The M&M Story

I've still been weak and coughing from the pnuemonia, although its been getting better everyday. Today I went in for a blood check, an appointment with the medical oncologist, and possible treatment. My liver levels are getting better, and should be within range next week to take treatment. They think it might be a dosing issue, so they'll just reduce the chemo dose next week and watch levels. My oxygen levels are good, and my immune system's at a pretty good place. In the meantime, it turns out I'm anemic, and was about 2-3 pints down. So that's a huge reason for my fatigue. They gave me a transfusion of 2 units of red-blood-cell-rich blood, and I feel a whole lot better. I'm at least 60% of my old self! They've also started me on a drug called Procrit, which is an anti-anemia drug. So I was at the hospital for most of the day, but I feel much better, and we'll see how it goes. We're just praising God that this fatigue was something that could...

It's good to be home. I'm not up to doing any jigs yet, but the pneumonia's under control and I haven't had fever for a couple of days, so they let me out. My liver function levels were up for some reason during most of my weeklong stay, but they are declining now (which is good), and they think it's medication related. It does not seem to be cancer related. Thank you for all your prayers for our family--we know God listens to his children, and he acts. More later....

This is Susan updating Brian's blog. Brian was admitted to the hospital Saturday because of severe dehydration and pneumonia (that darn right lung). He is somewhat better but will remain in the hospital until at least tomorrow afternoon. Please pray for healing.

M: "You used to be a little boy, and you grew up to be my daddy."

"'Member when there was no wectricity in the wights and we fwashed the wight on the Wion book so we could wead it? That was funny." Translation: "Remember last night during the blackout, when we used the flashlight to read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe ? That was funny." The electricity was out for about twenty hours, and when we got home from church, M was very excited to find out that his lights, CD player, fan, and white noise machine all worked again.

Well, it's been over 48 hours since the first infusion, and I feel just fine. Next week I'm bringing handpuppets, though. There are five chemo rooms, and they each have six recliners or beds lined up on the walls, three per side. It's a setup just like in Curious George Goes to the Hospital , when he swallows the puzzle piece, but of course he's in the children's ward. There was even a grumpy patient who got testy with the nurse when the nurse opened her package of crackers for her. "Don't open it," she said condescendingly, as if opening the crackers was soooo inconsiderate. And after the nurse left, she kept complaining under her breath. George's friend Betsy is grumpy in the hospital, too, and only cracks a smile when he performs a puppet show using both hands and feet. And then Betsy finally laughs when George races down the ramp in Billy's wheelchair, and crashes into the Mayor. I didn't have any puppets with me, and I couldn't c...

B is getting serious about his personal rights, and he's a little jealous that M gets to rotate between underwear and pullups. Tonight B INSISTED* on wearing the following, listed here from the inside out: 1. Diaper 2. Underwear 3. Pullup 4. Pajama pants. He definitely had some junk in the trunk. *And yes, a one-year-old with limited vocabulary can insist very effectively, using adamant hand motions, growls, grunts, and yanks.

#1 (after peeing in the little potty) M: Can I name it, daddy? D: Your pee? M: Yes. D: Whatever, dude. M: It's name is Goopy! Can I pour Goopy in the big toilet? D: Absolutely. M: Can I flush Goopy now? D: Knock yourself out. M: Bye, bye, Goopy! Byyyyyye! #2 M: Daddy, do you ever poop on the wall? D: Um, no. M: Are you sure? D: Pretty sure, yes. M: You've NEVER pooped on the wall??? (shakes his head as if he can't believe it) Never EVER???

Okay, so I start the next phase of treatment on Tuesday. This week I've gone through screening, which basically means having my blood taken a few times and being quizzed on my aches, pains, and number of visits to the potty I make per day. Tuesday I'll go in at noonish and have my blood taken again, then get a shot of Benadryl, then half an hour later, start an infusion of Rapamycin (Rapamycin has been manufactured in several forms--this particular form is known as CCI-779). It's an mTOR inhibitor. mTOR stands for "mammalian target of Rapamycin," which seems redundant, but what the hey. It has something to do with cell growth and reproduction, and some kinases and proteins and whatnot. It confuses me, and I'm a medical editor. Anyway, the infusion of CCI-779 takes about an hour, and then I'm done for the week (except for a quick blood draw on Wednesday). CCI-779 is a clinical trial drug, so we're not sure just what it will do, but if we don't have ...

Two things to consider: 1. In Story , Robert McKee's screenwriting philosophy book, he says the hero of the story must be kept from his goal at all costs until the end of the movie. Just as he thinks he's within reach, it must be yanked away again. Otherwise, it's a boring, boring story. 2. Frequently, the three-year-old that goes to sleep for a nap is not the same three-year-old that wakes up two hours later. The toddler of 7:00 am to 1:00 pm is a cooperative, motivated, happy child. The toddler of 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm is a crazy, crazy person. All that to say, potty training did not go as well this afternoon as it went this morning. He woke up with dry underwear and received hugs, kisses, and a chocolate chip. But we went outside to play and soiled a couple pair of underwear within 15 minutes. Now, there is a difference between one's outside potty habits and one's inside potty habits, so we take heart that there has not been an INSIDE accident all day. But still, it...

Naptime Originally uploaded by Maynor . You probably have not have had time yet to read the entry below, but I just checked on him, and this is what I found. He didn't get very far nto his stack of books. Of course, 1001 is a lot of Things to Spot Long Ago. I can see how one might fall asleep in the middle of that book, especially after a long morning of potty breaks. No word yet on dry vs. wet soccer equipment undies.

Several more visits to the loo today. I actually got teary-eyed during one of his colon moments*, and not just from the smell. The little dude's growing up. He did have one accident this morning, but it was his first time out of the house today, and it was drizzling rain at the zoo. And really, who among us hasn't been tempted during a drizzle in August? It's wet, it's warm.... It's rest time now, so he's reading books in bed, in UNDERWEAR. Little briefs with soccer balls and cleats all over them. So this is a big test. But he did #3 (1 + 2) before his rest, so we're crossing our fingers.... *my (hilarious) wife's favorite euphemism. It's even more icky than the real word, don't you think?

After months of stops and starts, today might be the day. We've been to the potty five times in a row, including both pee and poop. Two poops in fact. We've never pooped on the potty before now. This is big, folks. Real big.

"I love to work, work, work. That's my favorite stuff to do."