Bennett was tired today after school. The home health nurse came and checked vitals, completed the zofran and chemo Arac. His blood pressure is still running high, it was 130/80. His primary nurse in St Louis said it was ok that it is little high as long as the lower number doesn’t stay over 90. He had a headache too but quickly got over that as he has plans tonight to go to a haunted house.

Today was the last day of receiving chemo for the week so the home health nurse de-accessed his port! Yeah! It’s always good for him to be free of the extra baggage hanging around on his chest! We start all over next Tuesday with chemo treatment through his port for four days.

St Louis confirmed his blood counts today and his ANC is 2,331! Yeah! This is Awesome! As long as Bennett continues to feel well, his ANC isn’t stopping him from being around people and doing things!

When he did this same treatment in April at this time in the phase, his ANC was 765. One thing that I think is helping is his ANC has been staying around 1,500 for the last month. When he was getting these same chemo drugs before it was below 300 at times. So he has started out stronger and with a higher ANC.

The issue with this chemo Arac (that he got 4 times this week and next) is that the side effect of nausea and low white blood count can be delayed up to 2 to 4 weeks. So it seems he made it safely this week without any major problems but the true test will be in a month to see if the delayed side effects kick in.

We are happy and blessed that he made it to school this week and is hanging out with friends tonight! WOW!

“We can make plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday. He went to school missing 1st hour. He likes me to stop and get him breakfast and he takes his time eating so his stomach doesn’t get upset. He gets ready and we take Hamilton to school and than he goes to the bank with me and eats his breakfast until 2nd hour begins.

He felt pretty good all day. He took a nap after the nurse came. He received his zofran and chemo Arac. She took a blood draw for CBC test. I received pre-liminary results back from his CBC test and they look good. His ANC is around 2,331, I believe. I’ll hear from SLCH tomorrow and know for sure since it was so late this afternoon.

He went to the freshmen football game this evening with Sid and Hamilton. I was glad he felt like going.

The little hair he has is now falling out. He was disappointed. It was starting to grow out where you could see it by his ears and neck line when he wore a hat. It was thin but at least it was some hair. He is very cautious of how he looks. I recall the first time we went to church after he was diagnosed, he was embarrassed about wearing a hat, I told him and so did Pastor Dave that God doesn’t care what you wear. He also wears a hat to school. They made an exception for him because it’s against school policy. He is the only one wearing a hat but he likes this better. I was disappointed for him because he was getting accustomed to a few strands of hair and everyone around him has hair. At first, I was mad/upset because he was but suddenly realized, who cares, it’s hair! We should be blessed and thankful for what we do have. I know Bennett understands this. There are other cancer patients that we know and pray for that have more serious problems than this.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Thessalonians 5:18

Thank you to everyone that has commented on Bennett’s website! I check and read them once or twice a day. It really helps me to know that friends/family are really out there and we sure do appreciate the encouraging words. I really have used this website as my journal by keeping up with his counts and what was going on a particular day.

Yesterday he weighed 117.6. I was surprised he didn’t weigh more since he has been eating frequently for the last week and really only gained a pound from 2 weeks ago. His cheeks are puffy and his face is fuller than normal.

Bennett went to school today, I have left it up to him if he feels like going. He didn’t feel like going to his 1st hour P.E. class though. He wouldn’t be able to participate since his port is accessed so he took the extra time and enjoyed two breakfast sandwiches and tater tots before going to school. His port being accessed means that a needle is sticking into the port through his skin and has IV tubing hanging from it with a cap on the end. You have to be very careful with it and also keep it covered so infection doesn’t set in.

The home health nurse came to our house around 4:00 and checked his vital signs. His blood pressure has been running a little high. She gave him zofran and the chemo AraC. She will be back tomorrow to do the same thing plus take a blood draw for a CBC test.

“He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” Psalm 95:7

Whew! What a long frustrating day. We left home at 6:45, Bennett’s appt was at 9:00 a.m. We waited for the Dr. for 4 hours before they did the spinal tap, actually another hemoc Dr. did the surgery so Bennett didn’t have to continue to wait to eat. He was starved and starting to get aggravated with the situation.

The good news is that spinal tap went smooth and really quick for him. He slept for about an hour while I walked to get us lunch.

They had started the fluids before the spinal tap so he didn’t have to wait to long to begin the CPM chemo by IV drip. He also got the Arac chemo by IV push. They let us leave at 4:00 which he should of had 2 more hours of fluids from receiving the CPM but they asked Bennett if he could drink about 14 o.z. in the next two hours with no problem. I was glad he was able to drink and wasn’t sick to his stomach or we would of been sticking around couple more hours.

He didn’t receive the breathing treatment of pentamidine today because there is a national shortage of this drug. The Dr. prescribed another medicine that he has to take by liquid called Mepron every day so we had to pick up that from the pharmacy.

We stopped by to see our friend Ryan and his Mom. Yes, he is still in the hospital, this is his 5th week. Needless to say, your prayers are appreciated.

We left just in time to get caught by traffic and made it home around 7:00 p.m. Bennett is feeling pretty good. He will be taking an anti-nausea medicine – zofran every 6 hours besides the TG chemo pill and now the liquid Mepron daily.

Home health will come tomorrow after school to administer the chemo AraC and zofran. The orders didn’t get in time for the drug supplier to delivery the chemo and zofran to us at the hospital that he will take at home for the next 3 days. On the way home I tried to figure out how we were going to get these supplies so they are delivering them to me at the bank tomorrow morning. I have had Bennett’s Christmas presents delivered to the bank before, just seems a little strange to have his chemo delivered.

Thank you for your prayers and support – Bennett is hanging tough!

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 118:8

This is Bennett’s chemotherapy treatment plan that he has left to complete in this 4th phase called Delayed Intensification I between 10-9 through 10-30. He has seven phases total to complete with the last phase of treatment repeated until July 3, 2010.

The last time he had these similar chemo drugs was in April. By the end of April, he was very sick and dehydrated which delayed his next treatment phase for 3 weeks because his ANC kept dropping to an all time low of 96. He was hospitalized on May 1st from dehydration from this phase before. He felt worse and sicker through this than he did while he was in the hospital for the high dose of methotrexate.

I pray that he will be able to tolerate these chemo drugs better this time. Hopefully he will not be bed ridden or as sick to his stomach.

10-09-07 Cyclophosphamide, AraC, TG, Spinal tap with intrathecal methotrexate

10-10-07 AraC – (IV push by home heath), TG – (pill)

10-11-07 AraC, TG

10-12-07 AraC, TG

10-13-07 TG

10-14-07 TG

10-15-07 TG

10-16-07 AraC, TG, Spinal tap with intrathecal methotrexate

10-17-07 AraC, TG

10-18-07 AraC, TG

10-19-07 AraC, TG

10-20-07 TG

10-21-07 TG

10-22-07 TG

10-23-07 Vincristine – (IV push), PEG – (3 shots in legs)

10-30-07 Vincristine – (IV push)

“I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 9:1

Bennett’s blood test came back good. Hemoglobin and platelets came back low but not low enough for a blood transfusion. His creatinine level is still higher than normal at .9. His ANC is 1,478.

He will have a long day tomorrow at his Dr. appt. He has to have a spinal tap with chemo injected into the spine so he will be sedated for this so no food/drink after midnight tonight. He will receive an IV drip of Cyclophoshamide (CPM) and an IV push of Cytarabine (AraC) The CPM will take most of the day as they will give him IV fluids until his urine output is at a certain level and they will check his urine output after receiving the chemo too. This is to insure that the CPM chemo doesn’t cause bleeding in the bladder. He also begins taking a chemo pill by mouth for the next two weeks called Thioguanine (TG). He also will have to have a breathing treatment of pentamidine to prevent pneumonia.

Bennett will come home with his port accessed so the home health nurse can come to our house and administer the chemo AraC for the next three days.

These drugs have more common side effects, such as:

low white blood count, low platelet count, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, darkening of the skin, flu like symptoms (fever, headache, achiness, fatigue). There are also other severe side effects that are less common.

“God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” 1 John 3:20

Bennett has had a pretty good weekend.  He has felt about the same. His energy level is about the same. He takes naps and rests frequently.  He isn’t really doing anything too physical that will wear him out.  He has been eating more. The steroids he  was on has increased his appetite.  He  eats small quantities but eats about every 2 hours if he can.

He goes in the morning for a blood test to check his levels and ANC.  His ANC has to be 750 or higher for him to receive treatment on Tuesday and we expect it should be.

Bennett is half way through the 4th phase called Delayed Intensification I. He has 4 more weeks left of this phase which on Tuesday begins a more intense chemotherapy.

“He will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths. Micah 4:2

Bennett is feeling fair. Last night and this morning, his wrist and legs have been bothering him. He said it really hurt for several minutes. For the last 3 weeks, he has had the same chemotherapy that he had in March. In March he took pain medicine for joint and nerve pain. The Dr. didn’t mention him taking it this time and he hasn’t really needed any until this morning.

Congratulations to the Jr. High Rangers for placing 2nd in the State tourney today. Thank you to our special friends that helped Bennett feel like a part of the team! It has been an emotional roller coaster ride for us that Bennett didn’t play school baseball this year especially since he has felt well enough to go to school. He has handled it well considering. Here is a couple pics from today.

Bennett is feeling fair. It seems that he has been more tired recently. He hasn’t really felt like playing with Hamilton like he normally does – they usually play football and basketball together and play pretty rough.

He has been waking up in the middle of the night and his stomach is bothering him. Mostly hungry so he has a snack and goes back to bed.  This is probably from the steroids that he took which increases your appetite.

He has been participating in P.E. class for the last couple of weeks. I am not sure how long that is going last with his increased weakness/tiredness.

Good Luck to the Jr. High Rangers playing for the championship at state tomorrow afternoon!

Another day at school for Bennett, it is starting to become a habit. We are enjoying this routine. He was pretty tired today after school and has spent most of the afternoon and night in bed. Yesterday after church was pretty much the same, he watched TV most of the afternoon and night in bed.

Bennett was able to start school on September 13th after the retention to 7th grade was finalized since than he has only missed a few days of school to go to St Louis for chemotherapy. We are so happy that he has felt good enough to go each day to school. He hasn’t missed school yet because of not feeling well.

Tonight is his last dosage of steroids, Yes! Bennett’s stomach has been bothering him some and he just doesn’t like the way he feels while taking steroids. He will have to take them again in January when he repeats this same treatment phase.

He does not have a chemotherapy appointment this week so we expect he should be able to go to school all week. Yeah! He is free from any pills or chemo until Tuesday! Hopefully this will help increase his energy level.

No strength of our own, nor goodness we claim; Our trust is all thrown on Jesus’ name: In this our strong tower for safety we hide; The Lord is our power, “The Lord will provide.” –Newton