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Journal entries from 01/17/03 -  01/03/03

01/17/03

Jackson had an appointment in Spokane today and everything is still going well. His counts have dropped a little, but they are not worried. He has had a great week at home and he and Wyatt are learning how to share again. They have been the center of attention for over seven months now and are getting on each others nerves occasionally. We are so happy to have our house full again. Jackson is no longer on the I-V so we really have to try and get him to eat. As expected he has very little appetite. He has put a few miles on the four-wheeler and spent the rest of the time at home inside. The house did get sterilized before he came home, but coming home early didn't make it easy. Thank you so much to those that helped us get the house ready. As for the future, we are going to go back to another appointment next week and play it by ear for the radiation treatments. Jackson sent a letter t o Santa and told him that he will be ready for Christmas on Sunday, so we are having our family Christmas that Sunday morning. Even though it will be on January the 18th I am still not quite ready.

01/13/03

Jackson and Staci got to come home late Friday afternoon from Spokane. The doctor was a little hesitant to release him and said he could go but he was to stay home with no company. So that is what we did. It was a great weekend. Jackson and Wyatt played together most of the weekend and we just enjoyed being together again. He is hooked up to an I-V for 12 hours a day to give him fluids and nourishment, but most of that is at night. He feels good and looks good. His energy is not all back of course, but he goes for quite a while and then on his own he will sit and rest. He goes back to Spokane on Friday for a check-up and will probably start radiation in a couple of weeks. We are being very cautious with him, but he did get to ride his new four-wheeler for a little while. He is doing so well and is considered to be in remission. Now we do the follow-up treatments and tests and just pray that we can go five years with no sort of relapse. They have told us many times that this type of cancer is known for relapsing and we just need to get past five years, so Lord willing, that is what we will do.

01/09/03

Things are still going well in Seattle, so well that Jackson is heading for Spokane today and possibly home on Friday. He will still have to get food and liquids from an I-V periodically, but that is all part of the plan for the transplant. His counts are doing well and he has even got to leave the hospital twice on a four hour pass in the last two days. His energy is low and he sleeps a lot throughout the day if he isn't staying active. The house is getting closer to being ready for him and I told Staci she can't come home yet and she said, "get it ready because we are coming as soon as we get released." I think they are all ready to be home again and I know Wyatt and I are ready to have them. Wyatt is going to his last day of school today, because we are pulling him out so he doesn't bring anything home. That shouldn't be a problem, he is only three. Several people are helping today go through the house and sterilize everything and we are having the house power vacuumed, the carpets cleaned, and new special filters put in the heater and air-conditioner. We are taking all of the precautions they have told us and even a couple more. Jackson will still be going back to Spokane for radiation but that will be in a couple weeks most likely. As we have said so many times, Thank You all so much for all of the prayers and effort you have given us. We owe so much to you and we will never forget. This experience has changed us permanently in so many ways. We have come together much more spiritually, we have faith in people that in general, they rise above what we previously thought only imaginable, and we have found that we have many friends and family that stand beside us for as long as it takes. Thank You.

01/06/03

Jackson is doing so much better. His mouth sores are gone, his temperature is great, his counts are where they want them, and he is starting to eat just a little. It is hard to imagine what his thoughts must have been for the past three weeks, but now he is often giving us the smile we had been missing. His spirits are so much higher and his energy is getting better also. He is now off of the pain killers and should be done with the withdrawals very soon. He has a sneeze and cough so the doctors put his room on isolation, meaning neither he or his visitors can go to the kitchen or bathroom or walk around the floor. That means that everyone visiting him must go straight to the elevator from the room. They are being cautious of all of the other children on the floor that also have no immune system and we certainly honor that. Jackson will go to Spokane as soon as he can take pills orally and eat some food. We are getting close but not there yet. We are all looking so forward to being home together under the same roof. Wyatt and I are together now in Lewiston and Staci and Jackson are together in Seattle. It will be much different when we are together, much more sterile. The house will have to be  very sterile and every one of his toys has to be cleaned with bleach along with everything else he might touch. It will take some time and some getting used to, but we welcome the opportunity. Thank you so much for all of your continued prayers, they are doing wonders.

01/03/03

Jackson is doing much better in many ways, his ANC count is now at 9520 which is great. His mouth has cleared up and his throat is much better. He is now facing serious withdrawals from the pain medicine he was on. He is vomiting a lot and sweating and often shaking. It is completely normal, but not fun and should only last a few days. He is basically addicted to the pain medication and needs to kick his addiction. He also has developed a cough and the doctors are watching it closely. He is walking a little bit and starting to eat a few ice chips.