Back at home again!

Hello friends!

We are back at home after another day trip to UNC. Grant was scheduled for only one medicine today. His numbers were not great, but OK and as expected, so we are able to make it a quick trip with no transfusions!

Grant finished his second phase of treatment, Consolidation, today. He continues to be a text-book patient, and has grown much more accustomed to the happenings of the clinic. He was able to have his port accessed today with no tears - quite the accomplishment! I am including a picture of what a port looks like! His is inserted in his left chest wall. He calls it his button! When he receives his chemo, his port is accessed through the skin with a needle that is about an inch and a half long, connected to an IV line. His meds are either pushed through the line with a syringe, or run through an IV bag with fluids, depending on what med he is getting! Today we did Vincristine, a simple push with a syringe, so it was a quick day!

We will be lab dependent next week, meaning that home health will visit us on Monday and do lab work. Depending on his blood counts, we will either have a week off, or begin phase three, Interim Maintenance. Most likely we will have the week off as he is still very neutropenic this week, with an ANC of .1. His hemoglobin was better this week, post transfusion last week, and was up to 7.9. His platelets are still low, 42, so he has had a lot of bruising this week. He and Jake are a little rough, and Grant has the bruises on his shins to prove it! In order to begin Interim Maintenance, his ANC will need to be .75, so it is unlikely that we will get there in a week. It is completely expected that this may be the case, though, so its nothing to worry about.

Interim Maintenance will be a little less travel intensive. We do know that at least twice we will have to spend two nights in Chapel Hill in order to get all of his medicines in the correct order and at the correct time interval, but we will be able to spend the night at a hotel rather than the hospital. This phase focuses mainly on receiving Methotrexate both orally and directly into his spinal column. His protocol allows for one of two arms of treatment in this phase. Patients are randomly assigned into either a standard or an experimental arm of treatment. Grant randomized into the standard arm which means that his Methotrexate will be at a standard dosage instead of a higher experimental dosage. This means that we will have an easier go of it than some. The experimental arm would have necesitated several inpatient hospital stays. We are grateful for the luck of the draw!

We were happy to visit with Michael McKinney and his mom, Kristi for a couple of minutes today. Please remember Michael in your prayers. The doctors are working their best the get him into remission again so that he can receive his bone marrow transplant. His younger brother will be his donor, and his family is praying fervently that the transplant will be a complete success. Chances of a successful transplant are much better when the recipient is cancer free. Michael was in remission until May and the doctors have been working to get him there again all summer. He is having to do serious and very intensive chemo nearly all the time and has spent nearly all summer in Chapel Hill. He was hospitalized again today and will do inpatient chemo through the rest of this week. Please remember Michael and his family.

In other news, Kevin is in Charlotte for work for a couple of days. I am hoping to spend some time at home with the kids doing some much needed organizing and preparing for the start of school! If the mosquitoes would just go away I could send the kids outside, but it seems as though we are destined to spend the rest of the summer trapped inside!

Joella and James are home from their trip to London. Aside from the crummy food, they had a wonderful visit! Their kids were little angels in their absence and had a great week with both Granny Robin and Grandma Susan! We are all very happy that they have returned!

Aly and Kyle are vacationing in Myrtle Beach and Charleston this week. Kyle is very relieved to have the NC Bar behind him, and is anxious for his results which will hopefully be mailed in 4 to 6 weeks! He and Aly are enjoying a respite in the absence of the need for 18 hours a day of intensive study! They both deserve some time off!

Rodney started his new job at Genworth yesterday. He is very impressed with his associates at work and is looking forward to this new career! Leah is looking forward to her new house, and is missing her sweet husband! We are happy to have her here, but know that she is so excited to return to a more normal routine! Having a newborn is never easy, but her circumstances over the past few weeks have been even more trying! So, hopefully in another month to six weeks she will be able to move into her dream house with her dream family and life will be just - "dreamy"!!! Until then, I really am digging having Carter to hug and kiss on whenever I so desire! And Grant is just in little boy heaven with Jackson around to dress up and be super heroes with!

Mike will be home from summer school at BYU in another 2 weeks or so! We will all the very happy to have our Mikey home! He is our constant entertainment and lightens the mood in every situation!

Joel is spending his days helping Pa with work. Nearly all of daddy's home owners' policies have to be rewritten this summer. As a result, he has to redo paperwork and photos for all of his clients! That's a whole lot of people! Joel is doing a great job of taking photos, and is the world's best babysitting uncle. The boys can't wait for him to take them on a bike ride whenever we visit Grandma's house!

Grandma is spending her summer in the kitchen. She seems to never leave that place! Luckily, its a really nice kitchen, so we don't feel so bad for her! She is the best mama ever, and is supported in her endeavors by the world's best Pa! I have been reading Pa's book again this week and once again I am so impressed by not only his lofty intellect and beautiful writing style, but mostly the depth of his conviction and testimony and his love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to be his little girl!

So - I think I've caught up on nearly everyone. Its nearly bedtime and I am a tired mama tonight, so I will end here. Thanks again to everyone for your love and friendship! Life is good!