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Journal entries from 09/12/05 - 10/07/05

10/07/05

Jackson has a great weekend planned. He is going to the WSU football game and has really good tickets. He may even get to meet the players and go out for the coin toss. I am going hunting for a week in the Seven Devils with my brothers and we are hoping for not too much snow. Then, next weekend I should be able to take Jackson deer hunting with me. We have lots of plans coming up and God willing, we will get to follow through with them. Jackson's counts are finally coming back, but he won't have chemo next week, they are waiting another week.

10/03/05

Jackson and the family had a great weekend. We went to the football game, shot our rifles, rode 4-wheelers and most of all had a great time at the Jackson Baldwin Bull Bash on Saturday night. Jackson was the star of the show and really enjoyed it. They gave him a belt buckle that is gorgeous and says "Asotin Super Bull - Jackson Baldwin - Chute Boss" on it. We all had a great time and got to see some great riders and people out there. Jackson even got some pictures and a video from the great bull rider Lane Frost. His parents even signed them. We again owe a lot to so many people that are so generous to us. Jackson will get his blood drawn again today to test how he is doing. Hopefully it is coming back since he is supposed to start again next Monday.

09/26/05

Jackson had a good round of chemo last week. We have been able to avoid the emergency room so far, but still anticipating a trip or two. Jackson had a blood transfusion on Saturday as his counts were dropping, but his platelets were still doing pretty good. From what we understand, the platelets are the key to being able to receive the chemo that he needs. He has been running a fever the last several nights, but this has been common with each round of chemo. This weekend is going to be very fun if Jackson can stay healthy enough. There is a Jackson Baldwin Bull Bash on Saturday at Asotin. I guess it will be all bull riding and then an auction and it is all for Jackson. He is very excited about it and can't wait to go. He is still a huge fan of rodeos and especially the bull riding. Jackson is also very excited about the upcoming hunting season. He made a great shot on a coyote last week and can't wait to go with me in deer season. Wyatt, my dad, and I took our camper up for my elk camp on Friday night. We will be in the Seven Devils this year. When we got there it was a white out blizzard and when we woke up there was over seven inches of snow. We had a good time but got out of there and we are hoping for better weather in two weeks.

09/19/05

Jackson has had a very enjoyable couple of weeks. His platelets had not come up high enough for another round of chemo so we had to wait until today to start again. Last week we were out scouting and he took his .243 rifle and made a great shot at a coyote at around 75 yards, off hand. I wanted him to try and shoot it, but with only seeing a portion of the coyote and his first shot at a live animal I didn't expect much. He was very excited and wasn't as shocked as I was that he hit it. This weekend we went to the 7-Devils on Saturday and had a great time scouting for elk and bugling with several different bulls. Jackson even bugled with a couple. It snowed and sleeted on us, which was no surprise at 7200 feet in elevation. Then we came closer to town and scouted for deer and saw a lot of deer and some nice bucks. Then on Sunday, Jackson, Wyatt, myself, and several others went up the Snake River and caught a few steelhead and lots of bass. We even shot several chuckers that were down by the river. The boys each got to bring in a steelhead and had a great time. They were both very tired by the end of the day. We have been having a great time together and are trying to do the best to balance all that we want to do and all that we need to do. We are praying that his counts come back better from the chemo this time and that his nose doesn't have the terrible bleeding.

09/12/05

Jackson had a great week and weekend. One of his absolute loves is the rodeo and the cowboys. Wednesday he was asked to help sort steers and he was down there and taking charge. He had a whip and was moving those steers into the shoots like a regular pro. Then we went to every performance from Thursday to Sunday and had a great time. The boys went with us or grandparents, except yesterday Jackson went with good friend Pat Richardson. Jackson got to talk several times to Lloyd Ketchum the bullfighter that Jackson has idolized for years. In fact, Jackson has gone to Halloween as Lloyd Ketchum four times. Thursday, Lloyd gave Jackson his sunglasses that he wore during the performance. We were going to start chemo today, but Jackson's counts weren't high enough so we are holding off for next Monday. We are really hoping that his platelets start rebounding better. Jackson and Wyatt are both liking school and like their teachers. Wyatt is learning to read and shows a lot of interest that makes all of us excited and Jackson is reading better and better all of the time.