Our Weekend

Saturday
Zane's ANC jumped from zero to 100 overnight.  He had a rough morning.  He was feeling better and just wanted to go home.  Our neighbors came over on Friday night to see if they could help in any way so Zoe had a play date with their daughter while I took Zac to the hospital to see Zane.  The boys had a blast playing with each other.  The nurses loved watching them together.  That night Zane fell asleep early.

Zac pushing Zane in the wheelchair.  He wore a mask to show support.

The boys playing in the hospital closet.  The nurse could not get over how cute the boys were.

Zane with his bedtime dessert.  He didn't want to eat, he just wanted to look at it.

 Sunday
Zane woke up at 5:00 am when they came in to do labs.  Usually he just sleeps through it since they draw it from his port.  I tried to convince him to go back to sleep but was unsuccessful.  The medical student came in around 8:00 am to let me know he reached his ANC level goal and we would probably be going home.  After rounds we got the discharge papers.  It was so nice to be able to come and get back into our routine.

Sunday night in bed at home.

Monday

We took it easy today.  Zoe and I went outside to clean the pool and the boys followed.  We had a fun little swim and enjoyed the rest of the day at home.

The Waiting Game

Zane has been fever free for over 24 hours.  Waiting to hear about his cultures and waiting for his ANC levels to reach 200, they were still at zero this morning.  He is feeling a lot better and wants to come home.  He's having a hard time understanding why he can't come home and this led to a lot of tears this morning.  We are praying they will come up fast.  

Wednesday in the ER eating pizza while we wait for his room.

Wednesday night ready for bed.

Thursday putting the play food in the fridge.

Zac took over his bed.  

Zac in the playroom with shopkins.

Zane getting some fresh air on Thursday night.

Making hamburgers before bed on Thursday.

Sweet dreams.

Friday morning.  Not too happy, he wants to go home.

Making cupcakes and waiting for Daddy, Zac, and Zoe to come visit.

Taking a nap.

Zoe and Zac took over his bed today.

In the hospital

Zane spiked a fever yesterday afternoon and we took him to the ER. His counts are super low so he was admitted to the hospital. He will be here a minimum of 48 hours for observation.  In order to get out of here he has to be fever free for 24 hours and his cultures have to be in the normal range.  So now we wait.

Didn't Make Counts

Neither one of the boys made counts yesterday.  Zane's counts were so low he ended up needing platelets and a blood transfusion.  We will be checking his counts on Friday just to make sure he's ok and doesn't need any blood products.  Both boys will go back on Tuesday to check for counts for the next phase.

Zane baking a cake while getting his blood products.

Ice cream cone fun.

Getting ready to make popcorn.

End of Consolidation

On Monday, Zane had his last treatment in the Consolidation phase.  Zac was scheduled to start Interim Maintenance but he did not make counts on Monday.  We are completely fine with that.  Both boys are scheduled tomorrow morning for labs, a lumbar puncture, and chemo.  We will see if they make counts.  This next phase we will be going in every ten days (Mondays and Thursdays).  I'm praying both boys make counts tomorrow so they can be on the same schedule.  It would be nice to have a whole week were we don't have to go to the hospital.

We want to thank all of you who have prayed for and thought about our boys.  We continue to ask for your prayers during this next phase of treatment.  The main prayer requests are no hospital stays and minimal side effects.  Once again thank you for all of the love you have shown to our family!

The boys on Monday waiting for lab results.  

In the induction area waiting for Zane's chemo.

Zac relaxing in the comfortable chair.

Zane got tired of sitting so he went to the child life room and they gave him his treatment in there.

At home making a rainbow out of Mike and Ike's.

Zac turned his safety goggles into swim goggles.  He told me he was ready to go swimming. 

Zane enjoying a nice day at the park.

Zac.

Zoe.

Our pool is open for the summer.  We finally hit the 70 degree mark so we celebrated by going swimming.  (We heated the pool to 80 degrees.)

The Last Two Weeks

May 3rd the boys had their normal Tuesday clinic appointment.  It was another long day.  The road we usually take to Ann Arbor was closed so instead of it taking us thirty minutes to get to the hospital it took us pretty close to two hours.  Then, the clinic was short staffed due to some emergencies so we  waited almost an hour to see their doctor.  I was just grateful we were not on the other side of the emergency.  The boys had a blast playing with each other in the exam room.  They played with Thomas the Train mini's, they watched a video on the iPad, and they took turns tucking each other in on the exam table.  Zac needed platelets and he had the two hour chemo treatment that also requires a one hour wait after its administered (just a precaution to make sure he doesn't have a reaction.)  Zane didn't have any treatment at the clinic, just a shot at home.  He spent most of the day playing in the child life room.

Waiting for the doctor.

Zac had just tucked in Zane and started to do a little dance.

Zane playing in the child life room.  He was in heaven with all the trains and cooking items.

May 6th the boys had labs to check their platelets and hemoglobin levels.  Zac needed blood and Zane's levels were fine.  Zoe stayed at home with a friend and her daughter who Zoe just loves.  

Playing in the waiting room.

Zac.

May 9th was another clinic visit and Zac's last day of consolidation!  He made it through without a hospital stay!!  It was Zane's turn to have the long chemo treatment and just like his brother the week before he also needed platelets.  

Zane watching Zac's iPad.

Zane wanted to lay down with Zac. 

 May 12th the weather warmed up for a little while so we headed to Kensington Metropark.  Zane wanted nothing to do with the playground or the lake, so he hung out in the stroller while Zac and Zoe played.

"Mommy, can I throw this one in."

Zoe.

Zane hanging out in the stroller.

Sharing rocks and sticks.

When we got home Zoe created her own movie theatre.

Zac feeding his baby.

May 13th we headed back to the hospital for labs.  Zac didn't need anything but Zane needed a blood transfusion.  I took Zoe with me so she could play in the child life room.  After we got home from the hospital I was able to go to Kensington park for a little walk.

Zoe waiting in the lab waiting room.

All three kids riding in/on the stroller.

Zane waiting in the clinic waiting room.

Zac and Zane in the infusion room playing with trains and Shopkins and watching Paw Patrol.

Zac showing Zoe how the Shopkins toy works.

Kensington Metro Park.

Kensington.

 May 14th Zoe and I had a little date night after church.  We went to Noodles and then out for ice cream.

Waiting for our food.

She wanted my mac and cheese.

Yummy ice cream!