Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Round 3 is over, now we wait...

Hey everyone,


Round III is officially over... Levi had his last chemo treatment yesterday morning at 2am. That's good news for a lot of reasons. He is now officially done with his eye drops for awhile (it's amazing how strong he is when you're trying to wrestle him down and put drops in his eyes!). It also means that they were able to unhook him from his IV during the day, which made him AND Steph very happy. He's not a big fan of all that tubing. So, he's back to his normal mobile self for awhile. They still have him hooked up to get fluids at night, but that doesn't seem to bother him while he's asleep. Here's a picture of him trying to help change his dressing this weekend - it was pretty cute. He didn't cry or anything, just grabbed the little wrappers and acted like he was doing it himself. He's a pro at this stuff; it really is amazing how well he's adapted to the treatments, routines, and tests he gets everyday.

I just talked to Steph a few minutes ago, and he's doing fine. He was a little cranky today, but can't really blame him for that. He is a little busy-body in that room, and enjoys his visits from the therapy dogs and keeping his room clean (a habit I hope he keeps as he grows older). He will probably get blood tomorrow, as his hemoglobin is starting to dip - a sign that his counts are starting to drop. So, we are now officially on fever watch; the doctors and nurses were amazed that he stayed fever-free and healthy after the last round, but we're expecting the same this round! Please keep praying that he will stay away from sicknesses and infections; as I've mentioned before, these can really be nasty while his immune system is virtually non-existent.

Stephanie and I are doing pretty well right now. It seemed like the 5-day treatment he just went through really moved pretty quickly. Of course, we are starting to look forward to his next visit home... Caylee and I are planning on heading down there again this weekend, and I think Steph's parents are going to sit with Levi for a little while on Saturday night so Steph and I can sneak out for a nice meal to celebrate our anniversary (which technically isn't until next Tuesday).

Caylee is also doing well. She is talking about Bubby a lot this round. I think the further we get into this treatment marathon, the more she is realizing what is actually happening. She used to just ask where Bubby and Mommy were, but she doesn't do that anymore. Instead, she will see something on TV or think of something that reminds her of him, then talk about how Bubby likes this or says that. She is concerned, but she always makes sure we pray about Bubby getting better when we give thanks before our meals or during our bedtime prayers. She is doing very well in preschool; it is amazing the progress she is making. I just had to include this picture of her this evening - riding her bike around the neighborhood with her helmet and motorcycle glasses.

Thank you all for your continued love and support. We continue to get cards and gifts in the mail - they are such a source of encouragement for us. Also - we have had many ask us if they could bring us meals while Steph and Levi are in the hospital, so I wanted to let you know that we got hooked up with a website that helps with the coordination of that. It feels strange to be posting this, but I know that many of you are wanting to help and continue to ask, so I thought I would share it with you. Here's the link - I think you can just sign up for meals if you would like. Also - if you know of any other families facing tough situations, you can sign them up on this website too; it's a pretty neat system.

http://www.TakeThemAMeal.com/meals.php?t=AIUG6346

Alright, that's enough for tonight... Time to go pass out in bed. We love you all, and thank you again for all that you do for us. God is good.

Michael, Stephanie, Caylee, and little Levi

4 comments:

  1. Still praying....
    The Dearings

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  2. Never a day goes by that I don't think about all of you and what you are going through. Hang tough little dude!! These updates are amazing.

    Love,
    Chris

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  3. Dear Michael&Stephanie,
    I just LOVE this update because it verifies the song I had in my head all day yesterday thinking and praying for Levi. "I'm In the Lords Army." I looked it up and realized it was a song for children! I lOVE IT!!!! We love You and continue to PRAY IT FORWARD! (Oh that was clever!) Faithful Praying Warriors xoxo Brenda&Gene

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  4. Praying that the treatment does it's job and that God continues to bless little Levi with healing and gives you the strength to endure.

    Love you all soooo much!!
    Grandma and Grandpa G.

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