Everything was very nice at the IL taxidermy conference and banquet. Bennett really enjoyed watching his moose mount being put together. The mount has to dry and he will have it delivered in about 3 to 4 weeks. They had a show room of about 100 animals that taxidermies in IL bring them for a display and than they are judged. There was about 75 awards that they presented Sat. night at the banquet.

Bennett did great on his speech. He put his arms on the podem and just looked right at home. He talked about 5 to 10 minutes about his hunt. He made the crowd laugh about 3 times about his story. The main taxidermst that did Bennett’s mount is from McLeansboro and he won the “Best in Show” which is the top honor which made it exciting!

We’re very thankful for IL taxidermy Association for mounting Bennett’s moose, we met some very nice people!

Bennett’s ANC is 1387 from 816 a week ago. His WBC went up to 1.9 from 1.2! Amen! And neutrophils are 73 from 68. His hemoglobin is 10.2 from 9.6! And platelets are great at 128 from 39. So thankful are prayers were answered! He has been feeling fair, some days better than others.

Today he has felt well and played his first highschool game! He played 2nd base the entire game. He batted three times. 1st time, had a hard hit to the pitcher foot and it bounced off into the 1st base line so he got out. 2nd time, he had a good hit to center field but was caught. The 3rd time, he walked with a full count. He made it home and scored 1 of the 4 runs for the team. They lost 4 to 7 against Mt. Vernon. As Bennett tagged home, he stubbled over home plate and fell, was glad he didn’t twist his ankle.

We’re thankful and counting are blessings!!

Moose Mount before the hide was put on and they have nailed in the horns.

Bennett’s game today was canceled so him and Sid left for Springfield so they could watch them make Bennett’s moose mount.  It was really neat and Bennett was really excited to be a part of it.  He met several people today from the IL taxidermy association that is putting on the conference and banquet.  Sid and Bennett drove down to O’Fallon to watch Hamilton’s 8:30 p.m. game tonight and we won!!!  10 to 2!  The boys played really well.  It was 47 degrees but if felt like it was about 27.  A Little late getting back home around midnight but Sid, Bennett, & Hamilton went back up to Springfield.  I will leave in the morning to be with them bringing my Mom and Dad and Lindy with me for us to attend the banquet and presentation of the moose mount to Bennett tomorrow night.  We pray for safe travels.

Bennett is feeling Good!  We’re so thankful especially with his counts low.  He doesn’t have any new bruises so hopefully his platelets are up.  He does look a little pale so it’s possible his hemoglobin is low  We pray that he doesn’t get sick with his ANC low. Hopefully the winter cold and flu season is about over.  We hope to be back Sunday to check counts if not, we’ll go Monday.

Hamilton does still his cough. I took him to the Dr yesterday and his sinuses were a little infected but his lungs sounded good.  She prescribed his zithromycin (zpack) since he has had the cough for 2 weeks and has taken almost a whole bottle of delsym cough medicine.   The cold wet weather during his baseball games this weekend isn’t going to help.

Bennett had practice yesterday but tonight’s was canceled.  We are expecting his game for tomorrow afternoon to be canceled because of all the rain we got today and everything flooded.  Bennett is looking forward to going to Springfield to the conference/banquet held by the IL taxidermy association.  He will be able to see his mount made from the beginning.  Saturday night, they will have a dinner and present him with the moose mount.  He will have to address the crowd with a speech about his illness and his Hunt of a Lifetime experience.  We pray he will be confident and not nervous.

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13

Well shoot, Bennett game was canceled tonight, we are assuming from it being too wet from all the rain Sunday and Monday.  We were disappointed, we were looking forward to it.  His next game is Friday at home.  He was leaving Friday morning to go to Springfield for his preperation of his moose mount but now him and Sid are going to leave after his or Hamilton’s game so he doesn’t miss his game.    

On Saturday night, is the IL taxidermy banquet where they will tell about Bennett’s story and present him with his moose mount from his Hunt of A Lifetime moose hunt in Alaska.  And we all will be attending this.  Bennett should be able to see some of how they prepare and put together the mount from just his cape and horns.  We have been waiting for this final touch to his hunting experience.

I talked to his nurse in St. Louis today and his Dr. does want to hold his weekly methotrexate chemo pills until his platelets do go up.  I’m glad I didn’t give him his dose this morning and waited to hear of what they wanted to do. Dr. did indicate to go ahead with his daily chemo pills.  She wants us to check his blood work this weekend and not wait two weeks.  She wants to know what his counts are doing and so do we.  We will try to figure out between Springfield trip and Hamilton’s has a weekend of baseball games in O’Fallon.

He still says he feels pretty good, Yeah!  He had baseball pictures and than practice after school.  His bruises on his legs and arms do look better so hopefully his platelets are going up.  We pray this and also that his ANC goes up and hemoglobin and liver levels stay in safe range.

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

Bennett is feeling good.  He felt pretty good most of the weekend.  With all the rain yesterday he didn’t do much after church so it was good that he could rest.  Today he went to school and than went to baseball practice tonight.  He said he even practiced pitching tonight so he is icing his pitching arm.  The shoulder that was bothering him the other day has improved which were thankful that is better.

Now, if we could get his counts up and that they don’t drop anymore.  I didn’t hear from his nurse in St. Louis today so they must of been really busy or didn’t get his blood test. actually they should of received it because our hospital had to call them since his WBC counts were critical. They must notify St. Louis of any critical numbers.    I will call them tomorrow because we need to know if he needs to take his weekly methotrexate since his platelets are pretty low.  He still is taking his daily chemo until we hear differently.

Tomorrow night is Bennett’s first highschool game!!  We can’t wait to watch him play.  We pray he feels good tomorrow and plays good. 

Our friend Dalton came home over the weekend which were so thankful he didn’t have to stay any longer.  It’s hard since he has a twin sister that their family has to away from.  We pray he continues to improve.

Thank you for your prayers, concern, support, and Love!

Bennett’s ANC is only 816 from 1,925 two weeks ago.  His WBC are critical at 1.2, they dropped from 2.5.  His neutrophils are 68 from 77.  I’m not sure what is going on but all his counts dropped.  Hemoglobulin is now 9.6 from 12.2. It is still in good  but now low at out of normal range.

His platelets are pretty low for him, now only 39 from 87 and normal range is 150 to 450.  This of course explains all of the bruises on his legs that he has had for several weeks.   We had prayed that they would go up.  His bun is even higher at 21 from 17.  We had really hoped it would be better since he is really taken an extra cautious effort of drinking more.  He even is now taking gatorade or water to school and carrying in his backpack and drinks through out the day.  W ewill see what his nurse says on Monday about his numbers.

He feels good today!  Yesterday, he felt horrible. His stomach bothered him and he had a bad headache.  Now, with his counts down, I’m not surprised.  He got out of school early  yesterday and than had practice.  He went home and went to bed for a couple hours.  He really didn’t feel the best all night.  We’re thankful that today was better and hope tomorrow brings a good day as well!

We pray to God that his counts are low for a good reason, that they really need to be low to keep killing any leukemia cells that are hiding out or trying to grow.  Since he really isn’t sick we’re thankful for that but now his counts are not low because of that.

His platelets haven’t been this low for about six months. They came back up after a couple weeks, we pray this happens again.  He cannot ride his dirt bike since low platelets causes your blood to not clot.  Since it is warmer outside, he really would like to bet outside riding.

We pray that his counts improve. May God continue to watch over and bless Bennett!

Bennett is doing much better!  He just mentioned to me last night that he was headache pain free for the day.  Yeah!  He said don’t ask me in the morning because I might have it again but so far it hasn’t mentioned anything.

He said his arm and shoulder brothered him this morning. I thought it might be from baseball but it’s not his throwing arm.  It’s possible it’s from the steroids because they will cause bone pain and the vincristine he receives cause nerve damage and pain so might be that too. I told him to keep track of it and will need to notify the Dr. if it continues.

We ask for extra prayers for our friend Dalton that he is in the hospital with fever and very low ANC at SLCH.  He was our buddy that was age 2 and our roommate when he was first diagnosed.  I’ll never forget his eyes being swollen shut because the leukemia was even in his eyes.  He has been doing good other than the normal side effects from treatment so we pray he gets over this possible stomach flu bug soon.

The boys are into watching and cheering our the team in the NCAA basketball tourney.  We’re disappointed fighting Illini didn’t make it to the big dance.

God is Good!  We’re thankful for all his blessings!

Bennett is doing better but not great.  He still doesn’t feel the best but he just keeps on going.  He went to school yesterday and today with a headache.  It seems it gradually gets better each day but he still has it.  He is taking tylenol as needed to help with the pain.  We keep checking his temperature because he really isn’t supposed to have tylenol since it’s a fever reducer.  Dr.’s are afraid that tylenol could mask a fever and we wouldn’t know he had one.  We just try to be very careful.

Bennett has gone to baseball practice each night this week. They are practicing in the gym because the weather has been cold and wet.  Bennett seems to really like it so far and loves his coaches!

Hamilton still has his cough.  He is taking cough medicine.   He has had a headache the last day or two but don’t know if he really does from his sickness or he has heard Bennett talking about a headache all the time.  He doesn’t really have any other symptoms so that’s good and we’ll keep an eye on it.  Sid has a cough too and hasn’t felt well for about a week.

We pray for good health, hope, love, and peace for everyone!