8/7/10 - Countdown is ON!

After Joe's chemotherapy treatment he received yesterday, he should only have 3 more left! If all continues to go well, he should be done with chemo on October 8. We see the light at the end of the tunnel...praise God!

Joe's appointment was long yesterday. It was really crowded at the clinic and there were several very sick kids receiving blood transfusions. We spent a large part of the day waiting. It would be easy to get frustrated with the slow process at the clinic but knowing that the doctors and nurses are doing their best to treat these sick children with loving care makes the time go by faster. Also, the fact that Joe is doing so well and that it isn't our child that has to stay 4 - 6 hours to get a blood transfusion puts a different perspective on the situation. We are extremely grateful for the wonderful care that Joe is receiving and the progress that he is making. Joe's hemoglobin count is up the highest it has been. I think that is helping him bounce back a little better today than in the past. He slept well last night and has been eating better that he normally does after treatment. He has had a bundle of energy today and you wouldn't really know, except for his cute bald head, that he is fighting cancer. In addition to the expected nausea, the only side effects Joe is really experiencing lately is from the Vincristine. This medicine can have a toxic effect on the nerves starting with the outermost parts...hands and feet. I have recently noticed that Joe is having difficulty using his hands for some fine motor skills. For example, he used to be very proud that he was the only brother that could snap his fingers and now he can hardly get his thumb and middle finger to touch. It has become more difficult for him to button and unbutton clothing, tie shoes, and grip objects. Things tend to slip out of his hands more easily, like a glass dropping to the ground or the Wii remote flying toward the TV...use the strap! It is not extremely obvious to most people unless you are looking for it. There is a chance this could get worse before getting better or possible cycle up and down with the timing of his treatments. Thankfully, he doesn't notice it as much as we do and just asks for help when he needs it. Today he has also complained that his legs and feet are really tired and heavy. This is also part of the side effect and can cause a slapping of the feet as he walks. Please pray that this side effect will remain under control and not cause him any discouragement. As of now he is not 100 percent but is able to participate in all activities, including baseball. He is so excited to play baseball this fall and we just signed him up today. He has been practicing and is able to hit, field balls, throw, and catch. Sometimes we notice his weaker muscles in his hands as he drops a ball he normally would catch or the baseball slips out of his hand. We are hopeful that this weakness will be minimal and it should reverse as the toxic medicine gets out of his system at the end of the treatment. It is hard to watch such a harsh medicine flow through his veins but we know that it is also needed to fight the bad cells that may be in his body. Please pray that his muscle strength will improve and not get worse and that this condition will reverse as quickly as possible. Thank you for your faithful prayers as you lift up our little Joe!