One stem cell transplant! We prayed that William would get exactly what he needed and we know that it is God's will to get randomized to one transplant. He will be admitted next Thursday, to an isolated room in the Bone Marrow Transplant unit, and begin consolidated chemotherapy Friday (which will kill every fast regenerative cell in his body, including the white blood cells that our bodies use to fight infection). A week later he will receive his own stem cells (that we pulled from his blood after the second round of chemo) to rebuild his bone marrow stem cells, which build red and white blood cells. There are many things that can go wrong with this procedure (organ failure, additional hearing loss, severe mouth sores that could lead to the need of a feeding tube, just to name a few). We ask that you continue to pray for William - to protect his body during the transplant and give him the strength to persevere. I, personally, ask you to pray for my husband, Aaron, who will be William's primary caregiver during this treatment -- that he will have the patience of Job with William and enough perseverance and peace to endure a month in the hospital.
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Love,
Angela
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Praise God -- No Cancer!!
One of my mom's wonderful friends recently said that heaven will be storming with prayers for our little boy! She was right. Thank you all for all of the many prayers for our family. We just received the results back from the bone marrow biopsy/aspirate, from last week, that went to the lab in LA...William is CANCER FREE! There is no cancer in his bone marrow or anywhere else in his body. Praise the Lord! Prayers do work!
Next week we start the stem cell transplant process and we should know, by tomorrow, how many transplants William will get. More to come...
Thank you, thank you for all of the prayers!
Love,
Angela
Next week we start the stem cell transplant process and we should know, by tomorrow, how many transplants William will get. More to come...
Thank you, thank you for all of the prayers!
Love,
Angela
Friday, July 24, 2009
Updated Results...
Just got the results back from MIBG and CT scans...MIBG came back completely negative for signs of neuroblastoma & the CT came back with a small section of scar tissue, from the operation. Both of these are good signs that the "clusters" could just be regular bone marrow building cells. We won't know for sure until we get the lab results back from Monday's and last week's bone marrow tests, that will be sent to a lab in Los Angeles.
More to come...
More to come...
Urgent Need for Prayers!!!
The stem cell transplant is officially getting pushed out. Unfortunately, I misspoke yesterday - the bone scan came back negative however the bone marrow aspirate came back (today) with "clusters of atypical cells, suspicious for metastatic neuroblastoma." We are now scheduled for another bone marrow aspirate and biopsy, on Monday. We have not received the results from the MIBG or CT scans yet.
As you can imagine, we are completely shocked. William has had four bone marrow scan and has never shown signs of cancer in the marrow. Not to mention, he has completed seven rounds of chemo and the tumor that was removed was completely dead - indicating that his body, and the cancer, reacted well to chemo. It just doesn't add up. In fact, the doctors are perplexed as well. The oncologist said that it does not make sense that the cancer would show up now, after most of his treatment is complete and not having it show up in prior scans. She does not think it is neuroblastoma but the biopsy and aspirate, on Monday, will confirm one way or the other.
Please, please, please pray for William. He will be under anesthesia during the procedure but will still have pain after he wakes up. Please pray that the cluster(s) is/are not cancerous and just an anomaly.
Thank you for the continued prayers and support.
Love, Angela
As you can imagine, we are completely shocked. William has had four bone marrow scan and has never shown signs of cancer in the marrow. Not to mention, he has completed seven rounds of chemo and the tumor that was removed was completely dead - indicating that his body, and the cancer, reacted well to chemo. It just doesn't add up. In fact, the doctors are perplexed as well. The oncologist said that it does not make sense that the cancer would show up now, after most of his treatment is complete and not having it show up in prior scans. She does not think it is neuroblastoma but the biopsy and aspirate, on Monday, will confirm one way or the other.
Please, please, please pray for William. He will be under anesthesia during the procedure but will still have pain after he wakes up. Please pray that the cluster(s) is/are not cancerous and just an anomaly.
Thank you for the continued prayers and support.
Love, Angela
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Double Good News!
1 - Will's bone marrow aspirate and bone scan both came back NEGATIVE for cancer. Praise the Lord!
2 - Reilly had his first two teeth break through today. He is growing up soooo fast!
More to come...
2 - Reilly had his first two teeth break through today. He is growing up soooo fast!
More to come...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Recent Pictures - As Promised By Mommy...
Grandpa Fallon, in town from Japan, and my little bro Reilly (well, not so little anymore)!
Mei Mei (Grandma Fallon) & Me
Horsing Around With Daddy!
Me With A Hummus Mustache...
Here are a couple pics of Ri-Ri eating cereal for the 1st time...
Mei Mei (Grandma Fallon) & Me
Horsing Around With Daddy!
Me With A Hummus Mustache...
Here are a couple pics of Ri-Ri eating cereal for the 1st time...
Love,
William
Brief Update - Week of Testing
Yesterday, William went in for a bone scan and bone marrow aspirate -- you would never know today. Man, that kid can bounce back! Tomorrow he will be admitted to the hospital for multiple tests (CT scan, MIBG scan, hearing test, and a kidney functionality test...all of these can be Googled for a good description), for a couple of days, to make sure his body is ready for the stem cell transplant, happening next week. Since he is such a little guy and most radiology testing requires consuming gross-tasting stuff and laying very still during the procedure, these tests are very trying on him and us (the parent's trying to negotiate with a 2 year old to drink apple juice that tastes like battery acid). Anesthesia is usually required seeing as he is a busy body and that whole, "being very still" part is hard to explain. Anytime he is "put under", we worry...like regular parents. :)
Please continue to pray for William and our family that all of the testing goes well and come out with NED (No Evidence of Disease) results. It is very important to go into stem cell transplant with NED. Thank you for your continued prayers!
Love,
Angela
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world, you will have tribulations: but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
Please continue to pray for William and our family that all of the testing goes well and come out with NED (No Evidence of Disease) results. It is very important to go into stem cell transplant with NED. Thank you for your continued prayers!
Love,
Angela
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world, you will have tribulations: but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Blog Slacker
Sorry I've been slacking on adding updates. William came home late Friday night, July 3rd. We had a couple sets of grandparents over for the 4th, for a BBQ and popped some fireworks (one benefit of living outside city limits). Just like round 4, William's counts took a little while to bottom out and now that they are at zero, they will take a little while to come back up. He is still in good spirits. I need to add some pictures next time...Will is getting so tall and Reilly is HUGE!
William is tentatively scheduled to be admitted for his stem cell transplant on July 28th. This may move out a week if his counts don't bounce back in time. He will have a week's worth of testing before and we will know, right before he is admitted, if he is randomized for one or two transplants. If any of you don't know me, I'm a planner. Finding out things at the last minute drives me crazy. God isn't done molding me yet...I'm still working on flexibility and patience...I still plan. :-)
Please pray that William is randomized to the right number of transplants (1 or 2); only God knows! Continue to pray for strength and peace, for my family, as we all go through this. I pray that all of you are blessed as well.
John 14:27 -- Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Love,
Angela
William is tentatively scheduled to be admitted for his stem cell transplant on July 28th. This may move out a week if his counts don't bounce back in time. He will have a week's worth of testing before and we will know, right before he is admitted, if he is randomized for one or two transplants. If any of you don't know me, I'm a planner. Finding out things at the last minute drives me crazy. God isn't done molding me yet...I'm still working on flexibility and patience...I still plan. :-)
Please pray that William is randomized to the right number of transplants (1 or 2); only God knows! Continue to pray for strength and peace, for my family, as we all go through this. I pray that all of you are blessed as well.
John 14:27 -- Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Love,
Angela
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