Bennett has a rash on his arms. It started yesterday but got better through out the day. Today it has returned and it’s on both fore arms. He asked the trainer at basketball practice and she wrapped it, in case it was infectious. We started putting hydrocortisone cream on it this evening. We pray it goes away and is nothing.

The only thing we could think it was is from him putting artificial grass on his goose blind and the boat. Possibly from rubbing against that most of the day.

Otherwise all is good.

“To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” John 1:12

Bennett’s ANC is 2,644 from 3,744 two weeks ago. His WBC is 3.6 from 5.2 and neutrophils stayed the same at 74. We expected his ANC to be lower because of the increase of chemo pills he is taking. His hemoglobin was 12.4 from 13.0 and platelets were 210 from 211 so all these are great. His liver levels were little high at 64 and 148. The total bilirubin went down to .90 from 1.10 which is good too. We are thankful everything is good!

We are so amazed that he has kept from getting sick, what a blessing! It’s such a relief but we never relax or rest because we know any day our life can change. I wished I could put this all in God’s hands and never worry but it’s too difficult. I pray God gives us all peace and trust to enjoy each day.

He told me the other day that this Thanksgiving was the best ever and he slept most of the day so he didn’t do anything majorly exciting. I think he is just so thankful for who/what he has in his life and he is really happy. (which hasn’t been the case in the last three years even when he said he was).

Bennett’s first basketball game is Tuesday night at home. We’re really looking forward to it, we pray for no injuries. He really has been keeping up with the other players during practice. Also his favorite thing is not running but he keeps up with everyone else and does everything just like the other players. That is so amazing to me that he can endure this all while on chemo. He really is an inspiration to many.

Thank you for checking in and hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving weekend!

Bennett is doing good. His ankle is not bothering him like it did the other day. His bones in his legs are really sore, we think from falling on the basketball court Friday night during the freshman practice scrimmage. He thought he twisted his leg but he is not really sure. He said he fell pretty hard. He wants his body to work with him and not against him so we pray that he stays accident free.

He had a busy day with basketball practice this morning and than him and Sid finished up the duck blind on the boat. He also worked on his goose blind and preparing it for goose hunting. Since it has been so warm, the duck and geese are not moving or staying here yet.

Bennett, Lindy and I watched together tonight the movie, My Sister’s Keeper. I hadn’t seen it yet and had really mixed feelings of Bennett and I watching it. It’s about a girl dying with leukemia and her sister had several medical procedures to extend her life. It was very sad and brought back to many memories of our friends on 9west that went through the final stages of their life in the hospital and are one of God’s angels. The movie represented many emotions and experiences we have gone through.

We will go to the hospital and check his counts tomorrow and we pray that they are all good.

May God continue to bless Bennett and keeping him in remission forever!

God has blessed us with so many things that we are so grateful and thankful for! May you and your family/friends take this day to reflect on the good positive things in your life and bless God for them!

Bennett is doing pretty good. He had practice last night and than again at 6 a.m this morning. Last night, his right ankle was really bothering him. It was swollen and really hurt. He was pretty frustrated about it. He hopes to play the whole basketball season and than baseball in the spring. There is no really way to heal his ankles or his bones. It is a side effect from the steroids he takes in his treatment plan.

He takes calcium to hopefully strengthen his bones. He also wears ankle braces to practice to help give him support. He said this morning, he wore last years shoes and they seemed to help. The trainer indicated that the soreness from the bone on top of his foot is probably caused from him having flat feet.

We pray that his ankles and bones get stronger and doesn’t cause him any pain or lack of ball playing time. His first game is next Tuesday.

His cough also returned last night and I gave him cough medicine again and it’s better today.

We went tonight to the movies to see Old Dogs with John Travolta and Robin Williams, we all really liked it!

We will go to Newton, IL tomorrow to have Thanksgiving at Sid’s Aunt’s house and Sidney and Jane will be going with us. We are so blessed and thankful!

What a beautiful weekend! The sun was shining and it was really warm. Maybe too warm to deer hunt. Bennett was the only one that got a deer; a young four point buck. Him and Lindy went Sunday morning together and saw several but never got a good shot that day. Hamilton took me Friday night and we didn’t see anything. Sid never got a good shot and really didn’t see very many.

We had a great weekend camping out. It’s just a lot of work taking everything you need and keeping everyone fed.

Bennett’s favorite part is looking at all the stars at night. We don’t see many stars at home because there is too many lights from town. We had fun going four wheeler riding and looking for coyotes that were howling.

Bennett went to bed yesterday afternoon about 4:00 p.m. and never got up until this morning. I’m glad he was able to sleep because for the last three days he was up by 4:30 a.m.

Everything is going good and we are counting all of our blessings!

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

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Bennett is doing good. Actually he is doing Great! He took his Drivers Ed state test today and didn’t miss any! He even got every sign right, those are hard. I can’t believe it! Lindy came over last night and helped him study. He is really looking forward to getting his permit and than his license. He has to drive with the permit for 9 months (new state law) so he won’t get his license until August. Bummer, he turns 16 in February.

His appetite is picking up a little. I think he goes in stages depending on where he is at in taking his steroids pills. By next week, he will be eating all the time which makes up for the times he doesn’t eat. He weighed 139 at the Dr. which is normal.

Yesterday he had basketball practice at 6 a.m. before school and after school they lifted weights. I was really surprised he wasn’t totally worn out last night. Practice again tonight too. Bennett taped his foot, the bone on the top of his foot is hurting. We thought at first it hurt from wearing boots all day to school. Hopefully it will go away.

He is looking forward to deer hunting. We will camp at my Mom and Dad’s in our camper. It really works out well, we ride the four wheelers to our deer stands and than come back to camp to eat and sleep. We all really enjoy the outdoor beauty and being together. We pray for safe hunting.

Bennett’s cough seems to be almost gone. Amen! Hopefully it will stay away this time. We will continue the claritin pills daily and see if that doesn’t help keep it away. He still is using his inhalers and nasal spray too.

Both boys got the H1N1 vaccine shot yesterday at a clinic near by. We are so thankful that it finally made it to our area. St. Children’s Hospital is really encouraging their patients and family members to get it plus the regular flu vaccine. The clinic wouldn’t let Sid and I get it yet because we are not in the high risk category. I would think a care giver would be considered.

They thought they would have enough vaccines to offer another clinic later for everyone. It takes about a week to take effect, we sure do pray that this helps the boys from getting the flu. So far we have been so blessed with good health! We thank God daily!

Bennett’s Dr. appt in St. Louis today went well. We left at 6:15 a.m. and got home around 4:30 with just enough time to stop to get a bite to eat. He slept all the way there and slept most of the time we were there and slept all the way home. It was great sleeping weather, raining and cloudy all day.

He is given benedryl and tylenol before he receives the immune globulin infusion just to prevent side effects or a re-action but it makes him extremely tired.

He took a shower when we got home just to wake up because he has basketball from 6 to 8 tonight and than again in the morning at 6 a.m. .

He also had an iv push of the chemo vincristine and started taking 7 steroid pills daily for the next 5 days. He also had the breathing treatment to prevent pneumonia.

The Dr increased the chemo 6mp pills that he takes nightly to 100% of his treatment plan so he’ll take 18 pills weekly from the 13 pills. He also takes the chemo methotrexate weekly on Tuesday and she kept that still on 75% of his plan which is 9 pills. If his counts still stay higher than she likes than she will increase this next time. This helps me keep track of what is going on so sorry for the boring “number information.”

We were talking to one of the Dr.’s today and she couldn’t believe that we only have 9 months left of treatment! She says it becomes such a part of your life that it will be different when we’re done, I’m going to hold her to that!!! LOL

She did say that we will have to continue to come back on a monthly basis for six months after treatment for just a check up and than the appts will continue to spread further apart. We pray that Bennett continues to do well and we can stay on this same course!

We’re thankful for Bennett’s good health, his smiling face, and his love for life!

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Bennett’s ANC today is 3,744! Wow! From 3,920 two weeks ago which we figured than that it was elevated from the steroids. His WBC is 5.2 and neutrophils at 72. Kool!

His hemoglobin was the highest it’s been in a long time at 13.0 from 12.3 and platelets went up to 211 from 159 which both are in normal range! This is great news because his bone marrow is making new good cells. We will find out from the Dr. if she will want to increase his chemo since he is only on 75% of the treatment plan and his counts are normal.

Also, his liver and kidney levels are better. One level is better but than the total bilirubin is 1.10 which it was 1.20 last time.

Bennett has been extremely tired. He had basketball practice this morning at 8 till 10, after we went by the hospital, he came home and went to bed and slept until it was time to get ready for the dance tonight. He hasn’t ate hardly anything all day, hopefully he is saving his appetite for dinner tonight with his date and friends before the dance.

This is the happiest Bennett has been in a long time, he really is enjoying school, basketball, and life. It is such a relief for us to have our “old” son back. Things are still different and people and times have changed but we are so thankful for all of God’s blessings and the good times Bennett is able to enjoy now!