Because it truly is one of the easiest things to do!  (And where else can you do such good while getting a little nap all curled up in a warm electric blanket -- It's a WIN WIN situation!!)

Here is to a good night tonight and a smooth check-in to the hospital for Matt tomorrow.  Were are energized and ready to kick some leukemia butt!!!!

Day before Hospital

So I'm heading down to donate platelets at lunch today for Matt.  I've been taking double iron, so hopefully I won't be rejected today.  It is such an easy way to give.  Matt has been poked so many times that it is the least I can do.  God truly made us amazingly...that we can so freely give of ourselves for a friend in need.

I'm coordinating a blood drive at work for Monday, February 7th.  It is going to be from 2 - 6 p.m.  I have so many great co-workers who stepped up to donate within minutes of me posting the info.  There are just seven spots left to fill after 4:30 p.m.  Again, such an easy way to support Matt.  You don't have to be his blood type, just donate and remember to ask for the coupons.  Then get the coupons to me.  They defer $10 per coupon from his blood bill.  And as those who have kept up with the blog know, he has had lots of blood and platelet transfusions, and with three more months of treatments to go, he will require even more in the coming months.  So thanks to everyone who has donated.  It really means a lot to us!!! 

Hopefully everyone will have a great nights sleep at our house since we have to get up early to be ready to check in at 7 a.m. tomorrow.  Matt is scheduled first thing to get the PICC line inserted and chemo will start shortly after that.  I just keep praying these consolidation chemo treatments go as easy as they did last month.  These are a piece of cake compared to the induction treatment in November.

Thanks for all your support and prayers.  Love to you all!

Getting Ready for #3 Chemo on Monday

All of Matt's counts are good today, which means he is scheduled to be back for his next round of chemo on Monday morning at 7 a.m.  He will have chemo on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  He should be back home around 10 p.m. on Friday night.

Continue to pray that all goes smoothly while he is in the hospital.  The great thing about this treatment is once the chemo is finished dripping, he is able to have the iv unscrewed from his arm.  This way he is able to more around instead of just laying around in bed.  So all in all it is pretty boring for the week.

My plan is to work next week while Matt is in the hospital during the day.  I will then try and spend the night each night with him, getting up around 4 a.m. to go home and shower for the day.  I'll then head back to the hospital at 6 a.m. to hear the daily doctor updates.  Again, we are planning for things to go as smooth as they did the end of December.

Matt will continue to have chemo treatments the last week of each month for February and March.

Again, thank you all for your prayers and support in so many ways.  It has really made a difference.  THANK YOU.

Enjoy the weekend!  Love to you all.

Hump Day - All Counts Going Up!

Today was blood count check and everything is on the upward swing.  We will see doctor on Friday to discuss next round of chemo for next week.  So I guess all is good for now!

Back Home Again

So we are back home, very early, from the hospital.  They never did figure out what caused the fevers, all we know is he doesn't have them now.  All his blood counts are on the swing to the good side.  So we will know more later this week, but sounds like Matt will be on schedule for his next chemo treatment the last week in January.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support.  They mean so much!

Sunday & Still in Hospital

So all the test they have run they haven't found anything way out of line that would cause the fevers in Matt.  His counts are all on the upward swing, so it might just be his body reacting to the good it is doing.  The doctor said that the fevers sometimes happen as things begin to get better, so hopefully that is what it is.  Matt will have to remain fever free on his own for 24 hrs. before they will let him go home, so I'm hoping that will be tomorrow sometime.  Of course he is due back in the hospital for the next round of chemo the last week in January, so not sure how this trip will effect the next treatments.

He and I are both bored just sitting and waiting.  He is feeling really good so it is hard to just sit and wait at the hospital to be released. 

So I'm off to quickly shower, maybe get some clothes washed and head back up for a "good" nights sleep.

It's Pouring

So it pouring in more ways than one right now.

Laying in bed this morning, I could hear the steady sound of rain, which we need so bad, so that was good.  Terry was up to take a shower, he was taking Beka and Nolan to see the Aggies basketball game and Matt was going to sleep all day and I had the Christmas tree still to take down.  So a good day was planned by all.

In my last peaceful moments laying in bed, Nolan comes in, to say that water was dripping in the pantry....since Terry was still in the shower, down I go to check things out.  And yes, dripping was an understatement.  Nolan is so good, he helped me quickly get stuff off the top shelves of the pantry, towels on the floor.  We got some big pots, and I mean my huge turkey roasting pots, and started to try and figure out the best place to catch the water.  We can hear the water in the wall, sounds like the rain coming in or something.  So I decided to punch a couple of holes to release some of the pressure we can see in the ceiling, which is a little saggy.  Well then the water really began to flow.  Me catching water in the pots, Nolan dumping the water out.  Come to find out when Terry finishes showering, the shower valve is completely open inside the shower wall and water is just pouring out the valve.  Terry gets the water off at the main line, we finish cleaning up water.

Then during all the commotion, Matt says he is feeling hot and has a headache.  What a terrible mom.  I hadn't stopped all this morning to check on him and sure enough he had a 101.6 fever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So I get dry clothes on and off to the ER we go at 9 a.m.  Matt is now back on the third floor with all our favorite nurses.  Still not sure what infection is going on, since nothing has been found yet with all the tests.  So it looks like we will be having a great weekend at the hospital as they continue to rule things out.  Right now he is on iv fluids and fever reducers.  So hopefully we can get this under control by tomorrow and we can head back home. 

As I always say, there is never a dull moment in our house, ever.

Praying for stabilization, in all things.  Thanks for your continued prayers!  Love to you all.

White Counts Low Low Low

Matt's white count is about the lowest it is going to get, which means he is open to any tiny infection.  As they told us today, no matter how little it may be, if he feels sick at all it will be a trip to the ER this weekend.  So trying to keep everything as germ free as possible.

His magnesium IV went well, I think pretty boring actually.  I left him there while I went back to work.  I think it only took about 1 1/2 hrs. to finish.  I think they gave him fluids to hydrate him too.

Beka goes back to school on Sunday.  I'm sure gonna miss her chauffeur service.  We are off to celebrate her birthday tonight.  Can't believe she is 19!!  Matt has his order to go, that we will bring back home to him.  Mandola's is one of his favorites, so he is really disappointed he isn't well enough to go.

Praying for a great weekend for all! 

Blood Today....Magnesium Tomorrow

So blood transfusion went well today.  He got started right at 8:30 a.m. and was ready for me to pick him up at 12:30.  So thank goodness for Beka being home from school still.  She has been a huge help in getting him to his appointments for me.

Received several calls from the doctors office today from different departments on different items.  Never did hear anything about his CT scans of his brain.  The last call of today was to set up a two hour magnesium drip for tomorrow, since Matt apparently is very very low.  He will have another magnesium treatment on Monday.

He is very tired (and grumpy) this afternoon.  I guess when all your levels go crazy you have the right to feel that way.  Hopefully next week he will begin to produce all counts back to normal levels.

I feel like we should play a little game for the next couple of days.  You can play by posting a comment back.  It is called "Guess The November Hospital Bill" (prior to insurance payments) game.  I think I'll have to come up with a prize for who every guesses the closest.  I'll just say it wasn't what I expected it to be.

I'm in contact with the Blood Center about hosting a blood drive at Round Rock ISD Admin building in February.  I'll post all the details as soon as they are finalized.

Thanks for all your continued prayers and support of us.  They have helped so much.  Love to you all!

More Tests for Headaches

Is this wrong to confess, I'm getting tired. :((  Feeling life is full of unscheduled events right now. 

Matt got to go in early today to have blood work and then visit with the PA.  They had lots of questions about the headache he had since last week, which he said was now gone after the meds in the IVs from yesterday made him sleep until this afternoon.  So with all his counts low (except for the platelets due to the transfusion yesterday) he will need a blood transfusion tomorrow.  So this is how our afternoon went....

2:15 Beka takes Matt to his blood workup
2:30 I meet over at the doctors appt. just in time to talk with PA to find out that they want to do CT scan today to make sure there is no bleeding of the brain, which might cause the headaches.  (Didn't even realize that could happen.)
2:55 But to save time, we first had to go to the hospital to have his blood "typed" again to make sure they get the right blood type for him for tomorrows transfusion.....we wait for almost an hour to have the five minute test done.  (Also learned that he will have to have his blood typed each time he has a transfusion to double check that nothing has changed with his type of blood...again didn't realize that could happen.)
4:10 Back over to the doctors office to finally get the scan done, which we won't have results until tomorrow. 
4:35 Drive back home only to get to listen to the way Matt's mind in already imagining the worst case results of the scan. 

So please pray results on scan show nothing.  Matt will be at the hospital for about four hours for all the blood to drip.  So pray that all goes smoothly too!

Not a Fun Day :((

So today wasn't a fun day for platelet transfusions.  Matt has had a headache for five days and it finally hit him hard as we were trying to get platelets.  Very sick young man.  We finally drugged him enough for him to sleep.

We now have an earlier longer appointment tomorrow, instead of his regular blood work.  They are going to try and figure out what is going on with the headaches and give him some fluids there.  So maybe it is just a hydration thing.  We will know more tomorrow I guess.

Keep him in your prayers.  This is now the time he is starting to be low in everything poor guy.  A mother just hates to see their babies (even if they are big babies) sick like this.

Time for Platelets Again

Matt's platelets are going down fast again, so he will go in for another two transfusions tomorrow morning.  His white count is bottoming out now too, which is what it should be doing after chemo, but this is getting to the danger level as far as being around sick people.  The PA stressed again to Matt to be on top of hand washing and keeping as germ free as possible during this time.  Any little infection, with or without fever, can be very dangerous right now.  With his blood counts down he also risks higher chance of bleeding that won't stop, so hopefully no ER visits this week.

Matt is continuing to eat well, but still hasn't gained weight this week.  I guess that is better than him loosing weight, but we'd like him to gain a little.

Someone asked today if Matt still needs blood donations.  And the answer is yes!  Both blood and platelets.  I know this is repeated info, but if you want to donate both, you should do platelets first and then two days later you can give blood.  Again, see my earlier posts for more information.

Please continue to pray that his headache, which he has had for the past four days, will finally react to the medicine they have given him today.

Thanks again for everyone for all their support.  We love you!

Counts are all good!

So Matt's platelet transfusion worked great.  He was at 10,000 yesterday morning and today he was back up to 64,000.  Amazing.  All his other counts are good for now, but by early next week everything should be bottomed out and he will need blood and platelets.  The next couple of days are the most important in keeping him healthy and not exposed to any little small infection.  He will also need to be careful since he bleed more easily during this time.  Hopefully there won't be any ER visits this weekend.

Again, he gets checked three times a week.  So continue to pray for good news.  How he reacts this part of his therapy will help us judge how the next three chemo treatments will be and all I can keep saying is this is so much better than when he was in the hospital for 28 days.

Got a pot of chili cooking and cornbread is ready.  We are getting ready to get our GIG'EM on!  Hoping the Aggies beat the hell outta LSU!

Hope you all have a blessed weekend.  Love to you all!

Platelets Went Well

Matt did great at taking himself to the hospital, as an out-patient, for his two bags of platelets.  I think it took him about 1 1/2 hrs. for everything to be done.  They always watch afterwards to make sure you don't have a reaction to the products, so that takes up some of the time.  Matt always complains about how long everything takes.  I'm thinking if there was a drive-thur transfusion place, that wouldn't be fast enough for Matt.

Physically, Matt is really doing so much better than his first round of chemo.  But now at the end of the week he does look a little pale and he gets a tired more easily.  But this really is all normal after chemo.

Matt has an appointment this afternoon to check all levels, so he will find out today if he goes in for blood transfusions.

So all is good and God has truly blessed Matt.  Please continue to lift him up in prayer as it is making a huge difference.  I'm going to try and call today about a blood drive for Matt and will post here when it is set up.  You can still give blood to benefit Matt (read my early post on how).  Just remember to ask for the blank coupons that you will turn in to me to complete an put with the hospital bill.  It really is one of the best gifts you can give!

Thanks to you all.  Have a great Friday....and GIG'EM AGGIES!

Wednesday - Blood Test - Platelet Transfusion Needed

Matt's labs were done today and his platelet count was 11,000, so that means he needs a platelet transfusion tomorrow.  (The magic number is 10,000.)

I'm going to let him go by himself to the hospital as an out patient tomorrow morning.  He will need two bags, which each takes about 15 mins.  So I figured he will be able to do the hour treatment on his own.  Again, I'm going to try hard to phase him into doing stuff on his own some more.

Other than that, all seems to be going great.  He will be tested again on Friday and we will know then if he needs blood transfusions.

Have a great night!

Increase Lab Visits - 1/5/11

Got the call yesterday that they are now wanting to do lab work for Matt three days instead of two days a week.  Now for January he will be going Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  I'm letting him try to do the visit by himself today since he just goes in and they take blood.  As long as he is well enough to drive I'm going to let him step up to the plate and start taking more charge of his life.

I'm thinking back to just two months ago when this was the first morning we were at the hospital and how so much different life was.  Everything felt turned upside down and like there wasn't going to be an end to any of this (not that we are at the end of this journey yet).  I think back to how grim everything looked.  Matt diagnoses of leukemia wasn't even imaginable.  Over those first four weeks in the hospital there were times I have to admit that I didn't think he would ever be coming home.  He was just so sick, like nothing he or we have ever experienced.  With me staying all of those days and nights with him, when I was in the thick of it, I just didn't realize how bad it really was, cause I just didn't know any better.  If there is any advice I can give for anyone else going through this storm, it does get really bad, but know that it does get better.  It may not seem like it, but it does.  I'm just so thankful for so many family and friends that were able to come to the hospital to relieve me.  You should take advantage of these moments to go home to physically and mentally refresh and renew yourself.  I also have to say that the power of prayers helped so much.  God is awesome in listen and listening to specific needs no matter how small.

Matt's experience during this last batch of chemo has be amazingly easy and normal.  He keeps saying he feels just fine like he's not sick.  So we should be so thankful that there is some normalcy back....but as a mom, I'm still standing, waiting on edge, for something unexpected to happen, but praying we continue on this normal path.

May God bless you each today.  Love to you all.

Monday Dr. Update

So I guess no news is good news?  They drew blood today only to wait for every and to find out that the machine to test the blood was broken, so we won't get count results until tomorrow morning some time.  The counts will tell us if Matt needs a transfusion.  Of course he gets test again on Thursday too.

Matt was up to 153 pounds so that means he did gain some weight.  He kept telling him how good he felt and how normal he feels.  Of course we know his counts will go down and he will be feeling bad, just not sure when or how bad.

They did start him on a preventive pair of medicines for fungus and a broad spectrum antibiotic.  So hopefully that will take care of anything before it can start.

So all is good for now.  Thank you for your continued prayers.  Love to you all!

January 2, 2011 - All is Good!

So this would be day 7 after the start of chemo.  So far all is good.  Matt has been eating and feeling good this time around so we continue to pray that things will remain semi-normal.  Matt's schedule for January is every Monday and Thursday doctor visits to check counts and if needed he will go to the hospital for transfusions, which the doctor says will happen sometime this week.
I have a crazy schedule this week, between starting back to work tomorrow morning, Matt's two doctor visits, Nolan is getting his root canal finished up and Beka has a followup to take out stitches from her foot surgery.  Poor Beka had a really bad reaction to the adhesive bandage or the butterfly stitches they used.  So her food is all boiled over and really gross looking from what we can peak at from the wrapping.  She is on all sorts of medication to try and help it but it just doesn't seem to be working all that well.  We may have to move up her appointment for the doctor to take another look at her.

I'm praying for energy for us all to survive the week!