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Journal entries from 08/15/05 - 09/06/05

09/06/05

Jackson had a great weekend. His counts were so low last week that he had another transfusion on Thursday night after his tooth and nose were bleeding and wouldn't stop. He was supposed to start chemo yesterday, but his platelets were too low to start. He should be able to start next Monday though. This weekend was spent with our family and extended family from near St. Louis. We had a great time with four-wheelers and campfires. Jackson got to act like a normal kid and had a great time with his cousins. Most of his hair is gone now and he is much more conscious about it this time. He is doing well currently and we are just praying that his platelets keep coming back so that he can have the chemo that he needs.

08/29/05

Jackson was out of the hospital at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and was very glad to be out of there. His counts started to rebound and we were sure happy to see them come up. After spending last weekend in the hospital he wanted to be at home. He hasn't had a fever for a couple of days and that is very refreshing. He had a fever everyday for several weeks and was tired of feeling so poor. Yesterday he was almost giddy he was so excited to be feeling good, it was a wonderful thing to see. He will have this week off and then start chemo next Monday. His school starts Wednesday and he is very excited to go. His hair is starting to fall out and he is trying to keep it for a couple more days for the first day of school. Then he said he wants to shave it so that it won't keep falling in his eyes and fall out all over his bed and pillow. The rest of us are doing fine also, it is much easier when he is feeling good and in good spirits. When you are with him, it all seems to be fine, but when you are apart is when it is the toughest.

08/26/05

Last night we put Jackson in St. Joe's Hospital with a fever and a bladder infection. He seems to be doing fine now, but has had a fever for most of a month and the doctors think it is the body and the cancer battling it out. We expect him to get out of the hospital on Sunday; he isn't happy about that since he was in the hospital last weekend with the severe nose bleed. His nose hasn't been bleeding any more, but that was scary for all of us. Jackson has a new .243 rifle and he is wanting to get out and shoot it. He has shot it once and did very well. I am just hoping that he feels well enough to go hunting with me this fall.

08/22/2005

Jackson had a good first half of the weekend, but the second was not fun. Saturday, Jackson, Wyatt, and their grandpa all went on a jet boat trip up Hell's Canyon and had a great time and even saw some huge rams. Saturday night we went to a bbq and things were going great until 12:30 a.m. We were all sleeping when Jackson's nose started to bleed and after 30 minutes of hard bleeding we took him to the emergency room. They got it stopped after a couple hours and thought that he lost over a pint of blood. They then gave him platelets and two units of blood and at 10:00 a.m. he got to come home. He was home for ten minutes and it started gushing again so we headed back. This time after an hour the doctor cauterized it and completely stopped the bleeding. Jackson was pretty drugged up and he and Staci came home and took a big nap. Things are o.k. now, but not fun for a while. Jackson was very scared with all of the blood and that was the hardest on all of us. Friday night, his friends from Steelheader.net gave him a mounted steelhead which they had a replica made from a picture of one that Jackson caught a couple years ago. It is a beautiful fish and looks great. Jackson was very excited and we are very grateful for all of those that went in on it. Click here to see the picture.

08/15/2005

After the terrible week we had, the weekend was as good. We went down to McCall with some friends and stayed in their cabin. We went out on the lake and had a great time. Jackson was pulled on the tube and we really enjoyed the trip. Jackson even got a new 243 rifle and scope as a gift. He can't wait to shoot it and wanted to buy shells on the way into town. In all of this that we go through, we are continually amazed at the support and kindness by our friends and family. Jackson starts chemo today in Spokane and then the next four days will be here in Lewiston. We are praying that his chemo works and stops the rapid growth of his tumors and that his platelets keep bouncing back. The platelets and their rebounding will be a very important part in all of this.