A Light at the End of the Tunnel

We were pleased to find, when Jim saw his doctor last Friday, that while his blood counts were low, he did not require any transfusions. Also, all the tests came back negative for any infection. A bone marrow biopsy will be scheduled toward the end of February which will tell us if there are any leukemia cells present. If there are none, Jim will be declared in remission. More good news is that Jim’s doctor has given him a date when he will be released to return to work. The targeted date for return to work on a part-time basis is March 2. He will be allowed to work 20 hours a week for the first month with full-time work resuming the first of April. What a relief to feel that the end is in sight.

Jim saw his doctor again last Wednesday. His white blood count was high enough for him to be out and about in public again. That’s a special treat to Jim that really helps with cabin fever he sometimes feels. We were surprised to learn that Jim’s platelets and hemoglobin had both fallen. Transfusions were not necessary for platelets even though they had dropped, and the decision was made not to give a transfusion for hemoglobin. Jim was asked to return again in two days, which will be tomorrow, to recheck his counts. The hope is that his body will have begun to make blood cells on its own. Jim was told that after this many rounds of chemotherapy, it is not uncommon for his counts to rise at a slower rate than before.

In closing, as we near the end of Jim’s treatment, Jim wanted me to share this favorite verse with you as he strives to finish strong. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

Thanks for your care for us and for all your prayers. We will continue to keep you posted as we learn more.

He's Home!

I am so happy to tell you that Jim was discharged this afternoon after receiving a unit of platelets. His white blood count, while it is still low, was high enough to be discharged.

I can't explain in words what it means to have him home. It is such a relief to our entire family and just seems to make things right again. It's as if there is a heavy burden on my shoulders when he is gone and it is somewhat lifted when he returns home. All is right in our world again.

Thank you again for all the hugs and encouragement we have received from so many. Jim returns to the doctor on Friday.

It's All Good

What a difference a good night's sleep and taking a new perspective makes. This morning I counted all the blessings in my life that I could think of. There are so many. I am so blessed.

Jim is doing well. His counts are all slowly rising, except for his platelets which dropped only a little. There was no need for any transfusions today. The doctor who did rounds this morning told Jim that as soon as his counts were high enough, he could be discharged. That might not mean tomorrow, but we will take it day by day and see where his counts are. He is thrilled with the new medicine for his mouth. He was able to eat solid foods to the first time today. And he is grateful for those who visit him.

The big praise is that Steven is feeling better. The symptoms he experienced yesterday seemed to subside and his fever didn't return. He is feeling much better today. We believe that is a direct answer to prayer because we have seen him go the other way when symptoms like that appear.

Thank you for your prayers and concern for our family. Thanks for the meals and treats and phone calls and well wishes. Our wonderful friends and family were among the blessings I counted today.

Good News and Bad News

The good news is that Jim was given a new prescription to treat his mouth sores and it seems to be giving him some relief. It's called Lidocaine Viscous, and Jim described it as feeling like the numbing you might get in a dentist's office. It numbs his mouth and tongue and allows him to eat without feeling any pain and irritation. His nurse is the one who actually suggested it. Jim has had the most wonderful nurses and this is just another example of why we think so.

Jim's hemoglobin count went up on its own from yesterday without any transfusions. That is also good news and indicates his bone marrow may be generating blood cells on its own.

The bad news is mostly what I consider bad. Even though Jim is doing well, his doctor would like to keep him in the hospital until Tuesday instead of Monday to give his blood counts a chance to recover even more. I was disappointed when I heard that. I know it is the best for Jim, but I am ready for him to be home. More bad news is that Steven has not been feeling well since yesterday. He has had allergy symptoms (sneezing, congestion, watery eyes) and this evening had a low grade fever. Often his allergy symptoms trigger an exacerbation of his cystic fibrosis. He is being compliant to take all of his meds and treatments, but I'm not sure what that will mean for Jim's discharge date.

Honestly, I am discouraged by all this and somewhat disheartened. We had seemed to be sailing through Jim's treatment well and I've been looking forward to having this all behind us and moving on with life. At the risk of sounding like I'm whining, I did not anticipate having my husband in the hospital and a sick child at home. Seems that nothing is ever easy.

However, once again, I can testify as to the faithfulness of God. This morning at church, I thought things were going along as planned and that Jim would be home tomorrow. I had two people offer to provide three meals for us this week. I agreed to each of them but felt that it was a bit unnecessary; I did, however, look forward to not having to think about meal planning this week. Now it looks as though our week may be more difficult than I thought. God provides even before I knew we had a need. How cool is that? Very encouraging to me.

We would covet your prayers. Please pray:

• that Steven would continue to be compliant and that his medications would be effective and symptoms would subside.
• for wisdom for the doctors as they make decisions about Jim's care and discharge.
• for the peace that passes understanding for me and for the strength and encouragement to be a single parent while Jim is away. And for contentment in all situations.

Thanks for your love and care for us. I will do my best to get my rest and enjoy the hugs I'm getting from Brad who seems tuned in to when I'm having a tough time. Another blessing indeed!

Visiting Jim

Jim had a good day today. He received 2 units of hemoglobin yesterday and one unit of platelets today. His color was good when I visited and as his mom said, "The smile was back in his eyes." Jim's mom and dad are here from Grand Rapids for the weekend to visit Jim and help us out at home. We appreciate them so much.

Jim continues to take medicine to treat his mouth sores and they are somewhat better. He now has stepped it up to eating soft foods. Antibiotics are being continued and we still expect his discharge to be on Monday. Thanks for your prayers.

A Bump In The Road

Last night when I was getting ready for bed, Jim asked me if I knew where the thermometer was. I checked his forehead and knew immediately that he was running a fever. The thermometer read 101.5 degrees. Jim called the oncology doctor who was on call for the evening and after the doctor heard that his white blood count was at 0.2, he told Jim to take two Tylenol and meet him at the emergency room. So, we bundled up and headed to the hospital. By the time we were taken back to an exam room, Jim's fever had returned to normal. The doctor examined him and decided it would be best to admit Jim to the hospital. He had received a unit of platelets that morning so it is possible that the fever was related to that, but with essentially no immune system, the doctor thought it best to admit him for IV antibiotics. This will protect Jim if he picked up some kind of bug.

Jim has been comfortable all day today with no recurrent fever. He received 2 more units of hemoglobin. His mouth sores are still a problem; he was only able to eat a little pudding and some cream of mushroom soup. The plan is to keep him as an in-patient until Monday.

So, we've hit a little bump in the road, but we expect that Jim will be back on track soon. Thanks for your concern and for all your prayers.

Medications

We were told that usually it takes 7 to 10 days after chemotherapy for the blood counts to drop. This time around, Jim's counts began to drop after about 5 days. Last Friday, Jim received 2 units of hemoglobin and one unit of platelets because his counts were low. He did fine over the weekend and enjoyed the Superbowl with his favorite team winning the game.

Today he woke up and showed me his tongue. It was swollen and covered with mouth sores. He could hardly talk because it was so sore. He admitted he had a few mouth sores over the weekend but never complained, but he had begun the medication that was prescribed to help soothe the irritation. When he saw the nurse this morning, he told her this was the worst bout of mouth sores he has ever experienced so another medication was prescribed. Here's just a sample of some of Jim's meds.

The medication on the left in the box is the new medication and the the liquid medication in the bottle in the center is also for mouth sores. He is now using both medications and receiving some relief. He is not able to eat, however, and only had a couple Carnation Instant Breakfast shakes today.

It's been our experience that the next couple of weeks will be the toughest. Jim's blood counts will continue to be low and transfusions will be necessary. His white blood count is very low now which means he is not able to fight off infection or virus' well so he is not allowed out in public. Cabin fever and bordom will most likely set in. His energy level will be low and so running our household falls on my shoulders.

We are so grateful to those of you have followed this blog and pray for us. We would appreciate it if you would continue to pray. Please pray that:

• Jim would be completely healed of this disease.
• Jim would be protected from any germs, infection or illness.
• Jim's medication for his mouth sores would be effective and that he would receive relief and healing.
• I would remain strong and organized in managing kids schedules and attending to the needs of our home over this period of time as we wait for Jim to recover from the effects of chemotherapy.

This has been a tough journey and yet we remember how faithful God has been to hold our hand every step of the way - how He has protected us and comforted us and how He never leaves us. We look to Him again as we near the end of this treatment protocol. And we will shout, "Our God is good, and He is the faithful one."