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May 2007 5/31/07 | John went home today around noon. He has to get an antibiotic through his IV three times a day until Wednesday. He and Dinki will be travelling to NY on Sunday and come back home late in the week. Please pray for a safe journey and a wall of protection around them as they travel. | 5/29/07 | We received some test results from John's blood tests and he has a germ causing his fever. While the lab has not fully identified the germ, they expect to in the next day or two. John will be in the hospital through at least Thursday. His spirits are pretty low, but he has his bright moments and we savor those.
Please pray that the lab could quickly identify the germ so they can determine what specific antibiotic to use. Depending on the antibiotic, he will have to get it intravenously three times a day or one time a day. We are praying he will be able to travel to MSKCC to get the tests he needs to determine the next treatments. | 5/28/07 |
We took John in around 5:00pm on Sunday evening becuase his fever had gotten very high. He is doing pretty good so far and they do not yet know the cause if the fever, but has gone down and is staying down. We are praying that he can go home tomorrow. Next week (June 4 - 8) we are scheduled to return to MSKCC to have a series of tests run on John. Tuesday and Wednesday the following tests will determine his progression from his sixth chemo treatments: If all these test results show John to be disease free, then we will likely be back up MSKCC the week of June 18 for this first 3F8 antibody treatments. These 3F8 treatments will be given over a weeks time and will be one once a month at MSKCC for the next six months or longer. Radiation therapy is also planned after John begins his 3F8 treatments. | 5/27/07 3:50p | John is running a temperature and is getting close to the level that will requires us to take him to the hospital. We need our prayer warriors to come forth and fight against the enemy and take this feaver away from John and the infection or other source causing it. Please join with us in lifting John up before the throne of Jesus. Thank you The latter part of the week has been somewhat uneventful. John’s counts have continued to drop. On Saturday, he had to have platelets. He’s still been struggling with mouth sores and pain in his esophagus which makes eating a challenge. He’s been eating Mommy’s home cooking as much as he can, though. His oncologist really wants him to gain weight. Today, he’s been teetering on the edge of a fever. Please pray he will remain well. | | 5/23/07 | John has been doing pretty well this week, but he has had some mouth sores and had to get a blood transfusion yesterday. He and his brothers are enjoying each other's company. Please pray for the sores in his mouth and for him to stay well. | 5/19/07 | You prayer warriors continue to amaze me. I believe John's fever dissipated because of the many prayers you submitted to God. Thank you!!! We aren't out of the woods yet. John's counts should take their biggest nose dive on Monday. We will guard him well, all the while, knowing God is in control.
John is thriving at home. He ate breakfast before we left the hospital on Friday morning. You have to understand. He had not eaten breakfast or lunch all week. He, also, ate a large lunch and a substantial supper last night. Late yesterday afternoon, we realized he had not had a dose of his anti-nausea medicine since very early in the morning. This medicine is given every four hours. Suffice to say, the boy had made it all day, eating heartily, without meds. God is great and greatly to be praised!
Our Friday night Family Night was one we will relish for quite some time. We have much to be thankful for, much to celebrate, and just thoroughly enjoyed being together. It's the simple things in life that matter the most. We are learning this the hard way. I pray each of you will enjoy the relationships in your life even if it's just being in the same room reminiscing. John has truly taught us Mark 10:15. "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” (NKJV)
The web site has often attested to John's strength. And his strength comes from the Lord. When we were in NY this last time, and I had just heard the news of the possibility of having a sixth treatment, I began to weep. John looked me square in the eye and said, "Don't start!" He won't let me cry anymore. He only wants to get done what he needs to get done. He doesn't dwell on what will be. He faces the day for what it is and presses forward. As a parent, this is hard. At times, I feel like I have let him down. My strength is coming through John. He is a precious little boy. I wish all of you could sit beside him as he faces each new battle. I begin to, verbally, prepare him for the next phase. And he looks at me and says, "Mom, I know. Let's do it." I choke back the tears and remember Paul. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)
May we all enter each day with childlike faith and press on toward God's call; not our own.
Love,
DINKI | 5/18/08 | We were all prepared to go home yesterday about 4:00p and John developed a fever of 101. After consulting with the medical team, it was determined that it was safest for John if he stayed the night. His fever quickly dissiapated and was gone by 9:00p and has not returned. We're heading home this morning and can't wait to be back in our own house and beds. Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement during John's continued treatments. | 5/16/2007 | Hey there. Sorry it's been a few days on the web. Here's the latest on John and the rest of us.
John checked in to CMC (Carolinas Medical Center) Monday afternoon. We had a short visit to the clinic before admitting. Fortunately, the clinic is just down the hall at the hospital on the same floor as the room he stays overnight in. Blood counts were all good. All systems go.
John needed the usual six to eight hours of hydration before we could start his chemo treatment. Shortly after midnight, his sixth cycle began. His spirits are good, but his tummy is questionable. He threw up twice yesterday. However, he was able to eat Mommy's potato soup for supper last night and held it down. Yeah! He definitely does not like the hospital food.
We had a few visitors yesterday and some today. We love seeing you guys. It really makes John happy. NY is great for its care, but you just can't duplicate friends. We are blessed beyond measure to have such an amazing support group! Thanks to all of you.
John will possibly go home Thursday around 3:00p and be done with this cycle. We'll see how he is progressing tomorrow. George slept over at the hospital last night and James is sleeping with John tonight. They so love their little brother and want to support him in any way they can. Dinki and I usually alternate nights, but sometime he wants "mommy" a couple of nights in a row so daddy has to go home to sleep.
It has been good to be back home these last two weeks and we hope to be home at least two or three more weeks before we have to return to NY.
| | 5/13/07 | It's been a great week home with John and a nice Mother's day. We were able to attend church together as a family with John for the first time in a couple of months. We were blessed by the teaching we received. John is going to get a sixth chemo treament here in Charlotte at CMC strating Monday afternoon (5/14). He will be in the hospital for about five days. | Happy Birthday James and Dad! May 11 |
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