Bennett had a blood test first thing this morning. His ANC is 4,320.  I thought this was great until Bennett reminded me that with him taking steroids that it elevates your white blood count so it’s not really accurate. Not sure why we had it done than, I will ask tomorrow at his appt. All other counts were good.

This is the last day he has to take steroids until one week from now. The steroids makes him a little more hungry and thirsty. Sometimes Bennett has a little trouble sleeping and this is a side effect too.

He went to school and had a good day.  He went to the Jr. High baseball game and the sophomore football game this evening.

He has a clinic appt tomorrow to receive chemotherapy.

“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

Bennett had a great weekend. He is feeling really good. He has been going all day without having to rest.  This is an accomplishment and a lot more fun for him. 

Saturday, he hung out with his friends in the afternoon and than stayed home that night watching TV.  He did some homework over the weekend. 

He had a busy day today going to the Rams football game and the Cardinal/Cub game. We appreciate the tickets from our friends! We walked several blocks from the football game at the Edward Jones Dome to our seats in the stadium. Bennett had no problem keeping up but I did!  The weather was beautiful!

He goes in the morning for a blood test at our local hospital.

Everything went good today with Bennett’s appt.  We had to wait a little while and did some social studies while waiting. He puts emla  cream on his legs where he is going to get the shots on his legs. He put two of them two low on his legs, they want to give the shots on the upper thigh where the muscle is. He could of  put more emla cream on and than waited 30 minutes to one hour. The emla cream numbs the skin so the needle doesn’t hurt as bad. Bennett decided he was not going to wait as he wanted to get back home for the Jr High baseball game so he took the shots without numbing the skin.  He has said before that it’s not really the needle, it is more the burn from the drug going into the muscle. We had to wait an hour afterwards to make sure he did not have any type of re-action. The PEG Asparaginase chemotherapy is given in the leg muscle because it won’t cause as many side effects if given this way.

He made it to Marion for the start of the Jr. High game to cheer the team on to victory in overtime.  He went to the mall afterwards.

He goes Monday morning for a blood test at local hospital. I’m anxious to find out if his ANC has dropped from the chemo this week.

“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32 

Bennett had an awesome day at school. I think that was the word he used to describe his day to me. He really enjoyed being at school with his friends. He really has missed the social part of being in school.

He was pleased with his classes and teachers. He has some making up to do with missing school work for the last 3 weeks. This is the first time he has been in school since he was diagnosed in February.

He had a busy day, went to school all day and than went to the Jr. High baseball game in Carbondale and than went to the home freshman football game.

We did a few pages of homework and we both were exhausted and ready for bed.

He has an appointment tomorrow in St Louis for chemotherapy which is 3 shots in his legs. The shots really hurt, the medicine going into his muscle hurts more than the actual needle.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Bennett slept in today; probably the last time for awhile! School days begin tomorrow! The school has been very helpful and with patience a decision has come to an end. Bennett will start 7th grade tomorrow and will attend classes. He will go to school as much as he can. It will depend on his ANC and of how he is feeling of course. I don’t expect that the chemotherapy that he gets in the next couple of weeks will lower his ANC too much nor should it cause too much nausea. Possibly next month or so that his ANC will drop and he may see some times where he doesn’t feel as well. This is all a guess as I am going by the last time he had these similiar drugs. We are grateful if he can enjoy some normal kid activity for a few days!

I do know that Bennett is pretty determined and he has been pushing himself. He has really looked at the positive things out of his life and is enjoying each day to the best he can.

I have noticed a confidence that Bennett has had for the last several weeks and I think that will only continue through his school work this year.

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven… a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted… a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

Bennett saw the Dr. and she thought he looked Great!  He has one mouth sore left and he weighed 116. This is the same weight he weighed two weeks ago.  The nurse drew his blood and his ANC is 2,065. All other counts were good except protein is low.  Bennett said he was going to have eggs for breakfast.

Bennett  had the spinal tap surgery around 11:00. He was given sedation medicine and he complained during the procedure that it really hurt so the Dr. gave him some more sedation. The spinal tap is where the Dr. puts a needle in his lower spine and releases his spinal fluid into a vial. The Dr. gave him a chemotherapy shot into his spine. He went to sleep and slept until 2:00.  The extra sedation medicine really knocked him out. He got two chemo drugs: an iv push of vincristine and an iv drip of doxorubicin that  runs for about 30 minutes.

Once he woke up he ate some soup and a turkey sandwich. He had to have his monthly breathing treatment of pentamadine which prevents him from getting pneumonia.

He starts taking dexamethasone which is a steriod for one week.  Bennett is dreading this. Steriods makes him hungry all the time and makes his face really puffy.

We went and visited with our friends, Michele and Ryan that are back in the hospital.  Please pray for his recovery. He has been running a high temp and has an infection.

Bennett is feeling good. He talked and sang all the way home.

His next appt is Friday and he has to have a chemo called PEG Asparaginase which is given by 3 shots in his legs.

“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5

Bennett is feeling good today. He is looking forward to going to the Jr. High baseball game and sophomore football game this evening to see his friends.

We have been working with Bennett’s school and have decided for him to repeat 7th grade this year. He missed 4 months last year and will miss off/on most of this year.  It will be too difficult for him to keep up since he has always struggled with school work.    We are waiting to hear from the school if they are going to approve the retainment. If they do, he will start 7th grade this year. There was no reason for him to start 8th grade and turn around and do 7th grade work in a few weeks.  Bennett is excited about this. He sees this as an opportunity to help him. It gives him a chance to build on some Jr. High memories next year and get the foundation of 8th grade before starting high school.   I am so proud of Bennett for making this mature decision! 

He has an appt at St Louis in the morning for a spinal tap so no food/drink after midnight. He also starts phase 4 treatment.    

Bennett had a great weekend. He was able to enjoy a few days of an almost normal life. Tyler came over Friday night and spent the night. They played football; with Hamilton and Gehrig. Later in the evening a couple of girls came over to watch movies.

Saturday, they played more football in the rain and Bennett went to the mall with Tyler that evening.

Today we went to church and have been hanging out at home enjoying a quite Sunday afternoon.

Bennett has one mouth sore that is still bothering him. He has been feeling and eating good. We are very appreciative of these good days that he has been able to enjoy.

Thank you for the special comments, your support and love makes this mountain a little smaller to climb.

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” Corinthians 12:26

Bennett has completed 3 phases of his treatment plan!    Bennett starts the next phase of treatment on Tuesday, Sept. 11th. This phase is called Delayed Intensification I which lasts  57 days. This is the 4th phase and he has to complete 7 phases. The next 3 phases will be intense treatments similar to the first 2 phases he has completed. When he gets to the last phase, this will be the maintenance phase that he will keep repeating the protocol treatment plan until July 3, 2010.  The last phase (7th) called maintenance is less intense which will be mostly taking chemo pills and receiving chemo through the clinic monthly.

 Some of the chemotherapy drugs are the same and some are cousins of drugs he has had.  Also, he will be taking steriods at different times. The next 4 phases will be completed outpatient at St Louis Children’s Hospital Clinic on the 9th floor and some at home by home health nurses.   The phases or treatment sometimes can be delayed if his ANC is not at 750. 

These are his phases and the time frame:

4th phase =       Delayed Intensification I = 57 days starts 9-11-07

5th phase =       Interim Maintenance II = 56 days

6th phase =       Delayed Intensification II = 57 days

7th phase =       Maintenance = through July 3, 2010

In the 6th phase, Bennett will be receiving cranial radiation for 8 daily fractionations. If his treatment is not delayed, he will begin the maintenance phase on Feb. 24th, 2008.  This will be a day to celebrate!

He has completed a big hurdle by finishing the high dose methotrexate phase. The worst part that he hated was having to stay in the hospital so we are grateful that he shouldn’t have to be admitted to the hospital unless he has a fever or is dehydrated.

Thank you to everyone’s support and love!  Your encouragement and friendship has been a true blessing!  Bennett still has a long road ahead so your prayers are definitely needed.   May God bless you and your family!

Bennett is doing good. There is not really any new news. He feels pretty good other than his mouth sores. In time, they will keep getting better.

We have talked before in the past; that he can’t hardly do anything before I am reporting it on the website. I told him he is a celebrity and I’m the reporter. He can’t go anywhere or do anything without the whole world knowing, (LOL)

He has really been a good sport about all of of my updates and pictures I take of him especially since he is a teenage boy.

He jogged 2.5 miles today on the tread-mill! WOW! I was so proud of him.

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2