Tuesday, September 6, 2011

All present and accounted for...

Hi everyone,

I hope you all had a great long weekend! We enjoyed ours, and had a great time helping my little nephew Xavier celebrate his first birthday. A big thanks again to Steph's mom and dad for sitting with Levi while Caylee, Steph, and I headed south for the big party. It was hard not having Levi there, but like I mentioned in our last post, we know this is temporary, and soon we'll be able to enjoy special occasions like birthdays as a complete family.


Ok - now I have to jump straight to my favorite part -- Levi was able to come home today! Yup! Steph called me this morning at work and said those four words I was waiting to hear (no, not "Cubs win the pennant")- "come get us now!" So, I wasted no time in jumping in the car, heading home for a five minute pick-up just to make sure things weren't bad enough that she'd leave me once she walked in the door, and I was on my way down to Indy. She and Levi were happy to see me, and it only took four wagon loads this time to get everything loaded in the van. He was all smiles and talked most of the way home. The relief is so evident in his actions, even at his young age.


I was going to try to get a picture of Caylee and Levi playing together, but it would have just been a blur. She and Levi chased each other all over the house, had screaming contests in the living room, argued over the kickball, and chatted away like siblings, making up for lost time. Just like on our last break, Steph and I just sat on the couch and watched them play. Needless to say, they were both absolutely wiped out when we stuck them in bed a few minutes ago. You could tell, as Levi layed right down without a peep and Caylee put up a good 15 minute screaming fit before she finally gave in. Ahh, things are normal and it feels good.

Levi is still technically under nutropenic precaution, as his counts are still pretty low. But, the doctor wanted to get him home, as it is actually much easier for little ones to stay away from germs and infection at home than it is in the hospital. All sort of nasty bugs lurking there I guess. We are monitoring his temperature and watching for signs of coughs, but praying and trusting God that he will have a solid rest and recovery time like he did after his first round.

We'll take him back next Wednesday to kick off his third round of chemo. We talked to the specialist today before we left, and it sounds like the third, fourth, and fifth rounds are challenging, but for different reasons. They aren't as long and they don't involve as many drugs, but the chemo dosages are higher, which increases the chance for some nasty side effects. He will have to get eye drops every three to four hours around the clock to keep from having eye issues due to the chemo being secreted from his tear ducts. And, as always, we'll have to watch for mouth sores, increased fevers, and severe diaper rash. We can handle this, though, knowing that he is getting better and that the chemo definitely appears to be working. If his tests continue to come back clear, then he will not have to undergo a bone marrow transplant!

But, we'll deal with all of that next week. For this week, we are going to lay low, love on our kids, and enjoy the peace and comfort that comes with all four of us being together again under one roof. God knows when we need a break, and we are thanking Him for this one.

I can't believe the house is quiet, both kids are in bed, and we have the windows open enjoying the cool night breeze. Life is good, and I am thankful for the unmeasurable blessings that we continue to receive. I'm just waiting for Steph to get back from a quick grocery run (I have a bad habit of letting the grocery supply dwindle to near nothingness when she's not here), then it's time to enjoy a night together. We will probably try to enjoy a movie or something, but typically we both end up passing out well before make it through one. The sleepless nights catch up with us pretty quickly these days.

Thank you again for your love, support, and prayers. God continues to walk with us through this battle, and if He is with us, who can be against us?

We love you all,
Michael, Stephanie, Caylee, and little Levi

4 comments:

  1. So glad you are all home together once again! Thinking of you all. Enjoy your week!!

    Love,
    Chris

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  2. Such great news. Little Levi is such a fighter. Have a great time with the family this week....
    Susan (Chris's friend)

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  3. YOUR FAITHFUL PRAYING WARRIORS ARE SO HAPPY TO HEAR LEVI IS DOING FANTASTIC!!! GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS!!
    Love You Guys! xoxo Brenda&Gene

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  4. Dear Grandchildren,

    What awesome news!! Have a wonderful family time and know that God is right there watching over all of you all the time.

    Our love,
    Grandpa and Grandma G.

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