Sick Kids

John's parents had our boys for our overnight stay last week.  Both of John's sisters and their kids were able to spend the week with them.  The boys had a lot of fun with their cousins!  We got our boys back on Friday.  On Saturday, Daniel was sick. On Sunday John's parents were still in Utah so they came and took Daniel back with them again.  So we have been Daniel-less this whole week.  This week, Thomas got strep and Carson has a virus.  This week is also the same week during John's cycle that he got one of his fevers during his last cycle. So we have been working really hard to keep him from getting sick.  So far it is Saturday morning and he has stayed healthy!  We are hoping we make it through the weekend without any fevers (that was the goal of backing off the chemo a little).

On Monday of this week, John had his outpatient chemo.  He tried it this time without nausea medicine and handled it really well.  We also met with the radiation oncologist, Dr. Poppe.  Dr. Poppe explored John's nose (NOT FUN!) and couldn't see any sign of a tumor or scar tissue!!!  He was in a hurry to get us out the door because John had a ct scheduled to make his mask and mark his tattoos for the radiation.  Once Dr. Poppe learned that he had a couple more minutes before John could go to the ct, then he sat back down and answered all of our questions.  Then John went for his ct scan and had his mask made.  The mask will help John stay in place during the radiation.

We found out that Dr. Poppe will review all of John's old and new scans (which will happen in 2 weeks) and make a plan for the radiation.  Then he will have a dosimetrist review the plan and make sure that the equipment will actually give John the doses that Dr. Poppe prescribes.  After they go back and forth and think they have a working plan, they will put a mannequin in the machine and give it John's treatment plan.  The mannequin will read all the levels of radiation hitting it and then the team will know if the plan is going to give the proper therapy to John. They will adjust it however they need to and then when they have everything figured out they will do a "dry run" with John.  Everything should be ready for John's radiation to start of Feb 2.

As long as John stays fever-free this weekend, Monday will start a long week of ifosfamide and etoposide.  Then we get two weeks off.  On Feb 2 we will have another long chemo week (of I/E) with the radiation starting. 

Thank you everyone for your continued support and prayers!