Last Week

When we began this blog two years ago, I thought it would be a family venture of posting updates along the way...but I (mom) seem to have taken over the posting updates.  I mentioned this to Jethenro, and he just smiled...after all he is in nursing school!  lol... With both sisters away at college, they don't get in on the day to day happenings at home. That means you have to wait for updates until I get a chance to post them!  ;)

Last week Jethenro had another lp, beginning another cycle of his 3 year Maintenance phase. The countdown is on...he has 8 more months of chemo.  I am already helping him plan his 'off treatment recovery program' that will protect or heal any possible undetected  organ damage that might have taken place.

There is a new Dr. in the clinic that has done Jethenro's last two lp's.  She was also the one who treated Jethenro two weeks ago when he was so sick. I have been impressed with her bedside manners, and her clean/close to perfect lp sticks. The nurse happened to make a comment this week about the dr, and her own cancer journey.  Come to find out~she had the exact same type of leukemia when she was 12 years old!! No wonder she perfected her lp's!  She understands!  That explains her bedside manner techniques!  I practically cried as we discussed her experience. What a blessing to have her on the team.

Jethenro has been on antibiotics quite often over the past 9 months for sinus/upper respiratory infections and I was pleading with God to help us know what might be causing the frequent infections that seem to be getting more and more frequent and severe. The Pediatrician mentioned that this is related to allergies, and we weren't too sure he was right until...This last week I was impressed to have our reverse osmosis water tested, and discovered that the system  is not working, as the water came back the same as regular tap water. That night as I lay in bed praying, it occurred to me that the chemicals and contaminants in our city water are ones that Jethenro has reacted to on other occasions. I am hoping, and continue to pray that this will be the key that keeps him from having any more infections that require antibiotics.  

The serious 'I just woke up' look

Eventful 'Yesterday's'~Catch up

We spent most of yesterday here...

Hospital  "ready" bag came home~with Jethenro

Jethenro took trip shortly after Christmas with his sisters and met up with many other young people for a special youth conference in Florida. It was a memorable experience for him, yet he arrived home with a sore throat and a slight fever.  Off to the pediatrician the next morning yielded a round of antibiotics while on a chemo hold. He experienced healing, and was able to continue life as usual.

But this past week he started having upper respiratory infection symptoms and by Wednesday had a slight fever that increased as the day wore on.  He came home from school early and went straight to the pediatrician who tested for several different illnesses and  once again put him on an antibiotic~a different one this time.

Yesterday~Thursday morning he woke to a 102.2 fever.  This warranted a direct admit to the hospital previously, but we could not get hold of a nurse at the clinic, so Jethenro and I got ready to go to the Cancer clinic personally. When we arrived he was quickly put into an examination room where we waited for a very long time. The Dr. finally came in and checked him out~ordered iv antibiotics and fluids, a port access blood check for infection and possible sepsis along  with an ANC count.

Then there was another very long wait before the nurse came in with all the paraphernalia. The office was short one nurse, so the nurses were very busy....I don't think they even took a lunch break...
The nurse got a little agitated when he discovered know one had taken Jethenro's vital signs. He went and got the equipment for that, and discovered Jethenro's temp had reached 102.7

We are grateful for his healthy ANC count of 2910, for that shows that his body is fighting the infection on its own....and it was determined that he could come home after the iv antibiotic was infused.

What a relief!  Thank you to those who knew and were praying for us yesterday.

This morning Jethenro was supposed to go to clinical, but he knows his health is more important, so he is home studying in the easy chair next to the fire instead.