December 12, 2009

Wonderful, simply wonderful

That’s the best way to describe how Landon has been doing lately.  Wonderful, simply wonderful.

His blood counts have been good, his doctor’s appointments non-eventful.  He is your normal five-year-old.  He loves school, wants to be just like his big brothers, and enjoys playing with his puppy.  He told Santa what he wants for Christmas and writes love notes to his teachers.  He tolerates his little sister, but just barely.

For the first year of his treatment, Landon hadn’t really grown much.  His weight fluctuated with steroids, but no true growth.  Now he’s growing again!  He’s looking more like my chunky little baby!  He was over nine pounds when he was born, and he’s getting those chubby cheeks again. 

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December 5, 2009

How sweet the sound…

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November 26, 2009

From Landon…

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September 24, 2009

More-Than-Landon Update

I haven’t written a Landon Update in almost a month now because he is just a normal 5-year-old.  He talks too much in school and still loves doing homework.  He likes a little girl, and a different one likes him.  He likes school, but wishes it didn’t start so early in the morning.  He is your typical little boy.  There just isn’t a lot to say for an interesting update.

So instead I’ll write about something else very important: the Bigger Picture. 

Everyone knows that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  There are already pink ribbons in the stores to raise funds for that cause.  And I think that’s great.

You know what else would be great?  If every Specific Cancer Awareness Month received that kind of attention.  Did you know that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?  I found that out last October – two months after Landon was diagnosed.

I had a child with cancer and didn’t know!  How can we expect the general public to know?

To mark this important occasion, I thought I’d deviate from the normal for a bit. I usually give you a very specific update on one little boy.  Today I’m trying to show you the bigger picture, one of every child ever diagnosed with this scary monster.

  • Over 12,400 children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States each year.  That’s a cancer ribbonclassroom full of children, every single day.
  • One of every 330 children in the United States will develop cancer before the age of 19.
  • About 4,000 children die from cancer each year.  That’s 11 children a day.
  • Cancer is the #1 disease-related killer of children under the age of 14.

So many of you have been praying for Landon and our family.  We very much appreciate each of those prayers and firmly believe that they have been working!  What I ask of you today is to extend your prayers to include the rest of the children and their families that are going through this hell.

And maybe you could pass on this news to others?  And think about these children when you see those pink ribbons next month?  Afterall, a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

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August 29, 2009

Surprising Update

We thought we had a great day on Monday, right?  With only minor hiccups, we were prepared to stay away from the hospital and doctor’s office for another four weeks.

That’s what we get for thinking.

Nurse Robin called us that evening to let us know that Landon’s ANC was 12.  We’d like to see it between 750 and 1,000, but it was twelve!

This typically means that we have to be very careful with Landon’s exposure to other people and illnesses.  No school, no raw fruits and vegis, homebound, like our old lifestyle.  We kept him home from school on Tuesday with plans to re-check his counts  next Monday.

And then Nurse Robin called again.  Because Landon is on steroids this week, Dr Morad thinks he can go to school and be more normal.  The steroids pump his ANC up very quickly, so he felt safe sending Landon into the world. 

On Wednesday, Landon went to school and Nurse Robin called a third time.  When she drew blood on Monday, she tested his immunoglobulins.  This came back two days later and his levels were low.  So Landon will go to his re-check on Monday and then over to the hospital for a round of IVIG.

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August 24, 2009

Show-N-Tell

Today was Landon’s check-up and spinal tap (lumbar puncture).  It has been four weeks since he saw Dr. Morad for blood work and twelve weeks since his last trip to the hospital.

We decided that it would be Show-N-Tell day!

This is Landon and Nurse Robin, taking his blood pressure ("checking his muscles") and his temperature.

This is Landon and Nurse Robin, taking his blood pressure ("checking his muscles") and his temperature.

Playing with a bouncy ball on the floor of the doctor's office.

Playing with a bouncy ball on the floor of the doctor's office.

First you peel off the sticky sheet that covers the magic cream.

First you peel off the sticky sheet that covers the magic cream.

Then you use the yucky brown soap (Betadine) three times. Nurse Robin usually tries to make a picture. Today it was a banana!

Then you use the yucky brown soap (Betadine) three times. Nurse Robin usually tries to make a picture. Today it was a banana!

Then comes the stinky white soap (alcohol). He always holds his nose for this part.

Then comes the stinky white soap (alcohol). He always holds his nose for this part.

Then the bad part, the needle stick. He usually says "ow ow ow ow ow" but today accidentally said "ha ha ha ha ha!"

Then the bad part, the needle stick. He usually says "ow ow ow ow ow" but today accidentally said "ha ha ha ha ha!"

Now he's all hooked-up to his pig tail!

Now he's all hooked-up to his pig tail!

And Laughing with Nurse Robin!

And Laughing with Nurse Robin!

Nurse Robin and Landon - all done with her part!

Nurse Robin and Landon - all done with her part!

Dr. Morad checked out Landon's throat and mouth.

Dr. Morad checked out Landon's throat and mouth.

Today's joke: What kind of phones do turtles use? Shell Phones!

Today's joke: What kind of phones do turtles use? Shell Phones!

Clockwise from bottom left: Miss Janie, Nurse Kellie, Nurse Berry, Nurse Kendra.

Clockwise from bottom left: Miss Janie, Nurse Kellie, Nurse Berry, Nurse Kendra.

Miss Janie - Landon's favorite person!

Miss Janie - Landon's favorite person!

Landon and Miss Janie play Don't Spill The Beans while Nurse Sharon hooks him up to the medicine.

Landon and Miss Janie play Don't Spill The Beans while Nurse Sharon hooks him up to the medicine.

Dr. Meyers starts the sedation medicine. ("the white sleepy medicine")

Dr. Meyers starts the sedation medicine. ("the white sleepy medicine")

He's not asleep yet, but he knows it's coming so he closes his eyes and gets ready.

He's not asleep yet, but he knows it's coming so he closes his eyes and gets ready.

And he's out!

And he's out!

All done! Time to wake up and go home!

All done! Time to wake up and go home!

We got home and had a phone call from Nurse Robin.  Most of his counts were good, but his ANC is way down.  We’d love to have it hover around a thousand, but today it was twelve, like 12.

His ANC is what tells us how well his immune system is working, how capable he would be of fighting off infection.  With such a low count, he will be staying home from school this week.

I haven’t told him yet because he’s been asleep since the ride home.  I can only imagine how upset he will be.  This baby loves school, wanted so badly to go to pre-k and then had it postponed for an entire year.  He gets up happy to go every day. 

Landon will go back to the doctor on Monday for another check-up.  Hopefully his counts will have come back up and life as he knows it can go back to normal.

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August 21, 2009

You Sure He’s Only Five?

Yesterday, Landon brought home a paper with his name typed several times, in multiple colors.  This conversation began when I asked about it.

Landon, what is this?

It’s a document.

Oh yeah? What’s it say?

My name.

Did you type it?

Yeah, I had to type my name over and over, all the way down.  Then I clicked on my name and changed the color of the fonts.

(This is when I about died of shock.  He’s only five!)

Oh.  And how did you make the big “L” at the beginning of your name?

All the words in my name start with big letters.  I pushed the up arrow and held it down until I found the L.

Then he shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

One week of kindergarten and he knows more about using a computer than many adults.

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August 15, 2009

School Days, School Days…

Landon started Kindergarten on Friday.  I know I was more nervous than he was.  He was excited, not showing any fear of school.  After all he’s been through, going to school is a cake walk.

Thursday night, while Landon was brushing his teeth, Cody and I were in the kitchen alone.  He looked up at me, somewhat teary eyed, and said “I never thought he’d really get to go.”

I asked what he meant and he told me that he thought Landon was going last year, but then he got sick and Cody didn’t ever think he’d be well enough to go to school.

This was so unexpected.  I didn’t realize how this would impact Cody.  After seeing his little brother so sick, he was so happy to see him getting to be normal again.  I’m so proud of Cody – he is such a loving big brother.

Now, what you all came looking for:  pictures of that first day of school.

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There were six cryers and one escapee from his class, but Landon was all smiles.  He was so excited!  He kept smiling, waving, and saying “Take my picture, Mama!  Take my picture!”

When I picked him up in the afternoon, he bounced into the car and promptly announced that he loves school and doesn’t want to leave.  And, when can he go again?

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August 12, 2009

Time to Party!

We held a party on August first to celebrate the anniversary of Landon’s diagnosis.  Friends and family gathered at a local party center to cheer Landon on as he continues to “Kick Cancer’s Butt.”  (His words, I swear.)

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July 27, 2009

Milestones

Wow!  So much is going on right now – and all of it is good!

Landon is running around like every other 5-year-old in the world right now.  He has the amazing energy of childhood back.  If a stranger saw him running around like that, they’d never guess what the past year has been like, the hell this baby has been through.

We are getting ready for school.  Bennett goes back in 11 days, Cody in 16, and Landon in 18 – not that anyone is counting or anything.  If you ask him, he’s not ready, but mostly because he hears his brothers saying they don’t want summer to end.  He has all of his supplies, his uniforms, a new backpack with his name on it, and his Diego nap mat cover all ready to go!  All we have left to buy are shoes! 

He also has a new schedule for meeting with his doctor and checking his blood:  every four weeks!  Can you believe it?!  I’m almost in disbelief!  He has gone two weeks twice now, and the doctor says he is ready for that four week stretch, if we can wean Mama from knowing the counts at all times. 

This week are important – and emotional – milestones, too. 

  • Yesterday (Sunday) was one year from the night his dad called me because Landon was pale and “just doesn’t look right.”  
  •  Tomorrow will be one year from the day our pediatrician sent us to meet Dr. Morad. 
  • Thursday will be one year from the first time he was admitted to the hospital, got his very first iv, and received his first blood transfusion. 
  • Friday will be one year from his first spinal tap and bone marrow biopsy.  That was the day Dr. Morad told us that it was Leukemia, but that he couldn’t yet confirm what kind. 
  • Saturday will be one year from the insertion of Landon’s MediPort and the day he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. 

So just how should one mark such dramatic days?  With a party, of course!

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