Countdown is on

We are now officially less than two weeks from leaving for Disneyland, and Logan (and the whole family) is pretty excited. We have lots of arrangements and reservations made, and are counting down the days. Make a Wish gave us a countdown chain, and the kids cut off a link each day.

Logan has been doing pretty well and feeling good since chemo. He was eating everything in sight on the steroids, and has slowed a little bit. His appetite has stayed in the normal range, but he has also been very active lately. He is loving soccer, and can't wait to get out there each week. He even enjoys going to Alexis' soccer practices since he often gets to go to the park on those days.

Yesterday we went to an amusement park courtesy of Make a Wish. The kids enjoyed a day of rides, face painting, balloons, and fun. It was a good warm up to see how they did on rides that spin, tilt and go fast. They had a ball, and now cannot wait for the bigger and faster rides at Disneyland.

Chemo

Logan went in for labs Monday because he had chemo Tuesday. His numbers are pretty high with an ANC of 3400, 340,000 platelets, and 12.2 Hemoglobin. Normally these would be great numbers for a typical person, but it is never that easy. The counts are in a range that if they stay that high then they will increase his medication doses. Hopefully they will not do anything today, but it is possible. We think they are high from his cold a couple of weeks ago that is still hanging on. He is overall healthy, but maybe that is impacting his counts.

On Tuesday, he was the rock star that we all know and love. He was pretty agreeable to the whole routine of getting accessed and starting the IV. They did the IV antibiotic again this month so he does not have to take the weekend one, and I really think he is tolerating it much better. He just watched TV and had some snacks. He had to settle for chocolate milk since they did not have any white milk, and this was pretty flexible of him. That night he had to take the Methotrexate (11 pills!), and he did not put up a fuss or anything. So proud of him. His strength and everything about him amazes me.

Now the steroids have really kicked in and he is a hungry man. He also gets a bit cranky and emotional if things are not perfectly going his way. Example: we went to his sister's school's Multicultural night last night. I brought him water to drink instead of milk (they didn't have any), and this turned into a melt down. Thankfully he knows lots of kids there and he was quickly distracted. He was excited to see Charlie, Connor, Makenna, Addi, Miss Leigh, Mr and Mrs Wojo, Mrs Tash, Christie and the girls, and many others.

Now we are close to the weekend and the craziness that entails. He has his second soccer "game" tomorrow. Unfortunately it is at the same time (and not in the same place) as his sister's game. And so it begins...

Awareness

 I know, it has been a long time sine the last update, but things have been crazy. Logan got a cold soon after his birthday, but is mostly better. He just had the stuffy nose and cough which turned into croup for him as usual. But, thankfully that has passed and he is himself again. I do think he lost a little weight though, because he pretty much did not eat for 4 days and then only ate a little for a few days after that. He finally seemed to get his appetite back in the last couple of days. 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. It is a time to reflect and raise awareness of all the little fighters out there including the ones who have lost the battle. St. Baldrick's has a lot of information about childhood cancer. It is certainly not comfortable information to know, but it needs to be out. Kids only get a small fraction of the funding for cancer research (4%) even though it is the number 1 disease killer of children (even more than most others combined). Today and every day, 46 kids are diagnosed with cancer, and 7 children die from cancer. That is something that none of us want to think about, but too many parents are forced to not only think about it but actually go through it. So, spread the word. Share information. I think Logan is worth more than 4%. Don't you?