Siblings

How to support Jethenro

~sister style~

Sit in a quiet corner of the nurses station just across from Jethenro's room at the hospital~and study~

The girls do move to the hospital with Jethenro if they are not in school or at work

Such a blessing!!

They work their schedules to stay with him during the night so mom and dad don't have to. Because they are both considered adults, and one a nurse and one in nursing school~ the ONC team are totally ok with it. They even teach the girls what they are doing.

The Dr's are professors, so the clinic is a teaching environment.  They have student nurses and Dr's come through periodically at the clinic. 

Update

This morning finds Jethenro still in the hospital.  We had not planned or expected this delay, but with oral recovery meds and a different Dr. on-call the chemo had not cleared his body to Dr. satisfaction last night. There will be another chemo level check at 9;30 am. We pray that he clears, and can be home by noon.

*********************

And we were!!

Back in The Hospital

We have had some quiet, recuperating days at home since the last hospital admission for chemo. Jethenro was feeling really good considering what he has been through. He has gained about 8 pounds these past few weeks. I haven't posted anything because there wasn't really any new news... until yesterday's labs showed that he was ready for another dose of HD MTX.  It breaks my heart to watch that big bag of chemo drip into his veins. Not just one but two of those in a 24 hour period. Yet I know it has to be. He also had other chemo administered. But it was also a stressful day, as we learned that the recovery meds that they usually give is changing from iv to pill form. This can cause other reactions that may not be pleasant, or alter how quickly he clears the chemo.  But we won't know until he experiences it. From the sound of it, there is a national shortage of the iv form of leucvorin . The nurse told me today that it appears that it will be a standard protocol  now to use the oral form of the medicine.

The nurse and sister~nurse make him get up and walk, pushing his own iv pole.

We appreciate so much the prayers of our friends.  Thank you.  We are always concerned about side affects , complications and long term effects that chemo delivers. We know that God is Faithful, one day at a time. 

Home Sweet Home

Jethenro was discharged from the hospital Friday evening. We were home by 9 pm and he was  able to get a good night sleep.  He will have two more scheduled hospital stays during this phase of treatment.

Celebrating Veterans Day ~Hospital Style~

What we see from the hospital window~a crane was brought into the parking lot to fly the flag today.  It was not there earlier this morning.

~Who Else~

Who  goes into the hospital felling good and well

~gets put into the PICU unit~

~transfers to the regular floor~

to feel worse...

Isn't that a little backward???

Might get discharged...

If his labs at 6pm show clearance of chemo

That is what we are praying for!

Back to Hospital

The day began with a healthy size breakfast and a trip to the clinic to qualify for chemo.  We arrive at the hospital, and the ONC floor is full~ so we get put into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit until a room opens up on the Oncology Unit. We were just getting comfortable when the escort arrives to take us to our new home.

Donald gets to chill since he didn't have to go to work.

Five Monthes Today

It was 5 months ago today that we received the diagnosis of ALL.  Jethenro had spent the night in the hospital getting blood and platelet transfusions.  A sample of his blood had been sent off overnight to MD Anderson to verify which type of Leukemia he had.  I was ignorant up to this point. I didn't know there was more than one kind! Of course the rest of my medically inclined family understood...but I didn't.

The time on the clock that Doc E stepped into the hospital room to give us the news is forever etched in my mind.  He pulled my husband out of the room and spoke with him privately at first. They were out of the room for quite some time when i stepped out to see what was going on. I found Donald sitting in a chair with phone in hand, tears in his eyes making arrangements to get off work. I don't recall seeing the doc again, but i know he was there making arrangements to air flight my son to a larger hospital. There was no question which parent was going along on this flight though it surprised the flight personnel. Usually the mothers attend their children, but Donald was not about to leave his sons side.

Everything happened so fast that day that there was no time to research our options, to learn what alternative/complimentary medicine might be available. It would not have made much difference~there is no alternative to chemo for this type of leukemia. We have been installing complimentary methods as much as possible, and thanking God for friends like you who intercede in prayer on our behalf. 

We continue to ask for your prayers as we continue this journey with Jethenro. His spirits have been good most of the time, and we are told that the worst phases of treatment are past even though i hear from others who have been, or are going through it, that the next phase is difficult also.  Nevertheless  he has applied to get back into school, and he will be able to register for classes soon.

~we thought~

~but it didn't happen.~

Packed up, ready to go to the hospital today, but have to stop at the  ONC clinic first to verify blood counts. Get blood drawn and sit and wait for the NP to give us lab results, hospital admit paperwork, and be on our way. But it didn't happen the way we planned!  The NP showed us the lab results and they were just under the 'qualify' range. So a new appointment was made, and that means yet another stick in the arm. No hospital admit for chemo today!
This mom is learning that  changes at the spur of the moment is ok.