Bennett is doing good.  He is coughing some.  He had a game last night against DuQuoin and we lost by 5.  He played 2nd base.  He had an unbelievable catch that was several feet away from him that he ran and extended his body and arm to catch it on the end of his glove.  He batted twice.  He had a hard hit that was almost to the fence but was caught and the 2nd time he struck out.

Tonight he had practice after school.  The coach is having them to run after games and after practice.  Tonight they ran four times around the whole field outside the fence.  There was several players walking and didn’t do the fourth time around but Bennett made it.  The Dr.’s and nurses that don’t know him when they do an examine they are concerned about his slow heart beat than they ask you must be an athlete?  Bennett’s next game is Monday.

Lindy is doing good too.  She has to watch what she eats. If she eats too spicy or greasy foods it really hurts her stomach.   Her, Bennett, and Hamilton went fishing at our neighbors but they didn’t catch anything.

We’re thankful for a good week. We pray for God continuing to bless Bennett and keeping him in remission.

Bennett had a good day.  He went to school and than had baseball practice afterwards.  He didn’t seem too tired and feels pretty good.

The Dr. said to start his daily 6mp chemo today. He takes three pills nightly before bed.  Today is the day that he normally takes his weekly dose of methotrexate but Dr. wanted to hold off today.  If counts are good next week than he will start taking it again next Tues..  We will check counts this weekend and than next Tuesday is his monthly Dr. visit with iv chemo.

Brrr…   Hope everyone is staying warm and dry!

Praise the Lord!  Bennett’s ANC is 1,704 tonight from 756 on Sunday morning. We decided to go to the hospital tonight to check counts instead of trying to get there and results before going to school tomorrow.  His WBC is 2.4 from 1.4 and neutrophils are 71 from 53, I almost can’t believe it!!  All counts show an increase which is such a blessing.  Hemoglobin is 13.0 from 10.4 and platelets are 173 from 106!!  All very good!  We’ll check with St. Louis tomorrow to see if his Dr. wants him to start all his chemo.

Bennett’s cough is much improved today.  He hasn’t cough hardly at all. We’ll keep an eye on it because I sure don’t want any of that virus still lingering around and causing him to get pneumonia as it can settle very quickly in your lungs.

Bennett was tired today and had a headache. His Dr. wanted him to stay home so he didn’t even try to go to school today but looks like he will go tomorrow. It was good for him to sleep in, in his own bed without numerous interruptions through the night since he had two iv antibiotics at midnight and than labs drawn at 4:00 a.m. each day. 

 He missed a game tonight and also on Friday. Their winding down the season with only about 6 more games with 3 weeks.  We hope it doesn’t take too much for him to get back in the swing of things including completing all school work missed.

We are praising and thanking God for Bennett’s awesome counts!  Amen! This could of turned alot worse and I believe we both were prepared to stay weeks in the hospital since were accumstomed to long unpredictable stays. But your still never prepared when you have to stop what your doing right than and making a flying trip to St Louis and not returning to your planned daily activities for a few days.  Don’t ever put anything off till tomorrow what you can do today!

“I thank God for my handicaps for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God.”  ~Helen Keller

12:00 pm  Bennett’s ANC is 756 which dropped in half from yesterday’s of 1,476. His WBC are 1.4 from 1.8 and neutrophils are 54 from 82.  We thought his counts might drop because of the fever and the parainfluenza. The Dr. indicated that the flu he has suppresses the bone marrow therefore the marrow might not make any new cells for awhile.  We haven’t seen the Dr. today so we will see what she says.  I know she was concerned with his ANC dropping so drastic yesterday and now today it did the same.  We don’t expect to go home today since he had a fever yesterday and they did new blood cultures, they may want us to stay until those results come back.

His temp this morning was normal and blood pressure was good at 129/73.  He isn’t coughing as much but it has turned into a deep congested cough.  Bennett does feel better and looks a lot better today.  He ate some pancakes and cereal for breakfast.  He has been watching CSI for a couple hours.

*3:30 p.m. Bennett’s temp has been normal and blood pressure has been good.  His Dr. came in about an hour ago  and said she was going to let him go home this evening as long as he didn’t run a fever. She said he needed to be fever free for 24 hours which last night at 9:45 was his last fever.  She’s not going to make us wait that long, she said around 6 or 7 so it will be bed time when we end up getting home.  His blood cultures from Friday came back negative so she felt like all of his symptoms was from the parainfluenza.

She doesn’t want him to go to school tomorrow. And than check counts Tuesday before school.  He stopped his daily chemo pills on Friday and she wants him to wait until she knows his counts are recovering before starting back.

We pray for no fever and that he continues to improve each day.  Thank you for your prayers.

*8:45 p.m.  Home Sweet Home! We got home about 30 minutes ago.   Bennett’s temp has been normal so hopefully he is on the road to recovery.  He has started coughing up a bunch of stuff, it really sounds bad.  We’ll keep an eye on it because I worry about pneumonia setting in even if Friday’s night chest x ray was good.   We’re thankful for being home and didn’t have an extended stay at the hospital.   Amen!

8:30 a.m.  Bennett’s ANC this morning is 1,476 from 2,926 yesterday afternoon.    His WBC are 1.8 from 3.8 so are guess that they were elevated yesterday was correct.   Hemoglobin is 10.5 from 11.5 and platelets are 142 from 150.   His temp has been around 99.5 so much better.

The nose swab came back last night as positive with parainfluenza.  It’s a respiratory virus something like RSV and younger children develop croup with it. It can turn into pneumonia very quickly.  The prelim chest x ray on Bennett came back negative.    Since it’s a virus there is not really anything you can give for it, only rest.  They are continuing with the two antibiotics until the blood cultures come back to be on the safe side in case he has an infection in his blood or his line port. 

His cough was worse last night, it’s a dry irritating cough.  He really doesn’t feel good.   He did finally eat last night for the first time yesterday.  He didn’t really eat much though, only a few bites of a fish sandwich and a ceasar salad.  He even tried his favorite when he is in here, cookie dough blizzard but only ate a bite.

*11:15 a.m.  Bennett’s temp is 101.5 at 9:00 this morning, they gave him Tylenol.    His blood pressure is good at 121/70!!  He is using an albuterol inhaler to help with cough.  Right now, they are saying that if his temp goes down and counts stay good that he could go home maybe tomorrow but alot of  Ifs that are unpredictable so we’re praying for the best.

*4:00 p.m. Bennett’s temp was 99.3 around 1:00.  His blood pressure has dropped again to 94/46 at 1:00 in one arm. They took it again at 3:00 and it was 83/48.    They took it in other arm and it approved to 105/65.  The Dr. was okay with it and doesn’t want to do anyting different.  Sid and Hamilton came up. Hamilton took me to Applebees for lunch which is walking distance from hospital.

*11:00 p.m.  Bennett’s temp went back up to 101.1 which is a fever therefore they are doing a blood culture again which my guess means we won’t be going home tomorrow since he is still running a fever.  You sure can tell when he has a fever, he face and neck is red (flushed).    His blood pressure has improved at 117/50. (bottom # a little low).  At 4:00 a.m. they will be doing a CBC to check counts and also checking on the level of the antibiotic vancomycin to see if he can continue on the same dose.  We pray his ANC holds on and that his fever goes away soon!  Praying for God’s healing hand!

8:05 p.m.  Bennett was admitted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital today.  We already had an appt to see his Dr. at home about his cough.  When he got to that appt, he had a temp of 101.3 so we called St. Louis from there.  They really didn’t want us to drive 2 hours to get there because with a fever and him having a port a cath, he can turn really sick quickly.  Bennett and I neither one wanted to go to our ER around home.  They are not used to dealing with oncology patients and we know St Louis would end up wanting to see him so he would be transferred by ambulance or helicopter.  It made me nervous so he checked his temp every 15 minutes and it didn’t get any higher than 102.

His ANC is 2,926. His WBC is 3.8 from 1.7 from five days ago.  We believe that it’s elevated because of an infection for it jump up.  Hemoglobin is 11.5 and platelets at 150 which are good.

He was seen in the c linic and after couple hours, his blood pressure dropped to 86/37. He stayed at 90/50 for couple hours.  They gave him three iv bolus of fluid.  It finally improved.  They have taken blood cultures to see if he has an infection especially in his port that is under his skin in his chest where they access him so he can receive ivs.  They did a nose swab checking for flu and virus. Also did a throat swab checking for strep.  We just got back from a chest x ray checking for pneumonia.

He received an iv antibiotic meropenum when we got here around 1:00 p.m.  Because of the low blood pressure, they are going to start another antibiotic too called vancomycin.  He will get both of them every 8 hours.  The vancomycin is a stronger med.  He is allergic to it so they have to give him benadryl and also transfuse it over 2 hours.  They will also check the levels of the vancomycin in his body after 4 doses because its dangerous to have too much.

He doesn’t feel good.  He now is coughing about every couple of minutes.  He can’t breathe because his nose is all stopped up.  We believe and pray that the fever is from all this.    We pray for good results.  He is bummed because him and Dad was going truck shopping for him this weekend.

We’re on the 8th floor, because of him being swabbed, he is on precaution contact. His nurse has to wear mask and gown until we hear back from the swabs.  Since he might have a bug they don’t want him on the oncology floor infecting those patients.  We miss our nurses.  The oncology Dr.’s though will come to this floor to see him.

Bennett is about the same, his cough seemed worse tonight  He said he has trouble breathing because his nose is stopped up.  He used the netti pot last night and this morning but it wouldn’t drain.  He is so stopped up that it wouldn’t work.  He has a Dr. appt with his Dr. here in town, we think he may have a sinus infection.  Hamilton’s cough seems better.

Bennett had a game in Waltonville, we were winning 17 to 0 in the bottom 3rd inning.  A player from Waltonville slid into 2nd base and broke his leg or ankle. We waited for 30 minutes before we left and they were still waiting for an ambulance to arrive.  They were probably going to call the game.  Quite a few of our players had a basketball banquet to go too and Bennett went to it, it was at our church sponsored by the Methodist Men.    This really reiterates how blessed we are that Bennett hasn’t gotten seriously hurt like this ball player.  Thank you God for protecting Bennett because any injury or sickness is harder for him to heal while on chemo.  God is Good!

Bennett has started with a cold, he has a runny nose, cough, and sore throat.  He didn’t feel very good this morning and after asking him how he felt, he said he has had sore throat the last two days.  We’re trying a couple of over the counter meds and cough drops, hope this works.  We pray that he doesn’t get sick.  Hamilton started coughing tonight too and is taking cough medicine.

Bennett had a baseball game last night at home against Massac County. We won by 1.  Bennett had two singles.  The other time up to bat, he had a hard hit that was very close of being over the fence and the left fielder backed up and caught it.  He had several good plays and outs on 2nd base.  Tonight he didn’t have practice or a game.  We went to our revival at church.

Lindy is doing a lot better, an answer to prayers!  Amen!  We’re so thankful she didn’t have to have surgery.    Her Dr believed it was a virus or gastroitis.  She is feeling better gradually each day.  She still isn’t eating much but eating a little.  Her Dr. said to keep watch and if she felt worse to come back. 

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory both now and forever.” Amen.  2 Peter 3:18

Bennett is doing good, it’s been a record breaking couple weeks with no issues!!!  (knock on wood).  He had a game tonight in West Frankfort and we won by the ten run rule.  Bennett played about 4 innings, getting two hits and a run.  He had an awesome play at 2nd base. 

Lindy is doing a little better today.  She went to school basically because she couldn’t miss her college CNA course.  She tried to eat a little today so were praying it doesn’t hurt her stomach.  She received the test results back from Saturday test on her gall bladder and her gall bladder is functioning normal.  Wow!  That’s good news that she won’t need surgery but kinda discouraging of actually what is wrong with her.  She has a Dr. appt Wednesday. 

May God bless everyone’s prayer request, May he hear our prayers and answer them.

Bennett’s ANC today is 1,088 from 1,224 two weeks ago.  His WBC  is 1.7 with 64 neutrophils. His hemoglobin went up to 11.8 from 10.2, glad to see that a little higher because when it’s low, he’s even more tired. A lower ANC makes you weak and tired too so really Bennett has been doing quite well. His platelets are 155 from 188. All counts are below normal but in Dr’s range. I was worried that he might not take all his chemo and meds while I was gone but counts indicate he did!

Bennett slept in today. he has had a busy week with game and staying late at the hospital visiting Lindy. Lindy is about the same, probably a little worse but is expected because she really over did it by going to Prom. We’re so thankful that she got to go but she really had to push herself. We pray that they can relieve her of this pain soon. Her last test will show if surgery is needed and than they will schedule it when it works out. It’s not an emergency surgery they will have to fit her in.

Bennett went to see her this afternoon after his blood work. He took her a artic rush from DQ, one of her favorites. She is still not eating, the most nutrition she is getting is drinking some milk. I hate it for her that she is not going to get to play softball for awhile. She starts and plays the whole game in right field, I’m sure her team is missing her.

We went to church tonight, we’re having revival, it was a great service. Bennett helped in the nursery and Hamilton was a door greeter. Another busy week ahead, Bennett having four games, and Hamilton has practice.

We’re counting are blessings and appreciate every one of them. We continue to ask God to keep Bennett in remission forever and ever!