This song, “The Climb” is by Miley Cyrus. Bennett and I listened to it several times today. It’s beautiful!

Here is to one more mountain that Bennett is going to MOVE! Keeping the faith and keep on CLIMBING!

Here are the lyrics:

The Climb by Miley Cyrus

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there’s a voice inside my head saying
“You’ll never reach it”

Every step I’m taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I’m not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody’s gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It’s all about, it’s all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

Here is the site to the song and video:

http://www.last.fm/music/Miley+Cyrus/+videos/25998781

Bennett’s oncology Dr. decided to go ahead with the bone marrow biopsy today. She asked what we thought and we both said we want to get it over with since it’s a possibility. The unknown and waiting is very difficult. We will not find out the results until Friday.

The Dr. looked at his ankle and really didn’t have any answers. She did not see anything on the x-ray that was taken last week. She did agree that his ankle/foot bone is weak but she wasn’t surprised. She indicated as long as he is on steroids it will be like that and is very common for anyone taking steroids consistently. We have been fortunate that he hasn’t fractured or broken any bones.

His Dr. has scheduled a MRI for tomorrow at 2:00. We couldn’t get in today but really didn’t have time. We got to the Dr. office at noon and went down to the procedure center at 2:30 and left around 5:00. Dr. wants to make sure there is no lesions or fluid around the ankle. We won’t hear those results until Thursday.

His Dr. wants him to not do any physical activity on his ankle until it gets better. She believes it will make it worse to try to play any sports on it right now. Currently it has been too painful anyway. It does help for Bennett to keep it elevated or laying in bed.

Bennett weighed 134! Yeah! A 6 pound weight gain from 2 weeks ago!

He fell asleep on the way home and went straight to bed and slept for a couple hours by than it was bed time.

It’s difficult to not be upset or think the worse in cases like this. I ask God to give our family strength, patience and faith. We are keeping positive thoughts and are looking to all the good things each day.

Bennett did share with me that last night he was pretty sad, he’s upset about his current situation and also of his friend Ethan passing away. I ask you to pray for Bennett, May God keep him strong inside and out!

“For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, He also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For He does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.” Lamentations 3:31-33

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalm 27:1

Bennett’s ANC today dropped to 550 from 646. His WBC was 2.2 from 1.7 and neutrophils dropped to 25 from 38. His hemoglobin went up to 10.8 from 9.6 and platelets are great at 254 from 241! We are so thankful that his hemoglobin and platelets went up and are in good range. His liver levels were perfect.

We are concerned of why his ANC is dropping. I thought it had been 5 weeks or so since Bennett has been on chemo but after talking to his nurse today and reviewing my notes from this website, this is going on the fourth week.

I think it seems longer because he has had low counts and they have been jumping up and down for couple months. His Dr. just said a month or so ago that she was not concerned of traces of leukemia because his other counts were good, well, that has changed in the last several weeks. His platelets, hemoglobin and ANC have all dropped while not having any chemo to bring them down and no signs of infection. Because of this, his oncology Dr. may want to do a bone marrow biopsy tomorrow. I knew of this possibility last week but kept it to myself until we knew for sure.

He has an appt with her at noon and than his tentative bone marrow test is at 3:45. He will not be able to eat anything after 9:45 a.m. because he will have to be sedated for the test. His oncology Dr. will decide for sure about the bone marrow biopsy after she sees him. Also she wants to look at his ankle/foot plus discuss the x-ray of his ankle/foot from last Wednesday.

Bennett went to weight lifting this morning and really enjoyed it. His ankle is still bothering him and he took 2 pain pills throughout the day.

We ask for your prayers that if he has the bone marrow test that it comes back with no signs of leukemia! This is very important!

We pray God keeps Bennett in remission forever and heals his ankle pain!

We pray that God gives the Weiman family strength and peace at this difficult time.

“For I know the plans I have for you.” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Bennett has not been feeling well. He has been more tired than normal and his ankle is really bothering him.

He slept until noon on Saturday, he hasn’t done that in awhile. He was too tired to do much but by the evening he decided to go with Sid and Hamilton to the lake. Hamilton rode on the inter tube behind the boat. Bennett really wanted too but his counts are too low. The water is just way too dirty. He said he did stick his feet in for a few minutes. Hopefully in a few days we’ll have our pool open and he can swim in it.

Today, he went to Sunday School/church. We went to my niece’s to celebrate Father’s Day and Niki and Briely’s birthdays for lunch. As soon as we got home, Bennett went to bed and slept 4 hours sleeping the afternoon away.

His ankle has bothered him more today and he has taken pain pills throughout the day. It is still swollen on the inside and outside. If it’s not better by Tuesday, I’m assuming his oncology Dr. will want to see him, this is her scheduled day in the clinic.

We are praying for his counts to be better tomorrow and he can start back on his chemotherapy treatment. We pray whatever is going on with ankle that it is better soon.

“God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my hear by spreading the Good News about His Son.” Romans 1:9

In honor of our dearest friend Ethan we ask you to take a moment of silence. Today, our favorite cowboy who was four years old earned his angel wings and is running around heaven with lots of laughter and smiles. God has called one of his special children home.

Ethan was diagnosed with neuroblastoma two years ago and he fought everyday to keep going. We had many laughs and fun with this special boy! Please say an extra prayer for his family, they are amazing people that we are so blessed to have met.

Bennett’s ANC is 646 from 576 from four days ago. He had 1.7 WBC from 1.8 and neutrophils were 38 from 32. We were thankful that the ANC went up but hoped/prayed it would be higher. His ANC needs to be at least at 750 to start back on his chemo pills.

His hemoglobin went up to 9.6 from 8.7 which we would think it would be higher since he hasn’t had any chemo in about month to bring it down.

Hallejuah! His platelets jumped up to 241 form 143!! They are in normal range now which is Great!

We pray his another counts will continue to go up and that his liver levels are in a safe range. We check blood work again on Monday at our local hospital.

Bennett’s SED rate was normal at 7 which is good and the range is from 0 to 15.

Bennett’s has been doing good today. He went to Hamilton’s game and ended up umpiring the game, he also stayed for the second game and umpired it as well. He looked like he was walking on it pretty good tonight. When he came home, he was really swollen on the outside and inside of his foot. It really is bothering him and he took some pain medicine and tried putting some icy hot on it.

His oncology Dr. wasn’t able to look at the xrays yet. Hopefully by Monday she will. She may want to see him on Tuesday which is her regular office day if his ankle isn’t better.

Thank you for comments, love, and support. Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.

Bennett is feeling good other than his ankle. It is really sore and hurts the majority of the time. It’s swollen on the outside and inside of his foot. He took some pain medicine today but he said it didn’t help. I tried to get him to take more tonight and he said it doesn’t really do anything.

He went to the high school baseball game this afternoon. He was hoping his ankle would be better and he could try to play but it’s probably worse. He thought maybe he could just bat and have a pinch runner. He batted once and struck out. His ankle was hurting. He decided right than that he is going to have to stay completely off his ankle for awhile and see if that helps.

I overnight ed the x-ray of his foot/ankle to his oncology Dr. today. I hope she has a chance to review it tomorrow; we are anxious to see what she says. She said he could take the standard dose of calcium supplement which is twice a day with meals. We know these calcium pills won’t work wonders and cure his ankle instantly but hopefully will help for a longer period of time.

We go in the morning to check his counts and the SED blood test. We pray that they are better and he can start back on his chemotherapy treatment. It’s been hard to wait this week to see if his counts are going to improve or what is going on with them. Your prayers are appreciated and needed.

Bennett went to his pediatrician this morning and he ordered an xray. We went to a different facility to have that done and they put the xray slides on a CD for us to take back to the Dr. to review. There were no fractures or broken bones. Yeah! The biggest thing he saw was that Bennett’s ankle/foot showed signs of weak bones. Normally the xray will show a solid bone but his had lines all through it that made the Dr. believe his bones are very weak, he believes possibly from the steroids that Bennett takes monthly. I am to mail the CD of the x-rays to his oncology Dr. tomorrow so she can review and see what she thinks.

He recommended for Bennett to start take a calcium supplement and St. Louis agreed that was fine. He also has asked for an additional blood test called SED rate when we go Friday for his CBC blood test. Sed rate, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), is a blood test that can reveal inflammatory activity in your body.

Bennett is very disappointed that he didn’t get to go to basketball camp today. He is upset that his ankle is bothering him, he is more upset that it might be the cause of his medicine that he must have.

He manages to walk on it but at times it does really hurt. It hurts when you just touch it lightly.

He went to the Miner’s baseball game tonight with a friend. It was rained out about middle of the game. His ankle was swollen more when he got home and really bothered him. His pediatrician indicated that he didn’t have to stay off of it and he could do as much activity that he could handle.

“So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you.” 1 Peter 4:19

Bennett is doing fair. He was extremely tired this morning, he reminded me that he had a very long day, 16 hours to be exact. His foot/ankle is very sore. He has a small bruise around it and it is swollen. He stayed home all day so he could ice it and keep it elevated.

He wanted to go to basketball camp this morning but was too tired and than there is no way he could run. He says it hurts to walk on it.

This is his right foot/ankle and ALL the trouble he had last year (with the bone biospy and MRI’s) were on the left. He doesn’t recall doing anything to it. He was wearing his ankle braces too. He said it hurt after he played in left field last night. He said it was really sore when he ran out to center field and batted the second time but just had to play. He could of played the 9th inning too but he asked the coach to take him out because it hurt too bad.

He went to Hamilton’s game tonight and was asked to umpire so he did. He tried not to walk on it as little as possible.

I called St. Louis today and they want him to see his local pediatrician just to make sure it’s not sprained or check to see if he injured it some how.

Bennett isn’t really acting like it but just from a few comments I know he is disappointed. He was SO ready to begin playing ball and having FUN!

We pray that is counts are good on Friday and that his ankle heals very soon.

Sometimes it would be easier to just put Bennett in a big bubble and not let him out but he would be miserable. He loves to play sports, it’s him and makes him happy. It’s unfortunate for him he consistently has set backs. May God hear our prayers and answer them.

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

[caption id="attachment_2490" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Bennett batting"][/caption][caption id="attachment_2494" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Bennett out of the dugout"][/caption][caption id="attachment_2496" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Bennett talking to A-Rob in the dugout"][/caption][caption id="attachment_2498" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Gpa & Gma Johnston"][/caption][caption id="attachment_2500" align="alignnone" width="640" caption="Bennett & Hamilton"][/caption]