Saturday, 9/20/03
The past couple weeks have been trying. We’ve all had a congested cough that won’t go away. It is causing Les to vomit his feedings at least once a day, which is sad for him to go through, not to mention the calorie loss that happens with each episode. The first week he lost a bit of weight, but we have played around with his feeding schedule so that hopefully we can minimize the loss of calories if he vomits. It has worked fairly well and Les gained a bit of weight this last week. The downside of it is that we have to go into his room and stop his feeding at 3am in order to give his body time to digest before he wakes up.
The doctors assure me that the cough is most likely a virus that we will just have to wait out. It hasn’t gone to his lungs, Praise God!!! Please pray that the congestion and cough disappear immediately!!!
Les’ last blood counts were low (9/18/03). His white blood cell count and ANC is low enough that his immune system is threatened and we have discontinued the remaining week of this round of chemo. We’ll start a new round of chemo on Monday, October 6th. Les’ hemoglobin count is also getting low again. We’re hoping that by discontinuing the chemo, the counts will improve and thus save us from another transfusion.
Through all of this, Les has been a trooper. He’s been the sweetest little boy who is a joy to be around. This last week I showed him a website I had found that explains blood counts and cancer terms in a way kids can understand (OK, it helped me understand too). Les loved it. He can now put cute names to the different items he hears about. Terms like Captain Chemo and Zapman give a whole new meaning to his chemotherapy treatments and his radiation. Terrill the Tyrant is the mean cancer (picture a T-Rex) that is afraid of little kids who want to get well (as well as surgery, Captain Chemo and Zapman). Plate and Let the platelet brothers help his body heal when it gets injured and white blood cells like Nuet and Benny fight off infections. I’ll put the links to these sights in Les’ Favorite Websites area.
Please continue to hold us up in prayer. I am getting to a point where I’m tired more often than not, and it’s affecting my abilities to care for my family. We signed up to receive meals again, just once a week, but it’s an encouragement to know that after a long day of appointments, I don’t have to cook when I get home. I’m praying God will help me to prioritize the right things each day. Time spent playing one-on-one with Les is something I’ve neglected lately and I feel guilty.
Well, I think that brings us up to date for now. Thanks again for all the prayers that are directed our way. We would be lost without them and without God who answers those prayers and sustains us.
Oh, the car situation is still going on. Jason and Les are in the garage right now reassembling the engine on one of them. Hopefully all will be fixed when they are done.
The past couple weeks have been trying. We’ve all had a congested cough that won’t go away. It is causing Les to vomit his feedings at least once a day, which is sad for him to go through, not to mention the calorie loss that happens with each episode. The first week he lost a bit of weight, but we have played around with his feeding schedule so that hopefully we can minimize the loss of calories if he vomits. It has worked fairly well and Les gained a bit of weight this last week. The downside of it is that we have to go into his room and stop his feeding at 3am in order to give his body time to digest before he wakes up.
The doctors assure me that the cough is most likely a virus that we will just have to wait out. It hasn’t gone to his lungs, Praise God!!! Please pray that the congestion and cough disappear immediately!!!
Les’ last blood counts were low (9/18/03). His white blood cell count and ANC is low enough that his immune system is threatened and we have discontinued the remaining week of this round of chemo. We’ll start a new round of chemo on Monday, October 6th. Les’ hemoglobin count is also getting low again. We’re hoping that by discontinuing the chemo, the counts will improve and thus save us from another transfusion.
Through all of this, Les has been a trooper. He’s been the sweetest little boy who is a joy to be around. This last week I showed him a website I had found that explains blood counts and cancer terms in a way kids can understand (OK, it helped me understand too). Les loved it. He can now put cute names to the different items he hears about. Terms like Captain Chemo and Zapman give a whole new meaning to his chemotherapy treatments and his radiation. Terrill the Tyrant is the mean cancer (picture a T-Rex) that is afraid of little kids who want to get well (as well as surgery, Captain Chemo and Zapman). Plate and Let the platelet brothers help his body heal when it gets injured and white blood cells like Nuet and Benny fight off infections. I’ll put the links to these sights in Les’ Favorite Websites area.
Please continue to hold us up in prayer. I am getting to a point where I’m tired more often than not, and it’s affecting my abilities to care for my family. We signed up to receive meals again, just once a week, but it’s an encouragement to know that after a long day of appointments, I don’t have to cook when I get home. I’m praying God will help me to prioritize the right things each day. Time spent playing one-on-one with Les is something I’ve neglected lately and I feel guilty.
Well, I think that brings us up to date for now. Thanks again for all the prayers that are directed our way. We would be lost without them and without God who answers those prayers and sustains us.
Oh, the car situation is still going on. Jason and Les are in the garage right now reassembling the engine on one of them. Hopefully all will be fixed when they are done.