Cycle 4 Wednesday - Friday

Well the rest of the week has gone by really slow but it is now Friday afternoon at 2 so we have 7 1/2 more hours. 

Wednseday: Cooper woke up and said, "I have been here for this many days (holding up 5 fingers) can we go home yet?"  He is slowing wearing down.  He quit eating Wednesday afternoon, seems to happen every time. 

Thursday: Yesterday Jared and I were able to meet the cancer patient in the room next to us.  She has the exact same cancer Cooper does.  Her story is very much the same too.  She found a lump, doctors thought it was a hematoma, they watched it, it became tender, diagnosis of cancer and the she is on cycle 11 of the 14.  She is a sweet 17 year old who missed her senior year.  Before this happened she planned to be a nurse, she still plans to persue her career.  She gave me a lot of insight on how Cooper is feeling since they have the exact same treatment plan.  She says it hurts so bad to swallow after the Doxo cycle and that nothing seems to help it.  She also likes Little Cesars breadsticks and McDonalds just like Coop.  She is a wonderful, tough, brave and courageous girl that we wish all of the best too.  It is nice to know someone who has gone through the same cycles.  It hasn't been an easy road for her.  She has been hospitalized after every cycle for fever except cycle 9 and 10.  I guess this gives me hope for the future cycles.

Friday: Today Coop is having fun painting trying to pass the time until we get to go home.  We will keep our fingers crossed that he won't have a fever, although I am totally planning on it. 

Back at Primarys for Cycle 4 (May 23rd - May 27th)

Here we are back at Primary Childrens for Cycle 4 out of 14.  Each cycle is 2 weeks, more if he ends up being admitted to Portneuf but they want us to stay as close to 2 weeks as possible.

Monday:  He just started the chemo and is tolerating it well.  His tumor has visibly shrunk from the previous 3 cycles.  The surgeon will remove it after cycle 6, in about 6-8 weeks.  

Tuesday: He is really tired and sleeping a lot.

The green teddy bear!

A little boy, his dad and sister knocked on our door today.  His dad told us that his son was very persistant, after hearing Cooper's story, that he give him his teddy bear.  He had the bear since his tonsils were taken out a couple of years ago.  He handed the bear to Cooper and said, "this bear helped me get better while I was in the hospital and I know it will help you get better too."  Tear jerker for sure.  What a sweet little boy!  Thanks Hamilton.

Newspaper/news corrections and thanks!

I was just able to watch the news clip that told about Cooper's Benefit and also read the article in today's paper.  There are a couple of things I wanted to make sure people knew were incorrect.  We didn't notice the tumor last fall, it was December 11th and we didn't "press the doctors" that comment never came out of our mouths.  The doctors here have been so helpful, especially Coop's regular doctor, we absolutely love him and know he cares. Also, when the news guy asked what advice I would have for parents I said it was to be your child's advocate and follow your instincts, it wasn't suppose to be printed with us "pressing the doctors".  The Pocatello Police Department has been a huge support but didn't organize the event; friends in our community came together to plan this.   

That aside, we would like to thank everyone who has shown their love and support for our family.  We truly appreciate all of you!  It is hard to put into words how we feel and it is very overwhelming to know so many people care.  We appreciate everyone's sacrifice to help us.  Thank you all!!!

We are home from Portneuf!!!

Coop was discharged today at 2:00 p.m. and we were both very excited to go home.  It was another rough week.  We spoke with the nursing coordinator for Primary Childrens and they want us to go back as soon as possible for cycle 4.  We opted for the latest possible date which will be this Saturday morning.  Cycle 4 will be a 5-6 day stay at Primarys. Coop's regular doctor was able to care for him this past week because he was working at the hopsital.  We sure enjoyed having him there to care for Cooper.

For the next 4 1/2 days we will enjoy every bit of home; the laughter, fighting, toys being left out, dirty clothes, and all of that because we really miss being here.  The kids are together again for a few days, we will make the most of it!!!!!!! One of my very best friends took this picture of the kids when we found out Coop has cancer,  she did a great job!

Still recovering from Cycle 3

Well, Coop is still at Portneuf recovering from cycle 3.  He has been here since Sunday May 8th and iIt is now Friday May 13th.  He ended up with another fever yesterday, feels miserable, needs a platelet transfusion that he will get later tonight, has mouth sores which is a side effect from the chemo so can't eat or drink very well and is sleeping a whole lot.  He has definately hit a low.  Hopefully tomorrow it is a better day.  He is sure a tough little guy.  I think they will start cycle 4 late because of this long hospital stay.

Cycle 3:

Cooper tolerated cycle 3 very well physically, didn't get too sick and continued to eat and drink but didn't want to be in the hospital.  It was a very hard week!! We were discharged on Monday from Portneuf and went to Primarys for cycle 3 on Tuesday so no break from the hospitals.  He decided to protest on Wednesday and hid under his hospital bed for 3 hours screaming, crying and yelling at everyone to stay away.  It was a little hard for me to stand by and watch but I totally understood his frusterations.  For that moment Coop being a good little boy and doing everything that the nurses and doctors asked him wasn't important to me.  It hurt me to see him feel so frusterated.  We got through it and had a much better day on Thursday. 

We spent Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday at home enjoying every little moment.  Saturday was the Law Day run and Coop was able to ring the new Liberty Bell to start the runners.  He thought he was the star for the day.  He had a really good time.  Lowell, a close family friend, gave Coop his Boston marathon medal that morning.  Coop thought that was great.  Ike, Korbie and Jared ran the 5K for the first time in a summer series run.  Ike and Korbie want to run again, they loved it.  Ike's time was 26, Korbie 28, they both did so great!  I love that they love to run! 

Then Sunday night came and so did a fever.  Coop was admitted to Portnuef Sunday night for fever and they started antibiotics.  It is now Wednesday, his fever is gone and cultures have been negative but his counts aren't high enough to be discharged so we are stuck here until they come up.  Cycle 4 of chemo is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, hopefully we get some time at home.  Coop's brothers and sister miss their little brother and mom.    The above picture is Coop at Porneuf wearing an animal mask. 

Jared and I are still receiving so much love and support from all of you and want to say thanks again.  It is hard not having our family together much and trying to get kids to soccer, baseball and more baseball so thank you for all of your help, support, love and prayers!!!

Build-A-Bear donated bears for all of the cancer patients and I was able to pick out a camo bear for Cooper.  He didn't really want me to take his picture with the bear so it is in the background. 

Coop and I also took a few pictures of ourselves.  We both try to make it fun since we have to be away from home.  Coop loves to play Old Maid, Go Fish, Operation, CandyLand and I have tried to teach him Rummy.  He also loves coloring, painting, playing with cars, playdough and legos. 

They started the 48 hour push of Doxorubicin last night at 10:30 p.m.  I wonder if they will let us leave at 10:30 p.m. on Thursday????  Probably not but I will ask.  There is no place like home!

Cycle 3 May 3rd-May 5th

We just arrived for the third cycle of chemo at Primary Childrens.  Cooper wasn't thrilled to be here because we were just discharged yesterday from a 4 day stay at Portneuf Medical where he was admitted for fever.  His counts seem to drop off between 5-7 days after chemo and every time (so far) he ends up admitted for fever caused from being neutropenic.