Very blessed! and very stuffed...

Today we were totally spoiled by one of Jacob's classmates, Payton (with more then a little help from her Mom, DeAnna).

Jake has missed a week and a half of school now and Payton is one of the kids in his class that has been very concerned. Today they brought us a meal and bags of goodies to help us during this season of waiting. The chicken was so good and the Mac N Cheese was extraordinary. I thought Brian's plate was going to break under the mountainous serving he put on his plate! The boys are playing with the speed racer car even as I am typing this post.

Included amongst all the treats was this dessert cookie which sums up what we are all feeling right now...

Payton and DeAnna
Thank you so much for the meal and all of the wonderful goodies!

Postponed.....again

Today's treatment was postponed due to the lingering virus that Jake has in his system.
In meeting with the Dr., she felt there was still enough congestion in his lungs and sinuses that it was best to wait a little longer.

The next phase of treatment is most successful when it is done in a continuous window. The last thing we want to do is to start the treatment and then have the virus still be in his system and have it ramp back up again once his immune system is compromised. The risks at that point are much higher and the success rate of the treatment will be lessened. Because of this we have an appt. Monday afternoon with the Dr to take another look. We will call in the morning and give her the update on where Jake is compared to today. If she feels there is a good chance we can start, we will go into the clinic and have them run the CBC to make sure his blood counts agree with her assessment as well.

Here's praying for a quiet weekend and for some of Tanya's homemade chicken noodle soup!!!!!

A few of my favorite vacation shots

Anoka Aquatics Center

With Grandpa at the fair

The boys on the car ride up to the lake. The cavalier is so cozy!

Fishing of the dock on Leech Lake



Showing good form during the canoe races.

Winners of the canoe race enjoying their victory

Joshua enjoying his time on the lake. Jake taking full advantage of his swim day Battling on Rock Band First night of fishing. Nice Bass! Checking out the nights catch. Hi! Good Looking Cousins! My sweet Allissa Mae Brian catching some air off of the slide. Head first Dylan enjoying some down time Coolest Grandma Ever!!! Aunt Jenny goes flying Jacob and Cody fighting each other during pirate battles Jacob, Cole, Cody and Joshua End of the day - at the bonfire Logan wearing smores and dirt

New Game Plan

The good news is that both boys are feeling much better and moving on towards good health. The bad news is that I have tissue stuck in both nostrils as I type this update. I hate being sick!!!

Now that Jacob is feeling better we are rescheduled to start Delayed Intensification on Friday the 19th. During this phase we will be introducing a new chemotherapy agent so please pray that Jacob tolerates the medicines well with little side effects. On Monday he will be back at the office to receive a double shot of asparaginase - and while that sounds like a nice coffee break - it is really two large intramuscular injections. I tried to encourage Jacob that they do numb the legs with Emla to help out with the pain and he thought we should talk to Dr Odom about using Valium. What a weird little world we live in.

Check back for more updates.

waiting for whats next

I am starting to think that waiting is far more exhausting then doing. Anyone else ever feel that way?

I am basing this on the fact that I feel far more exhausted then I have for... (OK - not forever - which is what I was going to put) but for a long time.

• Wrung out
  
• drained
  
• stretched thin
  
• empty
• bushed
• depleted
• fatigued
• sleepy
• tuckered
• weary
• pooped

It must take a lot of energy to do nothing. (OK - again trying to stay truthful - not nothing. But, also, not a whole lot of something.)

I think the exhaustion is magnified by uncertainty. Jake's chemo has been delayed due to low numbers at his visit last Wednesday. It is kinda funny to have the blood work and numbers before the symptoms, but the soar throat, cough and massive amount of snot soon backed up the numbers. Joshua decided to join in making it a family adventure.


Sunday evening Jacob spiked a fever sending us to the ER for blood work and cultures and a chest film. Following IV antibiotics we were back home to the waiting game. Jacob is starting to feel better and we will check in with Dr Odom to find out when we can be back on track. We will try and keep you posted