I made it!

Posted by: Mommy It has been a crazy couple of months, but good news overall. CJ had his last chemo treatment at the end of April. Then mid May he got to finish his chemo pills. It was so strange not having to go through the nightly routine of getting cut off from eating and drinking by a certain time so he can take his medicine on time. We don’t have to plan everything we do around treatment and medicine. Plus no more steroids and no more “Roid Rage” would have to be my favorite part. Ever since treatment ended CJ’s check ups have surprised me. First month after treatment was over I was expecting his ANC to shoot way up over 2000. He has been so steady with his counts for almost a year having them land between 1700 and 1900. He gets his blood test and to everyone’s shock his ANC was 700, yet no one was worried. This was a completely different world than what I am used to. Before 700 meant we were home bound until they came up, now they said he could still go to school. He still has most of his precautions for at least six months after he stops treatment. He also has to take antibiotics for the first six months as part of the precautions. The doctors said his counts could be so low because he could be fighting something off. Luckily nothing became full blown, and he didn’t get sick. Since he did have such low counts getting his port taken out got put off. He went back the next week to get his counts checked to be on the safe side. His ANC went up 1100, which was good. We went back this past Tuesday for a check up and his ANC went up to 2300. That is what we need to expect. Since his counts recovered he was cleared to have his port taken out. Now I sit and wait for the phone call on when the surgery date is. I was told they would call me very soon and it would probably be next week. I guess the hospital’s idea of very soon and mine are two different things. I don’t think they realize I am a planner and need to know now instead of last minute. We waited this long I can suck it up a little loner. I think I might be more excited about the whole than CJ. On the personal side CJ has done baseball the last few months, with his team being the league champs for the rookie boys. If he keeps this up CJ will need his own personally trophy room by the time he gets out of high school. CJ also participated in Medals 4 Mettles program this year, which has medical students run in a marathon or mini-marathon and then they give their medals to the cancer patients as a way to encourage them through their treatment. It is a great experience and I am glad CJ got the chance to do it. CJ also had a party at school the day after his last treatment. I sent a cake (sports theme of course), and they celebrated his treatment finally being over. Now it is time to start our new normal for about the hundredth time in the last three and a half years, but now I can say CJ is not long a cancer patient, he is a cancer survivor.

3 years down

Picture#1 CJ on his 7th birthday
Picture#2 100 day project, with 100 Popsicle sticks

Posted by Mommy

Well it is that time of year again, CJ’s anniversary of his diagnoses. Monday it will be 3 years we have been in treatment. I say we because CJ might have had to taken the medicines but it has changed the entire family’s life. We went to the doctor this past Tuesday and came back with good news and a little reality check also.

First the good news, we thought CJ had 3 more treatments left after this last one, but he only has two. YEAH!!! He will have a spinal tap next month, (his last one). Then at the end of April he will have his final chemo treatment. He will then be on his chemo pills for a couple more weeks after that. He goes back at the end of May and his port will be accessed to drawl blood for every test known to man. As long as those come back good he will have surgery to remove his port in June. Also his ANC this last month was 1700 and holding steady. He has been very steady for a long time, which is good.

Now for the reality check, after chemo ends that does not end everything. We don’t just go back to how things were before he ever got sick and try to forget the last 3 years like it was a bad dream. The hardest is finished but we haven’t reached the finish line just yet. After CJ ends treatment we still have most of our precautions that have kept CJ out of the hospital for the last three years. It takes 6 months for his immune system to recover from the chemo. So the big plans of spending the summer at the lake will have to wait until next summer. Relapse is still possible and we can't let down our guard just yet. He will still go to the doctor every four weeks for blood tests and check ups for the next year. Then after that the appointments start to get further apart, but we will have five years of observation before he is considered cancer free. Each year of observation the chances of relapse are less and less.

One a personal note, since my last post CJ has turned 7 year old. He is still the tallest kid in his class, and seems to grow in front of my eyes. He is getting ready to start baseball this month and is in the next league up, instead of t-ball. He is also making A honor roll in school. As I looked through the pictures posted from the beginning of treatment CJ doesn’t even look like the same kid. He has grown and matured so much in these last 3 years it is hard to believe. He is such a great, brave strong kid, and a hero in our hearts.

Merry Christmas

Posted by: Mommy

It has been a while since I posted last, but just remember no news is good news. We are getting ready to start the New Year, and the last year of chemo treatment. He has only 6 chemo treatments left, and 2 Spinal Taps. To someone who hasn’t lived through this the last three years this may seem like a lot. To us, we see the light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn’t seem real yet. Mid May the treatment ends. Then the shining moment in June, the blood tests to see if the cancer is gone. If all goes well by the end of June CJ could be having surgery to remove his port. We will still be under the scope for several more years to make sure it stays gone, but just through blood tests, and not taking medicines every single day. It will feel strange not having to watch the clock every night to make sure I cut CJ off from eating and drinking at a certain time before he can take his medicine. I can’t wait to be spontaneous, and just go somewhere with out having to plan out and worry when will we be eating, and have to pack medicine or hurry home.

As for right now, CJ and the family had a good Christmas, lots of family, lots of food, and lots of gifts. He even talked to Santa at school this year. You couldn’t pay him to go close to him until now. I am still not sure, but I think just wanted to get close to him so he could see if he was real or not. He also lost both of his front teeth right before Christmas, so he heard all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, a lot. He was sick of the song by the time Christmas was over.

He went through basketball camp, which is his new love. All he wants to do is play basketball. Since he towers over most kids his age and has a little extra advantage. He can’t wait until he is old enough to play on the school team.

Everything else has been good. His counts are staying right where they are suppose to. We haven’t had any surprise in his treatment. And he is making straight A’s in school. We couldn’t ask for much more.

update

Post by: Mommy


Picture #1 decades day at school

Picture #2 first day of 1st grade



CJ is back to school and doing great. He is making all A’s in school and has lots of friends. His entire class is his friends so the only time he gets in trouble is from talking too much. CJ loves to talk, and likes helping others. He also loves sports, and can keep up with the big kids with no problems. He is also growing like crazy. He is the tallest kid in his class and almost every month we go to the doctor he gets a little taller. I keep telling him he better start practicing basketball, because he is going to be 7 foot tall at the rate he is going. He just tells me he would rather play football. He has decided he wants to be a police officer when he grows up so he can protect people from bad guys. But he still wants to learn to do magic tricks also. We just let him know he can do anything he wants.

As for treatment CJ is doing great. We are on count down mode. We have until May until he is finished with treatment. We spent the day at Kosairs on Tuesday for his routine spinal tap and chemo. His ANC was 1400, right where they want it to be. He still gets a little nervous right before they sedate him, but who wouldn’t at any age. He just doesn’t want me to leave his side, then wakes up within a few minutes after they are finished and is in happy drunk mode telling me how funny I look with four eyes and two heads. He will have two more spinal taps between now and May. It hasn’t sunk in yet that there is an end in sight. I guess I am still in the protector mode. I don’t want to let my guard down or something will happen. One more winter to get through before the end, one more flu season, less than one more year. Then we have to relearn life again. We will have a new normal again as a cancer survivor. He will still be closely watched by doctors. He will still have monthly blood test for the first year, getting further apart over the next 4 years. So it just doesn’t end all at once, but a new normal. Every phase in his treatment is a new normal. We are looking forward to the new normal.

Almost a First Grader

Posted by: Mommy

I have been getting behind on updating the blog lately, but always remember no news is good news. In the last couple of months CJ has finished T-ball, and graduated from Kindergarten. He received the most compassionate award in his class. The teacher said he always tries to help anyone new in the class. He did great in Kindergarten and is ready to start first grade in a couple of weeks.

CJ has also been perfecting his swimming skills, thanks to the Cates pool. He loves being outside playing every sport he can. He is debating if he wants to play soccer or basketball next. Every time I see CJ with a ball it just seems so natural. He is so talented.

Treatment the last couple months has been non-eventful. His counts are staying on the high side of normal. If he continues to respond to treatment this well his chemo will be raised again. This is not a bad thing it just means CJ is doing well. CJ is taking his treatments like a champ. I still thank God every time we go to the clinic how well CJ handles everything now. We go back next week for a spinal tap, and regular chemo

T-ball

Posted by: Mommy

We have had a busy couple of months this spring. First CJ started T-ball. This will be his last year of T-ball before the next league up. CJ loves playing. It is exciting watching this little boy play with so much passion at only six years old. He doesn’t play in the dirt, or spend the game watching what everyone else is doing except the game. CJ is focused. He plays first base most of the time and does it quite well. He gets multiple outs every game, and doesn’t have any problems hitting the ball either, no T for this kid. No home runs as of yet, but they make it to the fence most of the time. He loves people coming to watch him, and always looks over at me after he does something good to make sure I am watching, as if he didn’t already know by how loud I cheer.

We also had Easter. CJ got woke up bright and early by his little brother Easter morning. Hunter was already finding eggs that the Easter Bunny hid around the house the night before since it has been raining. I am also proud of CJ for telling me about the real meaning of Easter more than once. He is funny when he tells you, saying things like, “Mommy did you know Jesus came back from the dead on Easter. He died for us then he came back and went to live with God. God is Jesus’ daddy.” This makes me feel good knowing that he pays attention at church and school.

As for his chemo treatment, CJ’s counts continue to go up. Last visit his ANC was at 3600. Since the last two months his chemo is going up the doctors have decided to raise his chemo dose. This is good news since his chemo dose has been lower than normal since his last hospital visit. We are now back to his normal dose. We have to go back to the doctor next week to make sure this chemo dose increase didn’t lower his counts too much. The way he is acting I don’t think his counts are too low. He still has lots of energy, running and playing every chance he gets. This last visit CJ also had to get a spinal tap or sleepy test as he likes to call it. Everything went well except a little nausea after it was over. CJ seems to continue to do well with getting treatment. He hasn’t thrown any fits, and has accepted the fact that if he is good chemo is a lot easier. We found out that his final chemo treatment will be in May of 2012, instead of March like we originally thought. This is just how his treatment falls. So now I am officially counting down, one more year to go.

Two years down

Posted by: Mommy

As I get the kids tucked into bed my mind can’t help but think of what we were doing two years ago tonight. I have been thinking a lot about it for the last week now. Two years ago at the exact time we were sitting in the ER at Harrison County Hospital. My son who just turned 4 a little over a month before was sick. Earlier in the day I took him to the doctor for what I thought was a cold, maybe the flu at worse. We were sent for a blood test and were told to go home they would call us the next day with the results. It didn’t take until the next day, but only a little over an hour. Go to the hospital now, they said, something needs to be done tonight. This time two years ago we sit in a small room just dividing rooms with curtains, watching my 4 year old scared to death getting IVs put in his small arms, waiting for the ambulance to take us to Kosair. I never once thought my child could have cancer. Not until we were at Kosair and the doctors told me the bad news. For the next couple days it still felt unreal. This is not how it happens, people have to go through weeks of tests before they find cancer, not a couple of hours and you know. I was so scared, but could not show a single tear, I had to be brave for that little boy. I couldn’t let him see his mommy cry he was scared enough. I am still not sure how I did it.

I am not sure why this year it is bothering me so much more than last year. Maybe because we are so much closer to the end of treatment, we have an end in sight now and it just doesn’t seem real yet. Just thinking what will it is like not having to go to the doctor at least once a month. What is it like having your child get a small fever and not having to rush to the hospital? It just doesn’t seem real. You get so used to all the doctors and treatments, you are like a machine, you do what has to be done. You do what it takes to get your child better.

I just can’t help but think what CJ has been through these last two years. He has been through more pain, more treatments, and more doctors than most people have to go through in a life time. This now six year old boy has had to grow up so fast these last two years. He has had to learn that just because you don’t want to do something doesn’t mean you don’t have too. He has had to learn that life is not fair. Some other kids get to do things he just can’t, he can’t even go swimming in the lake or playing in the sand because it might make him sick. These lessons that some adults still haven’t learned, this six year old has accepted. He knows more about the body and how it works than a lot of adults. He might only aged two years much has matured so many more.

One more year to go before monthly chemo is over. One more year until he doesn’t have to take medicine every single day. One more year and he can be more like a normal child. One more year until we don’t have to spend thousands of dollars every year on doctors. One more year and we start our new normal again.

As for his treatment he is doing great. He is right where the doctors want him to be. We even spend less time than most cancer patients in the hospital. From the outside CJ is a normal kid. He goes to kindergarten; he plays t-ball in summer league, he likes sports and playing with his friends. From the outside most people would never know he has this condition. He looks nothing like the sick little boy that we took to the doctor two years ago. This six year old boy already says he wants to be a doctor when he grows up so he can help kids like him who have to have chemo. Two years down, and one more to go we are starting the count down now there is a light at the end of this long tunnel.

Crazy Month

Posted by: Mommy

It has been a crazy month this last month. First we had CJ in the hospital because of fever right before Christmas. It didn’t take him long to get over that and we spent less than 24 hours in the hospital. Next, we had Christmas with everyone. Luckily CJ didn’t have to miss any of that. We had a good Christmas and New Year. CJ also had a Birthday and turned 6.

Next, CJ got another fever last week on Thursday night, and back to the hospital we went. CJ got two flu tests, one negative and one positive. They let us go home 13 hours after we arrived and then had to come back the next morning for another flu test. This test ended up being negative. But since he got a positive we had to go off the chemo pill he takes each night and take flu medicine. He is now off the flu medicine, but has to start back on his chemo pills gradually. That means we also have to go back to the doctor in two weeks to get his counts checked again.

Last, we did go to clinic today also. This is where we found out about the flu tests and chemo pill doses changing. Also his ANC is at 1100. This is on the low side, but still in the range they want to keep it in. CJ was very brave during chemo, we are very proud of him. After chemo we went to Kosair for his Spinal Tap. The only problem was the chemo floor 7 West the in-patient part was overflowing with patients, so they turned 7 East into an in-patient overflow area. That meant we had to go to the 8th floor to get the LP done. The nurses and staff at the 8th floor were not used to us who this is just routine, so it seemed we were telling them how to do things. This means it took a little longer than usual, but we got through it, and CJ is feeling good and in a good mood. We are hoping next month is less eventful.

home

Posted by Mommy

Just wanted everyone to know we did make it home on Monday night. CJ has a cold, nothing more serious. He is still feeling tired and trying to get over it, but not sick enough to need the hospital. We might have to stay home through Christmas, but better at home than in the hospital.

quick update

Posted by Mommy

Just a quick update, CJ is in the hospital. He is running a fever and anytime he gets a fever we go to the hospital. We don't have any information as of yet, but hoping it is just a cold and we won't be in here more than a couple of days. We won't know anything for sure we just got to wait and see how CJ reacts, when he gets the fever down and how long he can keep it down. Just send prayers for a speeding recovery.

no news is good news

It’s been a couple of months since I have update, but just remember no news is good news. CJ’s last couple of clinic appointments have gone well. The only changes that have been made is that one of CJ’s chemo pills the dose was increased. The reason for this is that he grew an inch in a month. He has tolerated the change just fine with no side effects.

CJ has made it through his first full year of maintenance without any hospital stays. During his treatment he has six months of intense chemo, two and half years of monthly chemo through his port, along with daily medicines during maintenance, and then five years of observation, before he is considered cancer free.

At home CJ has started kindergarten. He really likes school and his new teacher. He has been learning new words every week, and reading more and more. He loves to learn new things, and even likes doing homework.

We also got to use CJ’s zoo passes that he got from being good at clinic. Both he and his little brother loved the zoo. CJ says his favorite animal was the giraffe. It took so long to go since we were waiting for it to cool off before we went. We got to see the monkeys playing, the lion roared for us, and even the gorilla posed for a picture. It was a good day.

A good day

Posted by: Mommy

CJ’s monthly chemo was on Tuesday. His ANC was 1700, just about perfect. The rest of his numbers were pretty good also. After last month’s melt down at clinic I have been talking to CJ a lot about chemo and why we have to do it. I have been doing my best to get through to him that sometimes we have to do things even if we don’t want to, and that is no reason to throw a fit. I also explained to him how much easier it is when he is good at chemo and holds still. After a month of talking we got to go see if it paid off. CJ was in a good mood on chemo day, he had no problems with his blood test, or the doctor giving him his check up, but this is pretty normal. Then the nurse came in to give him chemo, and brought help just in case. CJ was the perfect angel. He even talked and joked with them the whole time. One of the nurses was asking him about the zoo, and if he knew they had some dinosaurs at the zoo now. CJ looked at her funny and as serious as he could and told her she had to be wrong because dinosaurs are extinct. After chemo was finished the nurse went and got him free zoo passes for being so good, so he could see the dinosaurs. I am very proud of CJ, and hope this will be the new norm. After it was finished he told me it just hurts a little, but he is tough. I tried to tell him if he used the magic cream they gave him it wouldn’t hurt at all. He said he was tough and he didn’t need it. He has never like the magic cream, so we let him go without as long as he wants to.

Next week CJ starts kindergarten. He is very excited about it, and asks me everyday how many more days until he gets to go to school everyday. CJ has always loved school, and loves to learn. We drive down the road and play games where I give him a letter and he tells me words that start with that letter, (usually animals). He also wants to know how words are spelled, so far I am able to tell him, I just hope he doesn’t get to the hard words soon, since I am terrible speller.

take the good with the bad

Posted by Mommy:

CJ had his monthly chemo on the 22nd of June. It started out very good. He was in a good mood, had no issues with the doctor, or the finger poke. He was just talking and playing the entire time. His ANC was 1900, which you can’t get better than that. It is not too high that the chemo is not working, and it is not too low where he is at risk of an infection. I was very happy with this since the week before we had to go to our family doctor because CJ’s allergies have been acting up. His eyes were getting yucky and needed some drops to clear them up. Like I said everything was going good. That is until we get to the chemo room. As soon as we walked into the chemo room, which is a big room with several big reclining chairs, toys, TV’s, and lots of fun looking things, CJ decided he wanted to go home. To bad we hadn’t got the chemo done yet. After three times cleaning his port area, and two nurses and myself making him hold still we finished chemo. The normally easy thing that doesn’t take 5 minutes took 20 minutes. We left with both me and CJ upset. All he would tell me is he didn’t want to get chemo today. I tried to explain that sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do, I know I didn’t want to help two nurses hold my son down to put these chemicals into his body that I know makes him feel bad for the next couple of days, but we have to. By the time we got home he was over it, and playing just as nothing happened. I know it can be a good thing that CJ is very strong willed and stands up for what he wants, but some days I wish he would just go with the flow, it would be so much less stressful on both of us.

My son the flirt

Posted by Mommy

CJ went the clinic this past Tuesday for his monthly chemo. This month he also had to get a spinal tap or sleepy test as CJ calls it. Chemo was a little rough this month. CJ got into his head he didn’t want chemo and there was no changing his mind. His ANC was 2300, which is a little high, but not high enough to do anything such as raise his chemo dose again.

After an emotional chemo we took the long walk across the pedway to Kosair. We get up to OMO on the 7th floor with no waiting. That is always good. Sometimes there could be up to a couple hours of waiting with a child that can’t eat or drink. But this time we got right in and with CJ still a little mad about chemo that was a very good thing. Then our nurse Nikki walked in. This nurse was very petite and pretty. CJ became an instant flirt. The normal process of getting CJ hooked up to the monitors is usually a pain at best. This time he was asking to help the nurse in any way he could. Not a single bad act or mean word came out of CJ’s mouth. He was brave the entire time, and acting as if he is the perfect angel every parent wants. So I decided that we need to keep Nikki, and send her to the clinic during CJ’s chemo days. Now if I could just talk her into it.

Medals 4 Mettles

Posted by Mommy

CJ was lucky enough to participate in the Medals 4 Mettles program. This is a program that has people volunteer the run marathons and mini marathons and then give their medals to people who have struggled with medical problems. It is done all over the US, but in Louisville several dozen medical students from U of L ran in the derby mini marathon, and gave their medals for participating to the cancer patients at Kosair.

CJ’s medical student’s name is Sam. He was very nice and we believe he will make a very good doctor. We want to thank him for running thirteen miles in the rain, to finish the mini marathon just so CJ could get a medal.

counts check

Posted by Mommy

We took CJ back to the clinic on Tuesday to get his counts checked. They wanted to make sure that they didn't adjust his chemo too much during the last visit. His ANC was at 1500. This is back down where they want it, and hopefully we won't have yoyo counts again.

CJ started his t-ball games last weekend. He is loving t-ball. All he wants to do is practice baseball. He wont stop until you make him, no matter how long he is playing. I love seeing him enjoying something so much. He had a game tonight and hit the ball on the first swing both times up to bat. He also caught a ball on one bounce and go a couple more on the roll.

good day at clinic

Posted by Mommy:

CJ had a clinic appointment on the 30th. During this appointment CJ’s ANC was at 1600, this is back down to where they want them, but since his counts have been going up and down instead of staying consistent the doctors changed his chemo dose. They did this for a couple of reasons. First CJ’s counts have been going up and down since the beginning of the year. Next, CJ has grown since he has got to the maintenance stage. He has grown 3 inches and 5 pounds in the last six months. We have to go back on April 13th the check his counts again to make sure they didn’t adjust them too much or not enough. CJ did do well at clinic getting his chemo this time. After a little talking into it, he just laid on the bed and held my hands and let them do it. He found out how much faster it was and didn’t hurt. We still had a few tears from nerves, but other than that he did very well.

CJ has started t-ball practice and has his first game this weekend. He has been practicing most of the last month and had a practice game last night. You have to love t-ball watching all the 4-6 year old kids learning something new. Most are looking around, playing in the dirt, setting in the grass, but not CJ. CJ pays close attention to everything that goes on. If the ball goes into the half of the field he is in, he is running after it. His favorite part is batting. He is pretty good at it too. All he wants to do anymore is practice t-ball. He gets really excited about going to practice, and wants everyone to come watch him. We went to get his baseball pants and socks, and can’t wait until he gets to wear his black pants and purple socks. I will post pictures after his games.

Year one down

Posted by: Mommy

We had a big day on our last chemo day. First we had CJ’s normal chemo, and then his sleepy test, (spinal tap). First at clinic CJ’s counts were 3500. This may seem good, but not for the maintenance stage. During maintenance the goal is to keep CJ’s ANC between 1000 and 2000. This is ideal because it is high enough that the risk of infection is not extremely high, but it is low enough that the doctors know the chemo is working. If CJ’s counts stay high for a couple of months in a row they will increase his chemo. CJ did well at his chemo and sleepy test, no big fits were thrown. We had to share the big room at OCO this time, and I think the fact that CJ knew another little boy was on the other side of a curtain getting ready for the same thing made him want to be brave. We had a week of steroids after the chemo, which is usually a bad week, but this month wasn’t as bad as usual. I know CJ does better the more he gets to get out of the house and now it is getting warmer he gets to play outside more.

Another reason that this was a big week was because March 6th was the one year anniversary of CJ’s diagnoses. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since that awful night that changed our lives forever. It is also amazing how far CJ has come since that long night. You look at him now and he doesn’t seem sick most of the time. Just looking at him from that bald heading little boy with the cubby checks, to his now still the tallest kid in his class, with his thin frame and full head of hair, he looks perfectly normal. We don’t have people see him and ask what is wrong. We did our best this entire time to treat him as much like a normal little boy as possible. We knew that one day he is going to get over this illness and be a normal boy just like everyone else, and we didn’t want him to feel any other way. CJ is strong and brave and he is my hero for being so tough. I know it has been hard on him, it has been hard on the entire family. But now the rough part is over. We made it through. Now he is playing t-ball with all the other little boys and girls his age, and I feel so happy to know that he is winning his fight.

CJ is 5!

Posted by Mommy:

Another month passes and another chemo appointment comes and goes. CJ is right on track with his treatment. His ANC was 1900 this past month so they didn’t have to adjust his medicine as they thought they might last month. He is responding just like he is suppose to. We had a rough time at the clinic this time. CJ got in his head that he didn’t want chemo, and fought tooth and nail to stop it. After all said and done he got his chemo and I got a fat lip from a head butt to try to stop me from holding him still. I had a few flash backs to the beginning of his treatment when every visit was like that. I guess I should be thankful that these bad reactions are few and far between anymore.

On a good note CJ turned 5 years old this last month. With the bad weather we didn’t do anything big, but had cake and ice cream with a few presents. When I asked CJ what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday all I got was a square one. After a little more questioning I got him to tell me he would like a square cake with balloons on it and the number 5. So that is what he got, plus he got to help decorate it. He loved helping me with the balloons and his little brother was doing everything he could to get a bite of cake before it was time. CJ also had cupcakes at school on his birthday, and got to help decorate those too. It is nice to see him take pride in doing things like that, and he got to tell all of his class he made the cupcakes.

With the snow we had also comes sledding. CJ got to go sledding a little and play in the snow. Him and his little brother had a lot of fun throwing snowballs and sliding down the hill. CJ also taught Hunter to make a snow angel. Not sure Hunter got the whole concept, but lying in snow is a fun thing.

CJ also got signed up to play t-ball. Now all we have to do is wait until it starts. He is very excited about playing. He tells me all the sports he wants to play when he gets bigger (which is almost every sport out there), and wants to know when he can play them. So the fact that he is starting on his list is a big step for him. I think his family is more excited than he is.

rough start to a new year

Posted by: Mommy

We have had a busy month this past month. First let’s start with CJ clinic appointment this past week. We got mostly good news. First CJ’s ANC was 2500. This is a little higher than they like it. But since CJ had 5 weeks in between his chemo they are not worried. If his counts stay high the doctors will adjust his chemo pills. But this month they left it the same to make sure it is not just the extra time. The good news is CJ can play T-ball this spring. He is very excited about it, along with the rest of the family. Everything we can do to make his life more like a normal kid is good.

Last week has been a rough week for our family. It started with CJ getting the stomach bug that is going around. The doctor’s at the clinic said almost everyone that has been through the clinic has had it. It is nearly impossible to avoid it. After CJ got it on New Years Day he spread it to the rest of the family. The funny part is we try so hard to keep illnesses away from CJ, and he is the one giving it to everyone else. So after getting over the bug, CJ then had to have his chemo followed by steroid week. Needless to say it has been a fun week.

Before all this happened we had Christmas. CJ was in a Christmas program at school. He had a couple of songs to sing with his class and did very good. He stood up proud and sang them both. He also had Christmas parties with his class.

Then we had several family Christmas parties to go to, including Santa coming at the house. CJ was very excited this year. He woke up around 4 am and came to tell me that Santa came. I let him know that it was too early to open presents yet and tried to get him to crawl in bed with me for a couple of hours until his little brother woke up. This didn’t happen. So me and him got up, went into the living room and watched cartoons. I was lying on the couch half asleep, and CJ kept coming over to me whispering what he was seeing in the presents and the stockings. By 5 am when Hunter woke up CJ knew what a couple of the presents were (the ones in bags) and what was in everyone’s stockings. Then when Greg brought Hunter in CJ started telling us who got what. CJ got lots of presents, but when asked at the clinic if he got anything good, he said no. So I guess Santa shouldn’t try so hard next year.

In a few weeks CJ will turn 5 years old. He seems more excited about this than he was about Christmas. I can’t say I blame him, being 4 years old for him was hard. Everything started shortly after his birthday last year. So here is to looking forward to CJ being 5. It is truly going to be a good year.