Bennett’s ANC is 1,232 from 768 a week ago!  We’re so thankful it went back up.  His WBC are 2.2 from 1.6 and neutrophils are 56 from 48.  Hemoglobin is great at 12.9 and platelets are in normal range to at 162!  Liver levels are still running about the same at 60 and 226.  His bun/creatinine is running high which means he needs to drink more to flush out his kidneys. 

We did have a scare this afternoon because he started itching on his chest and neck.  He was broke out all over his chest and on the back of his neck.  It looked like an allergic re-action to something (like when he has been allergic to a medication.)   I gave him benadryl, he switched t shirts just in case something was on them.  He went to basketball practice this afternoon and it was better when he got home it.  He still had a few pink spots but the redness was gone.   He has had another blotchy spots for a couple months off and on his arms.  The oncology Dr. said last time to put lotion on it.  We think it’s from sweating during practice. 

We had a busy weekend with Hamilton’s 4th grade basketball team playing in the West Frankfort tournament Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We lost the first game by 2 points against Goreville, won the 2nd against West Frankfort.  We were playing for the consultation championship this afternoon and lost against Harrisburg by 10 points.

We went to the Monster Jam in St. Louis and had a great time last night.  Our friends, the Coe family was able to go this time which was great to see them.  They live in the same town as driver of Maxi-um of Destruction and have given us tickets for the last several years.  The boys really enjoy it.  I think Lindy even liked it.   And it made it even better that our guy, won the free style part. 

We have another busy week with games every night plus Bennett’s monthly Dr. appt in St. Louis on Tuesday.  We pray for good weather (big snow storm coming) plus that his counts continue to do well and his rash goes away!  May God bless us all!

Bennett is doing good.   He has had another long day with driving at 6:00 a.m., went to school than had to practice and than went with some friends to the girls basketball game to watch Lindy play tonight in Herrin.   He had a basketball game last night in Marion  and they lost by 10 points.  Bennett played about 3 to 5 minutes of the game and made one basket, had a steal and a rebound.  He thought he only fell down once so better from the other day.

Hamilton had in -house game tonight and his team won.  He played really good defense but couldn’t seem to make a basket.  He has had practice or a game every night.  His travel team plays this weekend in a tournament in West Frankfort.  

We’re blessed that Bennett is doing Great!

Bennett is doing good.  He had a long day with driving in driver’s ed early this morning.  I think has about 3 more weeks of this or so. Actually about the time basketball is going to end too.  He has basketball practice tonight after school than him and Lindy went to Hamilton’s travel team game.  They played Herrin and won by about 10 points.  Unfortunately I had to miss it since I am in Lexington KY for  bank meetings.

Bennett’s team plays tomorrow night at Marion.  He only has about 7 more games left of the season, it sure went by quick.  I know he is looking forward to playing spring baseball too.

We pray that Bennett’s counts are going up.  We sure don’t want him to get this bug back or start the sinus stuff again.  He started back on his chemo pills today taking 6 methotrexate pills and 3 6mp pills.  The Dr wanted him to start back up when he had two full good days which I feel like Sunday and Monday he was.

We’re blessed for everything we have and Thanking God for providing Bennett the hope and faith that he needs to keep fighting each day!

An article that is unbelievable!  Please pray that God will guide this project and help find a cure to pediatric cancer!

Washington University that is listed is the Dr.’s that Bennett and all oncology patients see at Children’s Hospital in the clinic.   How Exciting!

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2n ow.com) – Research is underway in St. Louis that could change everything for kids with cancer and their families. It is a $65 million joint project between St. Jude’s Childrens’ Hospital in Memphis and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The effort is unprecedented and researchers believe it could lead to breakthroughs in treating pediatric cancer, especially in patients in St. Louis.

“St. Louisans should be excited, because there are not many places that this could happen,” says Dr. Rick Wilson, director of the Genome Center at the Washington University School of Medicine.

“This will allow us, for each individual case of cancer, to perhaps understand what went wrong,” he says. ” It is a game changer.”

Judy Ciapciak, the Executive Director of Friends of Kids with Cancer, a non profit group in St. Louis, went to a funeral Monday for a ten month old baby who died of cancer. When she learned of Washington University’s undertaking, she could not contain her excitement.

“Its a dream come true!” she said, smiling. “It is exciting, it is huge.”

On a wall outside her office in West St. Louis County hang photos of children who died from this dreadful disease. She calls it the “special friends” wall. Friends of Kids with Cancer helps hundreds of St. Louis families, giving them things like shopping trips, sports or concert tickets, gift certificates, and toys during chemotherapy.

Its always, “‘Why?’” she says, of the parents she deals with daily. “Why does this happen, where does it come from?”

Wilson hopes to have an answer soon. “Were already underway with the first few samples,” he says.

He is directing the largest childhood cancer research project in history. Washington University scientists sequenced the humane genetic code almost a decade ago. Now, they will sequence the genomes of cancer tissue and normal tissue donated by 600 pediatric cancer patients at St. Judes in Memphis. They expect to be able to compare a normal cell to a cancer cell and see when, where, and why the cancer began. In the long term youd like to use that knowledge to develop new drugs that act as magic bullets to kill only the tumor cells, he says.

“Eventually we can use that information to be very smart about treatment from the first day,” he says. “Its almost a sure thing that these things will come out in the next two years.”

“The guys at St. Louis Childrens Hospital will hear about this and ask if they can do some of this now. Well be able to say, ‘Absolutely.’”

And then maybe Judy Ciapciak would never have to add another photo to her wall. Maybe Friends of Kids with Cancer would never even be needed, again.

“Go Wash U and St. Judes!” she says. “There’s nothing more than we want to do than to just close down.”

It’s February!  1 month already gone in this new year, Wow!    19 days till Bennett’s birthday too and 3 year cancer survivor anniversary!

Bennett is doing much better!  We’re so thankful and pray it continues again. If he could get through these next three weeks of basketball games without another illness, we would be so grateful and happy.  That would almost be a record!

The freshman played Harrisburg tonight.  We were excited Bennett got to play.  He started the “b” game, they lost by 2 points.  Bennett made 5 points.  He made 3 of 4 free throws!  The “A” game, he played some of it  (was glad he didn’t have to sit out since he missed two games)  and we won,  Bennett made a basket in this game.  He spent alot of time on the floor.    He did two belly flops and slid several feet and than another time he did his famous backward roll.  We thought he hurt his ankle on one of the falls but after he sat down for a minute, he said it was okay, Amen!

I think he fell 5 to 6 times in both games. Not sure if it was because he was tired or if the boys were just that aggresive.   He did say one Harrisburg player pushed him pretty hard into their bench.  I do like that he goes ahead and slides or rolls instead of trying to break your fall, that’s when you usually crack, break or twist something from trying to keep from falling.    We are thanking God that he hasn’t been injured and pray that continues!

Hamilton still feels a little nauseated and not eating well.  Sure hope he gets over this bug soon. 

Bennett missed driving in driver’s Ed last week but he goes tomorrow, still unfortunately at 6:00 a.m.  He missed 3 days of school last week so he is working on making up his homework.

We think about and pray for all the families that have lost their children to cancer or the side effects of the treatments.  We met true fighters, believers,  and kids that love life to it’s fullest.      Thinking of all our special ^Angels^!      May God continue to bless their families!

Bennett is gradually doing better.  He says he still feels tired and pretty fatigue after only doing something for a few moments.  He slept most of the day yesterday.   Him and Hamilton had to go outside and play in the snow for a few moments.   Hamilton got sick again about midnight last night again.  It lasted till about 2 or 3 a.m. and he was able to go back to sleep last night.  I thought that weird that he was feeling much better yesterday and than it came back today.  I woke up with it yesterday morning and stayed in bed all day. Lindy did too.    Sid has been tired and not feeling well so looks like we all have had it one form or another.  Just hope we can get rid of it for good.  It’s a real nasty bug.    

We are anticipating everyone will feel well tomorrow and can go back to school.  It’s been a long week and weekend for Bennett being under the weather for so long and it’s a miserable flu.

We pray that everyone stays healthy and survives this winter!

Bennett’s ANC today is  768   from 1,365 six days ago.   A pretty big drop in just a few days but a pretty good ANC considering his flu.  His WBC is 1.6 from 2.1 and neutrophils are 48 from 66.  His hemoglobin is good at 12.3 and platelets at 142.   His metabolic panel was good except for his liver levels. Still high at 116 and 283.  His oncology Dr. wanted his counts checked because of his stomach flu sickness.   She wants to hold any chemo pills until he starts feeling better, no nausea or diarrhea for 48 hours than,  he can start back taking them.

He didn’t feel very good this morning. He slept most of the day. He is eating better which is good news.    He has been awake this evening visiting with Lindy. 

The freshman basketball team won the championship last night against Harrisburg by about 15 points.  Bennett has practice tomorrow but not sure he needs to go since his hasn’t built up his strength yet.  We pray by Monday, he is back to normal.

Hamilton woke up at 4:00 a.m. throwing up. He was sick for a couple hours and he didn’t like it at all.  He hated the feeling of throwing up.  He started feeling better after lunch and by this evening, he is doing really good.  I am so glad he can bounce back to quick and which I could say the same for Bennett.  Sid is feeling a little quizzy this evening.  Sometimes you can spray Lysol and clean and it doesn’t seem to keep from passing it around.  

It started snowing about 6:30 tonight, it’s finally covering the ground.  It’s really a beautiful sight!  Hope everyone is careful driving in this.

Hope you all have a blessed weekend.

Bennett is just a little better.  He is not throwing up anymore but is very tired and weak.  He finally ate a little today, eating a sandwich for lunch.  Our main goal today was drinking and he really pushed himself and drank alot for me.   Today, he at least had the T.V. on some in between naps compared to yesterday when he didn’t even move all day and wouldn’t hardly talk.  I wanted him to take a shower since had hadn’t in two days but he didn’t feel up to it.  He finally pushed himself and took a bath.  His stomach still feels quizzy and upset so I have been giving him anti-nausea medicine still.

We’re disappointed that he is sick and couldn’t go to his basketball game tonight.  The boys won last night so they are playinig the championship game.  This is the 2nd tournament he has missed.   He was supposed to drive in the morning but I don’t think he can make it.  He doesn’t have enough energy to go to school.  Since he a little better and he is drinking, he is going to take his chemo pills this evening.     We pray that he can bounce back from this very soon.   Thank you for your prayers.

Bennett is not feeling any better.  He threw up most of the night.  He has had chills off and on.  He thought he might of had a fever but when I took it this morning it was normal.    He did not go to school.  He was going to try to go later in the morning if possible so he could play tonight at his freshman basketball tourney but there was no way.

 He hasn’t ate anything all day. He has tried to drink but doesn’t feel up to it.  He has laid in bed all day and night.  The school said that many students are out because of the stomach flu and they have been out for 3 to 4 days at a time.  We pray that this doesn’t get Bennett too down and he feels better in the morning.

I called the Dr. on call to ask about his taking his chemo pills tonight and they said not too. Also, said if he can’t keep fluids down or isn’t drinking enough than he will need to be seen to receive iv fluids.  Bennett did wake up and drank a little before bed.  I am also giving him anti-nauseated medicine around the clock to help try to prevent him losing too many fluids.  We will see how he is tomorrow and call his Dr. if no improvements and ask about dehydration.

It’s hard not to get angry or disappointed that Bennett is sick again.  It seems he gets maybe one or two good weeks and than it’s back to him not feeling well or having some type of issue.  I hope this is only temporary and he can get back on his feet soon.

“My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19  

Bennett has the stomach flu.  We pray that it’s only a 12 hour bug and doesn’t last long.  He just started feeling bad at Lindy’s game tonight.  He started with a headache and I gave him tylenol.  Than his stomach started hurting and  by the time we got home, he was sick to his stomach.  He also had the chills.   I gave him some anti-nauseated medicine at the game and some pepto bismol at home.     I heard several people has had the flu so that’s what it probably is.

He had practice after school and than we went to Hamilton’s in-house game which they won.  Lindy’s team lost at West Frankfort.  We hope that Bennett feels better tomorrow so he can go to school and play in the game tomorrow night in the Hamilton Co. tourney. He and another player tied for high scorer of the game with 7.  He actually made a 3 pointer that I counted as 2.  In the newspaper, his coach was quoted saying that, “Page and Powell came in and hit some big shots for us.”

He took his weekly methotrexate pills this morning.  The Dr. didn’t want to change his dose even though his counts were good so he took 6 pills.  He didn’t take his 3 pills of 6mp because of being so nauseated tonight.

I asked the nurse about his globulin being so low and she said there is nothing that they really do or can do to help it.  We had hoped the infusion of the immune globulin would have increased his numbers but it actually went even lower.  We’ll check counts again in two weeks before his next chemo appt. in St. Louis.

“Casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7