Today was another day in SLC with Matt for his monthly clinic visit/MRI. Like last time, Matt was able to have his MRI with no sedation. Today he was due for an MRI of his spine only. Doing both brain and spine takes several hours, and is really just too much if he is not sedated. The spinal MRI's take quite a bit longer than a brain alone because they really do 3 MRI's, one of each section of spine. After the scans we went up to Matt's clinic appointment. Dr. Lemons was in to see us quite quickly after he looked at the scans. We were VERY pleased to see that there is improvement in the tumors and seeding of his spine! This is the FIRST MRI that Matt has had where the report said 'slight improvement'. We are beyond thrilled that the chemo seems like it might be doing something. Because of this good news, we are continuing on the Temodar for at least one more cycle. Next month Matt is due for his brain MRI. That will be the more important factor to determine whether the chemo is effective. However, since this MRI showed improvement, we are praying that the brain also shows improvement or at least stability. Matt does so well on the Temodar. It would be a blessing if he could continue with this protocol - at least through the school year. We did discuss other options, which we will begin if the Temodar proves unsuccessful in shrinking the main tumor. We also discussed radiation. The plan has always been to begin radiation sometime this summer, and it sounds like that is still going to happen. We will be making an appointment to meet with the radiation oncologists in the next few months. This will be exciting as we can discuss all the fancy radiation techniques they keep talking about on television (gamma knife, proton beam radiation, etc....). I don't know if any of these will be possible for Matt, but it will be nice to talk to a doctor about them anyhow. So, that was our day. Overall, very encouraging! Thanks for the prayers and positive thoughts!
-Alli
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Our View....
This is what Warren and I wake up to each and every morning. I need better photography skills - this photo really doesn't do the scenery justice! This was taken through my bedroom window the other morning.
Ski the Beav!
One of the things that Warren has missed the MOST these past years living away from the mountains has been the lack of skiing. He lived in Park City when he was younger (his dad was Superintendent of schools there), and he grew up skiing a ton. Over the past 10 years, Warren has only been skiing a handful of times, and he has missed it! Last weekend Warren took Will skiing for Will's first time. Will did awesome! He is a kid who was made for speed. Beaver Mountain has a great first time learn to ski program. For only $50, your child gets a lift ticket, ski rental, and 2 hour group lesson. Will came home exhausted and excited - he said he loved skiing! I, personally, want all my boys to love to ski with their dad. I look forward to quietly shopping in a cozy mall while the rest of my family are out freezing their noses off and breaking their legs. I like the idea of me skiing, but everyone else always looks WAY cooler than I ever do while I'm flailing down the mountain on two skinny, slippery sticks! Just so you don't think I'm a party-pooper, I'm also not opposed to sipping hot chocolate and reading a great book while hanging out by the fire in the ski lodge - see, I participate in family activities!
Anyhow, here are some pictures of Will's day (he is in the orange coat).
Learning to get back up after you fall is an important skill (in my experience, the MOST important skill!)
Here he is just skiing down!
In this one, it looks like Will is hanging onto the rope tow, but he is actually cruising down the mountain. If you look, you can see the kid who is getting yanked up the rope tow!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
True Love!
Last week at dinner Nate announced, out of the blue, "I'm going to marry Halle in the Temple." I asked him who Halle was and he told me, "my girlfriend." His preschool class picture was nearby because Diana had been working with the boys on their valentines. Nate pointed out his 'girlfriend' in the photo (a darling little girl with a big smile and lots of bows in her hair) and then reiterated, "Yeah, Halle and I are getting married in the Temple..........and I'm ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD!!!!" :-)
Now, I've got this on record and can bring it out just in case, 20 years from now, he actually does marry Halle!
Now, I've got this on record and can bring it out just in case, 20 years from now, he actually does marry Halle!
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Ironic, no??
Tonight, as I was searching for the dogs shot records in a hutch in our kitchen, I came across a book. This book is from the Naperville public library (where we haven't lived in over a year).
The title of the book:
"The Procrastinator's Handbook,
Mastering the art of doing it now."
I about died laughing!
The title of the book:
"The Procrastinator's Handbook,
Mastering the art of doing it now."
I about died laughing!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Such a blessing!
Baby Jake is such a fantastic little guy. He never stops smiling and is extremely interactive with anyone who is holding him. I think he is also my most engaging baby at the youngest age. I especially love it when he wants to 'play'. He will look at me with what can only be described as a coy look. He will look in my eyes and slowly stick out his tongue! When I then stick my tongue out at him he grins - sometimes even laughing out loud. It's amazing to me that he seeks out this type of interactive game at such a young age!
Today we blessed Jake at church. It was absolutely beautiful - it had snowed all night long and everything was covered in white and it was deep! Thankfully our church is close. Grandma Julie bought a darling suit for Jake to wear and he looked perfect. I felt so thankful as my fifth son was given a beautiful blessing by his father. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed at the responsibility of raising five strong, kind, men. I am so thankful to have Warren as a partner in this task. He is a fantastic father and husband.
Here are some pictures from this special day.
Monday, January 28, 2008
HURRY UP...............and wait..........
On Thursday of this week we met with our new oncologist, Dr.Lemons. The good news is that both Matt and I really liked him. He seemed very knowledgeable and, most importantly, spent almost an hour explaining lots of stuff about Matt's tumor. We learned that the tumor is made up of several different tissue types. Parts of it are solid tumor, parts are cystic, parts are more liquid-y, etc.... So, we got a little lesson in viewing scans and reading radiology reports. This was so helpful! Of course, if I had thought about it, Pilomyxoid sort of implies a mixed sort of tumor. I also asked him to reassure me that even though the last report from radiology said 'overall tumor growth' that we weren't concerned! He was concerned, so he wanted Matt to get another MRI ASAP. They couldn't squeeze Matt in for an MRI on Thursday, but had a space Friday afternoon, so we took it. On Friday we drove down again and they did a 'quickie' MRI of his brain, but no spine. Because it was a 'quick' MRI, we decided to let Matt attempt it without sedation. He did great! It was so nice to not have to go through the routine of sedation. He has to go through same-day surgery when sedated, and that place is always a zoo! This was much nicer. The tech came out to speak with us afterwards and he suggested we break the MRI's up into 2 different days (one day brain, one day spine) so Matt wouldn't have to be sedated. I look forward to trying that plan at the next MRI. After the MRI, we went and had lunch in the cafeteria and then went up to oncology to hear the report on the MRI. I was disappointed to learn that we are still not sure the tumor is stabilizing. The neuro-radiologist believes that the tumor is still slowly growing. This is a very difficult thing to tell on Matthew because of the nature of his tumor. Since it is impossible to, say, weigh it to see if it has increased in mass, you just have to tell the best you can through MRI's. With all the different tissues in the tumor, it changes a lot - which can look like it's growing or shrinking, when it's really just a little bit different than it was on the previous MRI. So, the new plan is to send the scans and things back to Dr.Cohen (the doctor at John's Hopkins who did the 2nd opinion) and see if their tumor board has any thoughts. Dr.Lemons was also considering sending the scans and reports to someone he knows at UCLA. Hopefully, with these 3 opinions, we will get a better sense of where to go next.
I also had the chance to talk with the neuro-psychologist who evaluated Matthew several months ago. I've been worried about Matt because we've been seeing some anxiety issues pop up. For instance, Matt is extremely obsessive about his homework. He will tell you 47 million times that his homework needs to be signed. It's like he becomes fixated on certain things and he can't relax about them. The thing that really concerned me, though, was an experience Matt had with Jake. Matt was playing with Jake and was putting his glasses on Jake. Somehow, the glasses poked Jake in the eye. When Matt was telling me what happened, he was very upset and crying. I went in to look at Jake and found no evidence of any injury. Jake was just smiling and cooing and happy to see us. I reassured Matt that Jake was just fine and that he shouldn't worry about it. However, Matt has continued to dwell on this incident, telling everyone what happened, etc.... My mommy 'red flags' were raised when Matt told me that sometimes at school he would be doing his work and suddenly remember what he did to Jake. He said, "mom, I just imagine holding him, and then I accidentally poke him, and then he starts to fall apart in my arms and everything is all bloody." Okay, so that just doesn't sound healthy! I am worried about him feeling anxiety over nothing! After talking to Dr.Colte (the neuro-psychologist) I feel better, though. He thinks that this may be something Matt will get over, as well, as he heals further. We are going to watch him carefully and if things start to get really bad we'll go see a neurologist and also a child psychiatrist who might be able to help him with medication. Dr.Colte didn't think it sounded like an anxiety disorder at this point.
Okay, so I think you are all officially updated on Matt. :-) I'll keep you posted when we find out something from those other doctors!
-Alli
I also had the chance to talk with the neuro-psychologist who evaluated Matthew several months ago. I've been worried about Matt because we've been seeing some anxiety issues pop up. For instance, Matt is extremely obsessive about his homework. He will tell you 47 million times that his homework needs to be signed. It's like he becomes fixated on certain things and he can't relax about them. The thing that really concerned me, though, was an experience Matt had with Jake. Matt was playing with Jake and was putting his glasses on Jake. Somehow, the glasses poked Jake in the eye. When Matt was telling me what happened, he was very upset and crying. I went in to look at Jake and found no evidence of any injury. Jake was just smiling and cooing and happy to see us. I reassured Matt that Jake was just fine and that he shouldn't worry about it. However, Matt has continued to dwell on this incident, telling everyone what happened, etc.... My mommy 'red flags' were raised when Matt told me that sometimes at school he would be doing his work and suddenly remember what he did to Jake. He said, "mom, I just imagine holding him, and then I accidentally poke him, and then he starts to fall apart in my arms and everything is all bloody." Okay, so that just doesn't sound healthy! I am worried about him feeling anxiety over nothing! After talking to Dr.Colte (the neuro-psychologist) I feel better, though. He thinks that this may be something Matt will get over, as well, as he heals further. We are going to watch him carefully and if things start to get really bad we'll go see a neurologist and also a child psychiatrist who might be able to help him with medication. Dr.Colte didn't think it sounded like an anxiety disorder at this point.
Okay, so I think you are all officially updated on Matt. :-) I'll keep you posted when we find out something from those other doctors!
-Alli
Monday, January 21, 2008
U-TAH STATE, HEY AGGIES ALL THE WAY! GO AGGIES, GO AGGIES HEY HEY HEY!!!
There are reasons parents of boys take their children to sporting events.
1) The game
2) The cheerleaders (girls in sparkly outfits are always a fascination....)
3) Being allowed, even encouraged, to yell as loud as you can
4) Being able to stand on the seats and
5) Riding the shuttle to the Spectrum
Between these 5 main things, a USU basketball game is a winner all the way around! We've gone to games the past few weekends and the boys ask every day if it's 'an Aggie day today?' Here is a video of the boys doing 'the Scotsman' (see what it looks like from the other side of the stadium in the video above) and photos showing what a success this outing is for our family.
Matt and Will
Will cheering after a basket
The boys
The true sign of SUCCESS!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS MaSoN!!!!!!!!!!
We were so thrilled to view Mason's site today and learn that he is officially in remission! (Be sure to click on the link to the fantasic video - it made me cry!) Mason is the sweet toddler who was diagnosed with Leukemia just a week or two before Matthew was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Mason's aunt, uncle, and cousins were friends of ours when we lived in Naperville (in fact, we had a fun day with their children just 2 days before Matt was diagnosed.... I had offered to watch them while Melanie went to SLC to support her sister and nephew - I never dreamt I would be there with my own child days later!) Matthew and Mason were in the ICU at the same time and Warren and I received a lot of support and encouragement from his parents and grandparents.
Matthew summed it up well when he said, "mom, hearing about people who beat their cancer makes me feel so good - like I can beat mine, too." Thank you for being a support and inspiration to us all, Mason!
Matthew summed it up well when he said, "mom, hearing about people who beat their cancer makes me feel so good - like I can beat mine, too." Thank you for being a support and inspiration to us all, Mason!
Friday, January 11, 2008
A little cryin' goes a long, long way......
I don't think it's a secret that I've been a bit frustrated with the Oncologist we're working with. It's not that I don't like Matt's primary doctor, it's just that she is busy with other patients/not available/out of the office/only comes in once a week/on personal leave or other such situations. I *think* there's something going on there, but no one will give us specifics. I really like the doctor we have been meeting with most often, but he has made it clear that he is not calling the shots about Matt's care, and that he isn't a neuro-oncologist. Again, he is a fine, kind man, but we want a specialist who has studied brain tumors and works primarily with children who have brain tumors. Warren and I left Matt's last appointment discouraged with the lack of information, lack of interpretation of Matt's scans, and lack of involvement by this doctor that we are supposed to be trusting to save our son's life. We have been strongly considering seeking a third opinion and even transferring his care to someone else - even though that would involve extensive travel at least once a month.
Anyhow, Matt had his blood counts drawn on Wednesday and yesterday we still had not heard the results. So, I called Oncology and let them know we hadn't heard Matt's numbers. I also gathered my courage and told the guy I was speaking with (who runs the office) a little about my frustrations. I also asked if he could tell me what was going on with Matt's doctor - he couldn't. I started to cry (how embarrassing!) and told him how discouraged I was that I didn't feel Matt had a primary doctor. It feels, to me, like no one is looking out for his best interests and I also told him that Warren and I were considering taking Matt elsewhere for treatment. The office guy said he was going to pass along my message and have the head of Oncology call me back.
A few minutes later I received a call from Dr. Lemons. He is also a neuro-oncologist (which I didn't realize - I thought our first doctor was the only neuro-oncologist on staff). He listened to my concerns, validated my concerns, said we needed to seek a 3rd opinion (this was his suggestion, once he looked over Matt's chart and saw that we had a variation on pathology opinions). I told him how unfortunate I thought it was that Matt had never met with his primary doctor. Long story a little bit shorter, he is going to take over as Matt's primary doctor! We will meet him the first time at January clinic! He said he would go over a lot of details about Matt's scans, diagnoses, and treatment options. I am so thrilled! I am embarrassed that I broke down and cried to these people, but it seemed to produce the results that we really needed. Hopefully, with our new oncologist, we will be able to hear more details and feel more confident that we're heading in the right direction with Matt's treatment!
In other Matt news, on Tuesday he had the opportunity to go to SLC with the 4th grade from his school to celebrate the re-dedication and renovation of the Capital building. Three schools from Logan went and had a 30 minute performance in the rotunda. It was so fun! Matt even had a speaking part. He was the first speaker and introduced their schools. His teacher said that he was her absolute first choice because of his expression and confidence when speaking. I was so proud of him and couldn't help but compare this confident boy with so much talent, to the boy who started the school year who was unable to remember where his classroom was! We have watched an incredible transformation over these past 6 months. There is still a long way to go, he has good days and bad days, and I'm not sure Matt's memory will ever be at his pre-tumor 100%. But if it didn't get any better, he would learn to compensate and would be able to function just fine. I would not have felt that way six months ago! We are incredibly thankful for this progress, and that Matt is still his happy, sweet, quirky self!
Love,
-Alli
Anyhow, Matt had his blood counts drawn on Wednesday and yesterday we still had not heard the results. So, I called Oncology and let them know we hadn't heard Matt's numbers. I also gathered my courage and told the guy I was speaking with (who runs the office) a little about my frustrations. I also asked if he could tell me what was going on with Matt's doctor - he couldn't. I started to cry (how embarrassing!) and told him how discouraged I was that I didn't feel Matt had a primary doctor. It feels, to me, like no one is looking out for his best interests and I also told him that Warren and I were considering taking Matt elsewhere for treatment. The office guy said he was going to pass along my message and have the head of Oncology call me back.
A few minutes later I received a call from Dr. Lemons. He is also a neuro-oncologist (which I didn't realize - I thought our first doctor was the only neuro-oncologist on staff). He listened to my concerns, validated my concerns, said we needed to seek a 3rd opinion (this was his suggestion, once he looked over Matt's chart and saw that we had a variation on pathology opinions). I told him how unfortunate I thought it was that Matt had never met with his primary doctor. Long story a little bit shorter, he is going to take over as Matt's primary doctor! We will meet him the first time at January clinic! He said he would go over a lot of details about Matt's scans, diagnoses, and treatment options. I am so thrilled! I am embarrassed that I broke down and cried to these people, but it seemed to produce the results that we really needed. Hopefully, with our new oncologist, we will be able to hear more details and feel more confident that we're heading in the right direction with Matt's treatment!
In other Matt news, on Tuesday he had the opportunity to go to SLC with the 4th grade from his school to celebrate the re-dedication and renovation of the Capital building. Three schools from Logan went and had a 30 minute performance in the rotunda. It was so fun! Matt even had a speaking part. He was the first speaker and introduced their schools. His teacher said that he was her absolute first choice because of his expression and confidence when speaking. I was so proud of him and couldn't help but compare this confident boy with so much talent, to the boy who started the school year who was unable to remember where his classroom was! We have watched an incredible transformation over these past 6 months. There is still a long way to go, he has good days and bad days, and I'm not sure Matt's memory will ever be at his pre-tumor 100%. But if it didn't get any better, he would learn to compensate and would be able to function just fine. I would not have felt that way six months ago! We are incredibly thankful for this progress, and that Matt is still his happy, sweet, quirky self!
Love,
-Alli
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Hmmmmmm....... Do you think it's time for an update?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I'm not quite sure where to begin this update. Lots has happened, most notably Matthew getting his December scans last week. I was so anxious in the days leading up to the MRI's, I think I made myself physically ill. At some point I realized that MRI's have NEVER resulted in good news for Matthew. Initially the scans were for diagnoses (obviously not good news). Then there were more scans that showed the significant seeding and spreading of the tumors into the spine. Then there were scans that confirmed the seeding. Two months ago were the scans that showed the tumors had gotten bigger and were showing more activity, despite the chemotherapy Matthew had been on for two months. No wonder I was feeling so anxious about these! The news we received last week was again a mixed result. Part of the main tumor was larger and part was smaller. Who knows what this means?!? Also, his ventricles were slightly smaller so less hydrocephalus (YEA!!), and the tumor seeding in his spine and brain stem was stable (YEA, again!!!) So, the current plan is to stick with the Temodar for 2 more months and re-scan. Hopefully we will then have a very definite idea if the chemotherapy is effective. Matt just completed his third round of Temodar and again seemed to handle it pretty well. He did throw up a little bit this morning, but insisted he didn't think it would happen anymore and that he felt well enough to go to school. They haven't called yet, so I assume no news is good news!
I am so thankful that we were able to postpone scans until after Christmas. It made for a really nice holiday! Matt felt really well since he was 5 weeks post chemo. Here are some photos from our day.
Christmas Eve in new jammies!
Matt being suprised by his new IPOD
Andrew, Nathan and Warren checking out the race track - the cars are meant to crash!
William with his awesome GI JOE......thingee (thanks uncle Alex!)
Andrew with his new 'Ben 10' watch
For New Years Eve we also had a really fun time. We went up to this mountain resort near our house that Warren and I have talked about checking out for 10 years! They had a room with 3 queen beds, 2 bathrooms, and a separate bedroom. It was perfect for our family. We went up there and the boys swam - there was a jacuzzi with a waterfall along with a pool and a very shallow toddler pool. The boys had a great time. Matthew couldn't swim, because his line can't get wet, but he could sit on the top step of the hot tub or pool. Then we had a fancy dinner at the resort restaurant. The Prime Rib was some of the best I've ever tasted! Afterwards we got into jammies, watched movies, and were all asleep well before midnight! :-)
Last thing, and then I will end this insanely long update! Baby Jake is so stinkin' cute! I thought about posting pictures of him on his own blog, but can't resist putting a few here! He is nearly 2 months old and HUGE! I'm anxious to see how much he has grown since his last doctors appointment!
Here is a good shot of Jake's red hair - and his famous 'Hold to the Rod' pose
One evening Matt asked to hold Jake while I was cooking dinner. I thought it had gotten awfully quiet....
Smiling at Daddy
Check out those cheeks!!
I'm not quite sure where to begin this update. Lots has happened, most notably Matthew getting his December scans last week. I was so anxious in the days leading up to the MRI's, I think I made myself physically ill. At some point I realized that MRI's have NEVER resulted in good news for Matthew. Initially the scans were for diagnoses (obviously not good news). Then there were more scans that showed the significant seeding and spreading of the tumors into the spine. Then there were scans that confirmed the seeding. Two months ago were the scans that showed the tumors had gotten bigger and were showing more activity, despite the chemotherapy Matthew had been on for two months. No wonder I was feeling so anxious about these! The news we received last week was again a mixed result. Part of the main tumor was larger and part was smaller. Who knows what this means?!? Also, his ventricles were slightly smaller so less hydrocephalus (YEA!!), and the tumor seeding in his spine and brain stem was stable (YEA, again!!!) So, the current plan is to stick with the Temodar for 2 more months and re-scan. Hopefully we will then have a very definite idea if the chemotherapy is effective. Matt just completed his third round of Temodar and again seemed to handle it pretty well. He did throw up a little bit this morning, but insisted he didn't think it would happen anymore and that he felt well enough to go to school. They haven't called yet, so I assume no news is good news!
I am so thankful that we were able to postpone scans until after Christmas. It made for a really nice holiday! Matt felt really well since he was 5 weeks post chemo. Here are some photos from our day.
Christmas Eve in new jammies!
Matt being suprised by his new IPOD
Andrew, Nathan and Warren checking out the race track - the cars are meant to crash!
William with his awesome GI JOE......thingee (thanks uncle Alex!)
Andrew with his new 'Ben 10' watch
For New Years Eve we also had a really fun time. We went up to this mountain resort near our house that Warren and I have talked about checking out for 10 years! They had a room with 3 queen beds, 2 bathrooms, and a separate bedroom. It was perfect for our family. We went up there and the boys swam - there was a jacuzzi with a waterfall along with a pool and a very shallow toddler pool. The boys had a great time. Matthew couldn't swim, because his line can't get wet, but he could sit on the top step of the hot tub or pool. Then we had a fancy dinner at the resort restaurant. The Prime Rib was some of the best I've ever tasted! Afterwards we got into jammies, watched movies, and were all asleep well before midnight! :-)
Last thing, and then I will end this insanely long update! Baby Jake is so stinkin' cute! I thought about posting pictures of him on his own blog, but can't resist putting a few here! He is nearly 2 months old and HUGE! I'm anxious to see how much he has grown since his last doctors appointment!
Here is a good shot of Jake's red hair - and his famous 'Hold to the Rod' pose
One evening Matt asked to hold Jake while I was cooking dinner. I thought it had gotten awfully quiet....
Smiling at Daddy
Check out those cheeks!!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Fun, ANNUAL family tradition! (Or, 'New Blue Cast' the Drew event.....)
Almost exactly one year ago, on Thanksgiving day, Will broke his arm..... (See post, here).
Since Drew can't handle that sort of one-upmanship, he decided that not only would he break his arm, he would out-do Will by completely snapping his humerus in two places. He also thought that emergency surgery and staying overnight in the hospital would really show Will and his other brothers how this broken arm thing is done!
Truly, I wish I could figure out how to put a copy of his X-ray on my blog! His arm was literally in 3 pieces with the small middle broken bone turned sideways - his arm bone looked like a 'Z'.
On Sunday afternoon I was in a cooking mood. I had a yummy smelling pot roast in the oven with potatoes and carrots, a fancy salad, and homemade challah bread. I was putting the last touches on dinner and waiting for the roast to finish when I heard Drew start to cry. He and Will had been playing nicely upstairs (or so I thought!) When I went to the stairs I noticed Drew holding his arm funny - it was sort of hanging there and not moving. When I unbuttoned his shirt and saw his arm I just calmly told Nate to 'go get Dad right now'. Drew's arm was very clearly broken. We left the 4 other boys with Diana and went right to the Emergency room.
At first, the only story we got from Drew and Will was that Drew was getting a piggy back ride from Will. The ER doctor really questioned this (making me feel like an awful mom!) He said that breaks this severe don't happen if a child falls off a piggy back ride. Upon further questioning, it seems Drew was getting a piggy back ride ON WILL'S SHOULDERS! Apparently, Will sat on the edge of the bed and told Drew to climb on his shoulders. When Will went to stand up (with Drew) he lost his balance - Drew is only about 10-15 lbs. lighter than Will! Will stumbled forward and Drew toppled off his shoulders, hyper extending his arm on the way down and snapping his arm.
So, the ER doctors had to call in the Orthopedic surgeon who took one look at the X-rays and said Drew needed to be in surgery ASAP to avoid nerve damage. Within the hour, Drew was taken to surgery. Luckily, the doctor didn't have to open up the arm, he was able to set the break with pins. That was the best possible solution for the severity of the break, so we were happy. Drew spent the night in the hospital and we arrived home around noon on Monday.
Yesterday we went back for a follow up. Drew was having some pain in his arm, despite the fact that he was on a maximum dose of pain medication). They took X-rays again to rule out the pins shifting and also checked him closely for infection. The doctor determined that it was most likely nerve pain or his arm had gotten bumped a bit. He decided to go ahead and put Drew in a hard cast, rather than waiting until Monday when it was originally scheduled.
So, here you have "New Blue Cast" version Drew!
Since Drew can't handle that sort of one-upmanship, he decided that not only would he break his arm, he would out-do Will by completely snapping his humerus in two places. He also thought that emergency surgery and staying overnight in the hospital would really show Will and his other brothers how this broken arm thing is done!
Truly, I wish I could figure out how to put a copy of his X-ray on my blog! His arm was literally in 3 pieces with the small middle broken bone turned sideways - his arm bone looked like a 'Z'.
On Sunday afternoon I was in a cooking mood. I had a yummy smelling pot roast in the oven with potatoes and carrots, a fancy salad, and homemade challah bread. I was putting the last touches on dinner and waiting for the roast to finish when I heard Drew start to cry. He and Will had been playing nicely upstairs (or so I thought!) When I went to the stairs I noticed Drew holding his arm funny - it was sort of hanging there and not moving. When I unbuttoned his shirt and saw his arm I just calmly told Nate to 'go get Dad right now'. Drew's arm was very clearly broken. We left the 4 other boys with Diana and went right to the Emergency room.
At first, the only story we got from Drew and Will was that Drew was getting a piggy back ride from Will. The ER doctor really questioned this (making me feel like an awful mom!) He said that breaks this severe don't happen if a child falls off a piggy back ride. Upon further questioning, it seems Drew was getting a piggy back ride ON WILL'S SHOULDERS! Apparently, Will sat on the edge of the bed and told Drew to climb on his shoulders. When Will went to stand up (with Drew) he lost his balance - Drew is only about 10-15 lbs. lighter than Will! Will stumbled forward and Drew toppled off his shoulders, hyper extending his arm on the way down and snapping his arm.
So, the ER doctors had to call in the Orthopedic surgeon who took one look at the X-rays and said Drew needed to be in surgery ASAP to avoid nerve damage. Within the hour, Drew was taken to surgery. Luckily, the doctor didn't have to open up the arm, he was able to set the break with pins. That was the best possible solution for the severity of the break, so we were happy. Drew spent the night in the hospital and we arrived home around noon on Monday.
Yesterday we went back for a follow up. Drew was having some pain in his arm, despite the fact that he was on a maximum dose of pain medication). They took X-rays again to rule out the pins shifting and also checked him closely for infection. The doctor determined that it was most likely nerve pain or his arm had gotten bumped a bit. He decided to go ahead and put Drew in a hard cast, rather than waiting until Monday when it was originally scheduled.
So, here you have "New Blue Cast" version Drew!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Re-creating the wheel.......
This year, our computer crashed. I've gotten a good lesson in backing up files (I lost all of my photos, music, and other files) and also a good lesson in not turning your 'old' computer into the 'kids' computer until you take your Christmas card list and put it on your new computer!!! Alex (my computer whiz kid brother) was able to retrieve a majority of my files, but right now my hard drive from the old computer is at his house waiting for me to go through every computer file and stick it where it belongs - I anticipate this taking several months once I actually begin....
Anyhow, I am hoping that you guys can all send me your addresses so I can re-create my Christmas card list. The thought of hunting down all of our friends from New York, Boston, and Chicago is a little overwhelming at the moment! Please email me at:
goodworth1@aol.com
Thank you everyone!!!
Anyhow, I am hoping that you guys can all send me your addresses so I can re-create my Christmas card list. The thought of hunting down all of our friends from New York, Boston, and Chicago is a little overwhelming at the moment! Please email me at:
goodworth1@aol.com
Thank you everyone!!!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Thanksgiving and the 2nd round of Temodar!
We had a very eventful week this week! Particularly, when you consider that Jake is only two weeks old! On Tuesday I HAD to go buy some pants that actually fit me. There is nothing more demoralizing than giving birth and then trying on pants.... Anyhow, I thought that since we had a rather busy week ahead, I might need something to wear besides the Yoga pants I had worn every day since Jake was born! :-) So, Tuesday I went and got Thanksgiving groceries, tried (unsuccessfully - long story) to fill Matt's chemo prescription, and bought pants. On Wednesday Matt had an appointment with Oncology so he could start the next round of Chemo. Matt, Jake, and I left early - around 8:00 a.m. and picked up my mom at work so she could come with us. Matt's appointment went well. We met with a new Oncologist (since our regular, but never actually sees us doctor is on personal leave for 2 months......) and we really liked him. He spent quite awhile evaluating Matthew and talking with us. Matt looked great. His counts were wonderful and he got the go-ahead to start the next round of Temodar. We also found out that next month Matt will get another full set of MRI's. I thought this would be happening in January, and am not really looking forward to having these done a few days before Christmas. I talked to the doctor about our next plan if the Temodar (like the Carboplatin) is not shrinking Matt's tumor. He said there would be another 'tumor board' meeting about him and that most likely Matt would begin radiation earlier than originally planned. I am just anxious to get the scans and results! Each treatment we try brings us closer to the end of the options we have - once you've tried several Chemotherapies, the chance of any Chemotherapy affecting the tumor is slim since all Chemotherapies take advantage of the same process. I just want the Temodar to WORK!!!
Thursday was Thanksgiving (and, incidentally, Warren and I's ELEVEN year anniversary!) and we just had a wonderful day! We hosted the dinner - but I didn't cook anything (thanks Meg for organizing, and everyone for bringing everything and helping!) I was more comfortable keeping Jake at home and having people here, then I was taking him out in the cold while he is so tiny. My brother-in-law did a deep fried turkey. It was so FUN and the turkey was amazing! The food was awesome and the company was even better. Alex (my brother) brought his Wii and there was always a crowd of kids and adults laughing and playing games. Everyone seemed to enjoy eating and visiting and eating some more.
The rest of the long weekend was spent putting up Christmas decorations, and Warren and I were able to go out to dinner Saturday night to celebrate our anniversary. I kept Jake home from church again on Sunday - I'm just not ready to expose him to 'Church germs' yet! :-)
Matt completed his second round of Temodar yesterday (Sunday). He has seemed to tolerate it pretty well, although today he has been complaining of being tired and has had a hard time eating. Tonight I made chicken and black bean enchiladas - usually a favorite dinner for him. However, he took one bite, turned completely pale, and I thought he was going to be sick. He made himself a cheese sandwich, but still only ate a few bites. Hopefully this symptom will be short lived and he will be able to eat normally in a day or two. I will be interested to see if this round of Chemotherapy affects his blood counts. So far, nothing has really bothered his counts, and he seems to have 'Chemo-proof hair'. I keep trying to prepare him to lose his hair, but that isn't happening. His hair is as thick and wiry as ever!
Let the Holidays begin!
-Alli
Thursday was Thanksgiving (and, incidentally, Warren and I's ELEVEN year anniversary!) and we just had a wonderful day! We hosted the dinner - but I didn't cook anything (thanks Meg for organizing, and everyone for bringing everything and helping!) I was more comfortable keeping Jake at home and having people here, then I was taking him out in the cold while he is so tiny. My brother-in-law did a deep fried turkey. It was so FUN and the turkey was amazing! The food was awesome and the company was even better. Alex (my brother) brought his Wii and there was always a crowd of kids and adults laughing and playing games. Everyone seemed to enjoy eating and visiting and eating some more.
The rest of the long weekend was spent putting up Christmas decorations, and Warren and I were able to go out to dinner Saturday night to celebrate our anniversary. I kept Jake home from church again on Sunday - I'm just not ready to expose him to 'Church germs' yet! :-)
Matt completed his second round of Temodar yesterday (Sunday). He has seemed to tolerate it pretty well, although today he has been complaining of being tired and has had a hard time eating. Tonight I made chicken and black bean enchiladas - usually a favorite dinner for him. However, he took one bite, turned completely pale, and I thought he was going to be sick. He made himself a cheese sandwich, but still only ate a few bites. Hopefully this symptom will be short lived and he will be able to eat normally in a day or two. I will be interested to see if this round of Chemotherapy affects his blood counts. So far, nothing has really bothered his counts, and he seems to have 'Chemo-proof hair'. I keep trying to prepare him to lose his hair, but that isn't happening. His hair is as thick and wiry as ever!
Let the Holidays begin!
-Alli
Monday, November 12, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
24 Hours Old!
I can't believe how quickly babies become a part of your life. Baby Jake is only 24 hours old and already I can't imagine our family without him. I know he was meant to come to us. In honor of this 24 hour milestone, I want to post 24 things I LOVE about my sweet boy already:
1)His sweet red hair - I was hoping for another redhead!
2)The way he smiles in his sleep.
3)His BIG feet.
4)His soft cry. It's really more of a grunt - I have yet to hear him really cry!
5)His little fingers interlocking in funny ways when he sleeps.
6)His strong neck. He can already hold his head up!
7)The way he sighs. When he is awake he just never stops 'talking'.
8)His cute frog tongue. His tongue flicks in and out all the time.
9)The way he makes Will smile. Jake is definitely Will's brother - they look just alike and Will is so thrilled!
10)His calm personality. He is really quite content to gaze around.
11)His soft skin.
12)His yummy baby smell - how do babies automatically smell this way?!?
13)His scrunchy little nose.
14)His long fingernails. We already had to clip them this morning!
15)His round belly.
16)His long arms and legs tucked in like a little frog.
17)His name. I think Baby Jake is so sweet!
18)That he is ours. We love him so much already!
19)How much the boys love him. Drew just cried last night when Diana took them home because he wanted to see Baby Jake one more time.
20)Watching Nate hold him. You could just tell he was thrilled to be a big brother.
21)How happy Matt is to 'have our very own basketball team!'
22)Jake's serious expressions.
23)How he hates to be swaddled, already. He fights to free his hands.
24)How he completes our family. We are so blessed to be the parents of this little bundle of Heaven!
-Alli
1)His sweet red hair - I was hoping for another redhead!
2)The way he smiles in his sleep.
3)His BIG feet.
4)His soft cry. It's really more of a grunt - I have yet to hear him really cry!
5)His little fingers interlocking in funny ways when he sleeps.
6)His strong neck. He can already hold his head up!
7)The way he sighs. When he is awake he just never stops 'talking'.
8)His cute frog tongue. His tongue flicks in and out all the time.
9)The way he makes Will smile. Jake is definitely Will's brother - they look just alike and Will is so thrilled!
10)His calm personality. He is really quite content to gaze around.
11)His soft skin.
12)His yummy baby smell - how do babies automatically smell this way?!?
13)His scrunchy little nose.
14)His long fingernails. We already had to clip them this morning!
15)His round belly.
16)His long arms and legs tucked in like a little frog.
17)His name. I think Baby Jake is so sweet!
18)That he is ours. We love him so much already!
19)How much the boys love him. Drew just cried last night when Diana took them home because he wanted to see Baby Jake one more time.
20)Watching Nate hold him. You could just tell he was thrilled to be a big brother.
21)How happy Matt is to 'have our very own basketball team!'
22)Jake's serious expressions.
23)How he hates to be swaddled, already. He fights to free his hands.
24)How he completes our family. We are so blessed to be the parents of this little bundle of Heaven!
-Alli
Hallelujia!!!! FINALLY - we have a baby!
Yesterday morning, when I went in for my appointment, my OB gave me the option to induce. He said that since I was close to my due date, my body seemed ready, and I had given birth vaginally twice before that perhaps some low-dose Pitocin was not an unreasonable risk. I thought about it for about, oh, 2 full seconds before I agreed! We went to the hospital, got all hooked up, and once a good labor pattern was established with the Potocin, they were able to turn it off! Apparently my body was ready and just needed a little kick start! After about 7 hours of labor ...........(drum roll please!)
Jacob Dunlap G. was born!!!
He weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz.
He was 22 inches long.
He was born at 8:24 p.m.
I couldn't believe how big he was - my biggest baby by 13 oz.! (Matt was the previous record holder at 8 lbs. 2 oz.).
Pictures to follow soon......
-Alli
Jacob Dunlap G. was born!!!
He weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz.
He was 22 inches long.
He was born at 8:24 p.m.
I couldn't believe how big he was - my biggest baby by 13 oz.! (Matt was the previous record holder at 8 lbs. 2 oz.).
Pictures to follow soon......
-Alli
Friday, November 09, 2007
Random post - but I thought this was too funny!
So, I expect to have another toddler in my life soon (well, assuming this baby ever decides to come out - hopefully before s/he actually IS a toddler!)
This video cracked me up. Anyone who has, or has ever had a toddler can relate!
Toddler UTube.
This video cracked me up. Anyone who has, or has ever had a toddler can relate!
Toddler UTube.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Matt's first shower in THREE MONTHS!!!
We are so excited! Because of Matt's Broviac in his chest, he isn't allowed to shower or swim. Other parents I have spoken with who have children with Broviacs are allowed daily showers, but I suppose Primary Children's is extra conservative in this regard. I even went to the 'official' Broviac site and they say that kids can shower and swim with Broviacs in!
Anyhow, any of you with 9 year old boys care to comment on how well sponge baths and 1x weekly bathing would work for your boys?!? Particularly now that Matt is attending school each day, he gets pretty stinky and sweaty. I have been going bananas trying to keep him clean! So, as I was researching on the web I found this product. I bought a package and when his home health supply company called I asked them if they carried this product and they do! They will keep me supplied so Matt can have daily showers! I know it's a silly thing to be thrilled about, but it makes such a difference to us. Imagine being a 9 year old boy and your mother having to bathe you in a bathtub - Matt had to hold a towel over his site so I could help him wash his hair/body without getting his line wet!
He thoroughly enjoyed his first shower in months. The stuff did start to peel off toward the end of his shower. I think we need to play around with it a bit to find a strategy that keeps things perfectly dry, but this was a big improvement over our previous system!
-Alli
Oh, and no, not yet, obviously.....
Anyhow, any of you with 9 year old boys care to comment on how well sponge baths and 1x weekly bathing would work for your boys?!? Particularly now that Matt is attending school each day, he gets pretty stinky and sweaty. I have been going bananas trying to keep him clean! So, as I was researching on the web I found this product. I bought a package and when his home health supply company called I asked them if they carried this product and they do! They will keep me supplied so Matt can have daily showers! I know it's a silly thing to be thrilled about, but it makes such a difference to us. Imagine being a 9 year old boy and your mother having to bathe you in a bathtub - Matt had to hold a towel over his site so I could help him wash his hair/body without getting his line wet!
He thoroughly enjoyed his first shower in months. The stuff did start to peel off toward the end of his shower. I think we need to play around with it a bit to find a strategy that keeps things perfectly dry, but this was a big improvement over our previous system!
-Alli
Oh, and no, not yet, obviously.....
Monday, November 05, 2007
For those who need to know!
NOPE....... NOT YET! :-)
Since I have received several emails and calls today, I thought I should confirm. I told Luke (my BIL who said the baby would be late) that if he is the winner of our baby poll, he doesn't get the prize!!! (Not that there really is a prize, but it made me feel better to punish him somehow.....)
All is well here, though. Matt is having an exceptionally great week. He looks better than he has looked in ages. He is going to school all day long and is remembering minute details about his day - YEA!!!
I need to post Halloween pictures....... Soon, I (sort of) promise!
-Alli
Since I have received several emails and calls today, I thought I should confirm. I told Luke (my BIL who said the baby would be late) that if he is the winner of our baby poll, he doesn't get the prize!!! (Not that there really is a prize, but it made me feel better to punish him somehow.....)
All is well here, though. Matt is having an exceptionally great week. He looks better than he has looked in ages. He is going to school all day long and is remembering minute details about his day - YEA!!!
I need to post Halloween pictures....... Soon, I (sort of) promise!
-Alli
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