October 10th, 2013

Thursday
Home
Weight: 15.1 Kg
ANC: 531

I know that it has been awhile since I last updated your blog, but things have been busy.  A week ago, tomorrow, your CBC came back indicating a lower hemoglobin so you needed to go to MHRH for a blood transfusion.  We were in at lunch and home before bed.  I was hoping that we could avoid a transfusion this round but we needed to have just the one in the end.

On Tuesday, we had CBC to ensure your counts would be high enough to start you last cycle of maintence on Wednesday.  However, as we have started to expect, your ANC had dropped from 3000 to 531 in 48 hours.  We need an ANC of 1000 to start chemo.  They do really believe your marrow is tired and are hoping for a recovery in counts by next week.  We were packed and ready but I guess you were meant to stay home for Thanksgiving.  We need to always see the positive or else we can get pretty down and disappointed in things (at least that is what I keep telling myself).  I truly hope we can start next week and avoid any other delays.

We are getting into a routine at home.  We spend time doing small activities and even a little baking.  With your counts being lower and the weather colder outside, which requires us to be inside for most of the day, I have to make sure the house is pretty clean.  This is not so easy to do with 5 people in and out of the house all day.  I try to make sure all main surfaces and the toy room are disinfected and your room is always wiped down.  It scares me to hear about everything that is going around in the schools and I pray that your sisters don't come home with anything for at least another month.  It is so important that everyone around you is healthy, which isn't easy because when we are home we love to visit with family and friends.

As we go into the Thanksgiving weekend, I am reflecting on all I am thankful for.  I have never felt so thankful as I do this year.  I feel like I could go on and on for everyone and everything I am thankful for and there just isn't words or actions that can portray how I feel.  The year 2013 has definitely been the hardest year ever, but it has also given us a new appreciation for life.  I will never take my health or the health of my family for granted again.  I am so thankful for the amazing specialists that have become essential to our family in the last couple of months...Surgeons, Oncologists, Family Doctors, Pediatricians and Nurses!!  Because of these amazing people I am able to live pain free and you are in your last cycle of treatment, there is nothing more I could ask for.  I need  to end by saying I am most thankful for God, for listening to our millions of prayers and for looking over our family....thank you, thank you, thank you.     

Love you buddy,

Mom