Just to update you on what our week has been like...
Jethenro got his first non-family visitors on Sunday! A friend came to show Jethenro how to play a new game.
He's still quite tired and rests most of the day. Nitha, Roshi, and two cousin's got to take him out for a few hours on Monday night. No worries, he didn't leave the safety of the sanitized car. He enjoyed getting out, even though he had a slight headache.
Today Jethenro has a consultation with a Dr. about a portacath. At first Don did not like the idea of one...but after realizing how he'll be needing IV access weekly, this seems to be the best route to go.
Nitha had her first exam for her class, which she did well on. She's been spending her days studying. Roshi has been cooking and cleaning and trying to keep Jethenro company.
Don & Marci have been keeping busy reviewing and figuring out the treatment plan, researching, and mainly, answering phone calls. :) Never in my life have I seen them get so many calls! Thank you all so much for the calls, emails, cards, etc...
A couple of specific prayer requests for this week. Tomorrow Jethenro has his third round of chemo and a bone marrow biopsy. Please pray that 1) he handles the chemo well and have minimal side effects and 2) that his bone marrow biospy will show no blast cells in his bone marrow. Thank you for your continued prayers :)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
This post is to clarify the kind of leukemia Jethenro has been diagnosed with.
The type of leukemia we are dealing with has several names, but is referred to in the medical community as ALL. It can be called Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, as well as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It is then further broken down to either pre B, B, or T cell ALL. Acute means that it is fast growing.
Jethenro happens to have the pre B type. It is the most common most treatable kind of leukemia that we are battling. We praise the Lord, for the prognosis is good. The information we have received from the cancer center states it as curable, however, I choose to think of it as 'remission'
The first phase of attack is chemo once a week. He will be tested to see if the leukemia is going into remission in another week or so. Then after July 2, the medical team will discuss the next phase of treatment. Total treatment lasts 3 years, but will not always be weekly chemo treatments.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Encouraging Words
God brings no man into the conflicts of life to desert him. Every man has a friend in heaven whose resources are unlimited; and on Him he may call at any hour and find sympathy and assistance.
Robert H. Morris
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him. To all who call upon Him in truth.
Psalm 145:18
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Treatment Day
Today was treatment day...up bright and early and off to the clinic. This was the first day I watched the procedure...
Nurse had trouble with needle insertion. Another nurse got it. Had to restrain Don through it all. He soo much wanted to do it for them. This is one of his strengths! The team said "no~ liability!"
Jethenro took it all~ even when he had the spinal tap without the usual anesethia. He is one strong kid. No ill effects from the treatments yet. He is handling this with Gods grace.
Tomorrow he will be receiving blood and platelet transfusions.
Looking forward to Sabbath rest.
by mom
Nurse had trouble with needle insertion. Another nurse got it. Had to restrain Don through it all. He soo much wanted to do it for them. This is one of his strengths! The team said "no~ liability!"
Jethenro took it all~ even when he had the spinal tap without the usual anesethia. He is one strong kid. No ill effects from the treatments yet. He is handling this with Gods grace.
Tomorrow he will be receiving blood and platelet transfusions.
Looking forward to Sabbath rest.
by mom
Thankful...
We are all so very thankful.... for family willing to drive a total of 12 hours just so Roshi and Nitha could spend time with Jethenro and their parents.
For family who provided a bed and food for the girls when they came up and took food the hospital for Jethenro and the parents numerous times.
For friends who bring a gigantic, 53 inch stuffed bear to Jethenro because it was the biggest they could find and it represents how much he means to them. (He successfully used it to scare several of his nurses half to death)
For a friend and his dad who dropped in to brighten Jethenros afternoon.
For people we didnt even know who heard about Jethenro and family being at Texas Childrens and prepared food and brought it to the hospital for them.
For some of the best and most caring staff nurses in the PICU and on the floor.
For the blessings of the Ronald McDonald House and the awesome staff.
And most of all for the phone calls made, emails sent, facebook posts, letters sent, and prayers that have been made on Jethenros behalf.
For family who provided a bed and food for the girls when they came up and took food the hospital for Jethenro and the parents numerous times.
For friends who bring a gigantic, 53 inch stuffed bear to Jethenro because it was the biggest they could find and it represents how much he means to them. (He successfully used it to scare several of his nurses half to death)
For a friend and his dad who dropped in to brighten Jethenros afternoon.
For people we didnt even know who heard about Jethenro and family being at Texas Childrens and prepared food and brought it to the hospital for them.
For some of the best and most caring staff nurses in the PICU and on the floor.
For the blessings of the Ronald McDonald House and the awesome staff.
And most of all for the phone calls made, emails sent, facebook posts, letters sent, and prayers that have been made on Jethenros behalf.
They say you know who your friends are when troubled times come and I know that we as a family can testify to this. We are so very very grateful and extremely blessed for all the individuals God has placed in our lives.
June 6, 2011
On June 6, 2011 our family heard a diagnosis that has changed our lives forever. Our youngest child was diagnosed with Leukemia. It is taking us down a path that we never dreamed we would be on….
Throughout our vacation, Jethenro was not his usual active self. He had a cold and sinus infection about 2 weeks before leaving... but it had been conquered...or so we thought. Throughout our travel, we recognized symptoms appearing that led us to believe he had a viral infection.
The morning after our return home, Don took Jethenro to the hospital get his blood checked. When the lab tech read the values, he wouldn't even give the results. He insisted that Jethenro needed to see his primary care physician immediately, so off they went.
When I saw Don a few hours later, I saw fear in his eyes. As soon as he shut the bedroom door, he relayed what the doctor had diagnosed, and burst into tears. The one word summery of our conversation was:
CANCER
What?! Our healthy, active son had what?! My mind whirled...and spun out of control. It couldn't be! But wait...they had an immediate referral to see the Oncologist to verify. About half an hour later, they left for that second opinion.
The morning after our return home, Don took Jethenro to the hospital get his blood checked. When the lab tech read the values, he wouldn't even give the results. He insisted that Jethenro needed to see his primary care physician immediately, so off they went.
When I saw Don a few hours later, I saw fear in his eyes. As soon as he shut the bedroom door, he relayed what the doctor had diagnosed, and burst into tears. The one word summery of our conversation was:
CANCER
What?! Our healthy, active son had what?! My mind whirled...and spun out of control. It couldn't be! But wait...they had an immediate referral to see the Oncologist to verify. About half an hour later, they left for that second opinion.
Oh how I prayed...and cried... until I saw them later...when the kind of cancer was identified. It was definitely leukemia, but his blood would have to be analyzed by MD Anderson before knowing what type of leukemia he had. I had never known that there were 8 or more types of leukemia.
Jethenro was admitted to the hospital and was given blood and platelets while they waited for the results of the blood test. Roshi offered to spend the night with Jethenro while Don came home to get a few hours of sleep. That proved to be a blessing, though it was a fitful night. For the next day would be another day of trials.
Jethenro was admitted to the hospital and was given blood and platelets while they waited for the results of the blood test. Roshi offered to spend the night with Jethenro while Don came home to get a few hours of sleep. That proved to be a blessing, though it was a fitful night. For the next day would be another day of trials.
June 7, 2011 dawned like any other day for most people. Jethenro was anointed by a local pastor and elder at 12:30 and by 2pm the doctor had a definite diagnosis. Jethenro was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia or ALL. The doctor felt it best to have Jethenro transferred to Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston, TX because he was worried about his kidney function. The whole family gathered at the hospital to say goodbye. The PICU staff at our local children’s hospital were so very understanding. They let our entire extended family plus 2 pastors into the room (16 people total) to pray and say goodbye. Jethenro and Don were airlifted to Texas Childrens Hospital around 6pm and arrived around 7:30pm. Jethenro thoroughly enjoyed his Kangaroo crew (the mobile intensive care unit sent to transport him).
Roshi, Nitha, and Marci headed home to spend a somewhat more restful night before Marci drove up to Houston the next morning.
June 8, 2011 – Before Marci got to Houston, Jethenro had already had a spinal tap ( Lumbar Puncture) and his first round of chemotherapy.
Between Wednesday and Friday (the 10th) not a whole lot happened. On Friday, one of our uncles took Roshi and Nitha to Houston to spend Sabbath with the family.
Nitha and Roshi were told that Jethenro enjoyed keeping his PICU nurses on their toes. But he is pretty sure they enjoyed having an older patient for a change. ;)
June 11, 2011 – Jethenro got 3 chemo IM injections. Roshi and Nitha left Saturday evening fully expecting not to see Jethenro again until Thursday.
June 12, 2011 – Jethenro was very unexpectedly discharged from Texas Childrens Hospital and got to come home!!
The next couple of days nothing really went on. Jethenro rested, did some walking, was on his computer and the rest of family kinda went about their days. Mom and dad with household chores, Nitha with school, and Roshi… Well Roshi is losing the skin on her hands due to Clorox suddenly becoming her best friend… J
Through this experience we are learning lessons that we didn't know we needed to learn. We are leaning on God so much more. We are so grateful for prayers of family and friends that are sustaining us through this difficult time and solicit all to please continue to uplift Jethenro in prayer.
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