Taylor,

Do we have an update on Stephen?

Still praying.

Naomi

Updates are good... any news.

Clio

Update:

December 31, 2005 at 06:37 AM PST

You should have seen the nice color in Stephen's cheeks last evening! Especially good to see since he's had extreme fatigue and difficulty getting up at all for a couple of days.

He saw his doctor yesterday. His white counts are extremely low (100). They did go ahead and give him the planned chemo infusion, but they also gave him a blood transfusion. The visible portion of the tumor on Stephen's back appears to be shrinking, in just 1 week of chemo. Stephen weighed in at 96 pounds yesterday, which is what Audrey said she will use as his starting point for the weight gaining contest.

Michael LaiPang, Photographer, came to the house Thursday afternoon and got some nice pictures of the family. He donated his time and skill, and we are grateful.

Our niece and her husband are here for a few days to help us out with William. My mom is doing a great job of running the household. We are sorting through our work issues. We are grateful to both our LLU and Kaiser employers for their understanding and flexibility as we work out a schedule where either Wayne or I will always be with Stephen. Wayne and I each put in a few hours at work this week...concentrating is still a challenge.

God really does meet each need as it comes up.

Today (Monday 1/9) Stephen started his third round of chemo. This involves going to the pediatric oncology office and getting IVs all day long (we were there almost 10 hours). We watched Candid Camera most of the time and laughed a lot. Thanks to those who sent those DVDs! We've still got lots of them left, but are realizing that comedy is a great thing. Anybody have any more good ideas?

The doctor seems to be quite pleased with how Stephen is doing. She's convinced the tumor has shrunk dramatically, and so are we! Prayer and chemo are working! He hasn't gained weight yet (in fact he lost a bit, but the doctor said that's the tumor shrinking).

We have the 8-10 hours of chemo each day all this week, so it's going to be hard for Stephen to get in much visiting until the weekend. Thanks for the cards and phone calls. Even if we're not answering them all (we've been really busy with all that's going on), we are reading/listening to and appreciating each one.

January 15, 2006 at 07:36 PM PST
What a week! We've finished the most intense chemo week in the regimen, and Stephen's oncologist can't believe how well his body is tolerating it. Most kids have to be hospitalized for this regimen, but Stephen not only stayed out-patient, but on Friday they let us come home at 1:30 pm and finish up the final bag of IV fluids here. When Stephen gets to this week of the chemo cycle next month, they said they will try to send us home with our last bag of IV fluids every day. While the end of the week was tolerable in the chemo infusion room, the first couple of days were so crazy busy that we came home with our nerves fried!

Late Friday afternoon we began to wonder if they'd given Stephen enough chemo...He picked up his IV pole and chased his dad around the dining room table with it like a pitch fork. =) Then he came running out to meet June in the driveway on her return from an errand. What a beautiful site to see such a burst of energy. That's the boy we have known all these years.

This coming week is the break between chemo cycles. Typically white blood cell counts drop from 7-10 days after a chemo round starts...that means most of this week Stephen's counts will be low. He will be up for some HEALTHY visitors in the afternoons from 4-6 pm.

If Stephen's counts come back up in time, he will be readmitted to the hospital on January 23rd for several days to CT scan the progress of tumor shrinkage and start the second 3 week chemo regimen.

Taylor, This is AWESOME news. Jesus, please hold Stephen continually in Your hands. Make his healing easy, and not hard on his disease ravaged body.

We thank You.

Amen

Amen. Lord thank You for your marvellous works of incredible grace and mercy in our lives, and in the lives of this family. Father we know You are not distant; you are He who is touched by the feeling of our infirmities. We know Your heart of love is yearning for this child's recovery. Be very near to Stephen, Lord. Guide his family and his doctors to make the smartest and wisest decisions for his care, and to be alert and observant of his condition. Work mightily Father to speed Stephen's healing. Thank You again for Your sustaining love. In Jesus' name we pray. And Father I add my agreement to the prayers Clio, Anthony and others have already brought to Your beautiful throne for this dear boy.

Oh Father and Lord, I want to give you praise and thanks for the apparent good news... Thank you Jesus for again showing us how you are the great physician... Father, may this case please continue in this path of recovery, energy and love... Please give special grace and strength to the family members with the challenge of nervous exhaustion... Please continue to allow this family to bask in your love and have the peace that only Jesus can give through the Holy Spirit... May your hand and your Holy Angels please continue to guide and bless the medical team... You are worthy of all recognition and honor, Lord God our Father, with Thy Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit... Thank you ever so much, we are grateful!

January 31, 2006 at 06:00 AM PST
Another round of chemotherapy is behind us. Stephen got out of the hospital Sunday and continues to do well. He's gained 3 lbs. The final analysis of his CT scan was that the tumor is about 1/4 the size it was. This is obviously great news! But there still appears to be tumor around important structures like the diaphragm, the celiac plexus, and the inferior vena cava. We're praying that every single chemo molecule knocks out another cancer cell.

The next two weeks should be primarily quiet here at home.

The weight gain and CT scan sound like good news! Let's continue to pray for Stephen.