Cancer: the Gift That Keeps Giving

Oh do I ever have a lot to catch up on.

There just hasn't been time.

Last Thursday, we had another one of Kean's big post-Chemo

check-ups.  It is hard to believe it has already been a month.

Even though we don't really have "Chemo" dates anymore, Kean

still had two babes on his arms.

Holland and her friend from school, Lauren came along

(to interview one of the Clinical Dietitians for a school project).

 It was so nice to have "Hottie"  (Kean's version of Holland)

along with us.

She must have been a good luck charm.

We finally had no problems drawing blood from the boy.

 We saw Kean's primary Oncologist- Dr. Camilo

and he has no idea what it causing the awful, itchy rash

on the boy's head.  Everyone seems to think it is either a

virus or a reaction to a sulfa drug Kean has been on for three plus

years (and is supposed to keep taking until the end of the year).

We also set up a bunch of sedated testing on Kean's heart.

Get this, one of the Chemo drugs he was on causes heart damage.

And the possibility of the damage doesn't lessen with time-- he

will have to have his heart tested regularly for the rest of his life.

That #$%@ cancer-- the gift that keeps giving!

 On to better news-- Holland's school put on a big

Haunted House.  Holland was recruited to be a scary doll 

come to life.

And let's see on the school front, we've been pulling Kean

our of Kindergarten each Friday to keep his intense therapy

(OT, PT, and Speech) all in a row.

We had our big yearly review.  Kean for the past month

has 1.  been exhausted for all of his therapies

and 2.  has made it clear he does not want to be there.

So we have decided to take a break and call off these

therapies to hopefully get his energy level up and to find a better day 

in a few months where he can be around more children at his level

(the kids who are there on Fridays are very delayed and that has 

only added to his frustration).

Let's face it, after three plus years of house arrest-

this boy is ready to be social.

And he was all smiles as he said goodbye to his

therapists.

 And finally, I will be trying to get ANOTHER doctor's

appointment tomorrow with a Dermatologist

to look at Kean's rash.

 I don't know that it looks worse tonight but it is certainly

more itchy.

We were up at the cabin for the weekend and

poor kid woke up every two hours to protest

and let us know he wasn't happy.

I'm done with this waiting game and trying 

to keep him calm while it clears up.

Three weeks is too long!!!