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.