Liam took his time bouncing back from the chemo this time; He's just about back to himself now which gives him a few days to get ready for his second to last treatment. There's a reason these treatments go in three week cycles, give you just enough time to recover before they hit you again.

The good news is that he's eating more solids again... it's been a back-n-forth with Liam, every time it looks like he'll break free of the bottle, we hit a stumbling block. I think we may finally be turning the corner for good...of course with the exception of those midnight/3 am bottles :)

Heading into the home stretch now....

It's been a mellow week for Liam. He came through the chemo treatments with no issues, but he's been slowing down as the week has progressed. Highlights of thew last week... We did manage to get him out in the snow on Monday (just for a few minutes) and seems like vocabulary if starting to expand.

Last Thursday tops the list as one of the busiest days we've had yet. Actually - it was just a three hour window where we had chemo delivered, the critical care nurse show up, and an EI appointment at the same time both cars were getting an oil change, and Bridge needing a ride to meet her bus for the game. Ohhh I am really starting to look forward to spring... Speaking of which, the Boston Marathon is set for April 21st. Julie is off to a great start, but we hope to make her one of the top fundraisers; we can't say enough about the care Liam's received at MassGeneral, and all donations go to support pediatric cancer research. You can click the link on the left or down below for more details....

Happy New Year!

Since checking out of MGH on 12/23, we’ve not had the need to go back. Liam has managed to stay fever free for the last two weeks; I‘m sure in part to the electric green antibiotic he’s been on since discharge. He still has a lingering cough, and has been dealing with nausea for a few days, but we’ve enjoyed not having to make the drive to Boston.

We had a great Christmas, the kids even slept late. The big hit was the bowling game. Owen and Jack had about 48 hours to play with everything before heading to Florida on the 27th with the Bridgewater basketball team. They spent three days in Daytona, three days in Orlando, and sounds like they had a great time.

Troy headed to New Hampshire on the 26th for a few days to hang out with the Milliken’s, but was back on the 30th. Liam and I had a few days to ourselves before his return. Nina and Poppa were on hand to cook up a gourmet New Year’s eve dinner for us all (Aunt Nancy, Uncle Ed and Aunt Minnie included).

It was slow getting back into the swing of things this week. Tomorrow we’re headed to the annual holiday party thrown by the hemock clinic… it’ll be nice to see some of Liam’s care givers in a non-medical setting.

We also got word that Julie and Liam will be teamed up again for the marathon in April… stay tuned for details on this. Liam’s back in clinic on Wednesday to start his next round of chemotherapy, and should be able to finish the remainder (Thursday – Sunday) at home.

Early Christmas presents...

Liam was showered with gifts during his chemo stay as well as visited by a Santa holding a medical degree, but the best gift of all was the option to go home earlier than planned. Immediately following his last post-chemotherapy drugs on Saturday night (around 11:25 PM) Liam was discharged. We made it home just before 1am. It was late, but my theory... we've certainly drove in enough times in the middle of the night, why night drive home? So we all got to wake up in our own beds Sunday morning.

So far-so good with Liam. Kim, our VNA nurse came by today to do bloodwork and administer his Neulasta, but otherwise we're hoping for a quiet Christmas!!

Catching Up

Well Bridgett and Liam eventually made it home late Tuesday the 11th after his blood transfusion. We had two relatively quiet days, before Liam started heating up on us Friday night. Figuring we were in for a trip back to Boston, we paged the doctor, started packing, and started re-planning the weekend of Christmas party’s ahead. I was very discouraged by this all, and became rather useless for the next hour. I probably would have stayed that way for a while were it not for an issue with the answering service … in the hour it took to get hold of the doctor, Liam’s temp came down to 99. So we were ok just to keep watch on him at home. In the end, it all worked out….and by the-way; Liam is now showing a dramatic improvement in his pop-a-shot skills!

Liam got to spend some time with all his cousins this weekend, but we kept him out of the big crowds. Monday he had bloodwork again, Tuesday was our day off, and Wednesday he checked back in to MassGeneral for his inpatient chemo cycle. Not a great time to have to spend five days in the hospital, but sounds like he’s being showered with Christmas cheer, Santa even stopped by his room today. Bridgett took the first few days of the stay; I’m headed in tomorrow (well actually in a few hours). If all goes as planned, we’ll be discharged Sunday, Neulasta shot Monday, and make it through Christmas day before his counts really start to plummet.

So December 15th came and went…. I often find myself thinking about all that we’ve been through one year. I definitely think I am stronger for it, more aware of life outside of our own little world, and more appreciate of the things we do have. I’ve got to spend more time with my parents in the last year, and they’ve got to spend lots of time with the boys. So… lots to be hopeful for in 2008, but lots to be thankful for too.

Having trouble posting pictures tonight... will try again later.

ANC hits 610

But the reds are moving in the wrong direction. Liam can come home today, but not until he receives a blood transfusion. The good news however... turns out he's receiving the blood Bridgett donated about two weeks ago.

ANC was 40 this morning (Monday)...

But not high enough to get discharged. I'm getting used to the reverse commute. Weekdays when Liam's been in the hospital, I do the night shift, Bridge comes in around 7am, we have coffee and switch. Hoping the count doubles by tomorrow morning so we can all go home and finish decorating the Christmas tree; Jack has been waiting patiently since Friday to put the star on top.

** had to update this post.. originally we though Liam hit 400, it was actually 40!! Those hematology reports are tough to read after a long night!!!

Please send more wine...

So, I literally hit "post" on the blog below, when my cell phone rings. My sister, who just a short while ago offered to drop all her plans, call in sick to work tomorrow and come to Massachusetts to help us out calls.. Ryan, while rough housing it with his brother(s), fell back, hit his head, and is awaiting stitches / staples.. or some other method of closing up the wound in the back of his head. Marybeth sent me a couple pictures from her phone, but I chose to leave out the view from behind.

We're afraid to call over to Bob & Amy's house to see what's happening there.

Rumor has it that Nina has just dipped into the Chardonnay.

Took a 3am drive this morning...

Little middle-of-the-night fever, came on fast. Liam had a great couple days since we were discharged Wednesday, but we woke to coughing, crying and a temp around 2:30 this morning. Knowing that Liam was hitting his low from chemotherapy, we were able to bypass the ER and go straight to the floor. Turns out, Liam's ANC was 0.00 yes... those are zeroes.

Kinda of a mellow day so far...

Liam came home this afternoon

It was a two night stay for Liam, one of those fevers where you never really know what caused it... although there's a lot of colds going around. I'm sure it's all related and going to make for a long winter season.

Many thanks need to go out to everyone for keeping life outside of MGH running. Seemed a bit crazy than normal, but I'd say more got done in the last 48 hours than when its just me and Bridgett at the helm. Including, but not limited to... school drop offs and pickups, breakfast, lunch, dinner, munchkins, tumbling, puzzles, bottles, diapers, naps, bedtime, feeding & walking the dogs, putting out the trash, laundry, cleaning the house and general moral support! There was even homemade turkey soup in the fridge.

So thanks Nana, Popa, Nina, Poppa, Auntie Minnie, Marianne, TeeTee, Coleen and Jackie and everyone else for your continued support. I'm almost ready to switch the counter from "Days Back on Treatment" to "Days of Treatment Remaining".

So before I had the chance to get last week's update on the blog, we've got new news to report. But, starting with last week...

We breathed a sigh of relief with last Thursday's scan results. I don't think the Dr.'s expected anything different but the memories of October's scan were still lingering in my mind (could be this, could be that...) nice to finally have some answers. Following the scan, we headed over to the clinic to start Liam's next cycle of chemo. Which was somewhat of a challenge given that Liam was loopy from the anesthesia, and we were essentially trying to administer chemo to a drunk 18 month old. In between the topotecan and cyclophosphomide, Liam did a head dive on the bed, dislodging the needle from his port. We of course, didn't pickup on this until he started grabbing at his chest, and notice the "boob" of fluid on his right side. Fortunately as I said, this was in-between drugs, and primarily it was just a build up of fluid used to flush the line. Re-accessing him and finishing chemo took the rest of the day, hence we were all pretty beat by the time we made it home.

Friday we headed back into Boston for day 2 of chemo, just to be on the safe side. Then finished days 3-4-5 at home with critical care.

Which brings me to today's update. I'm able to update the blog tonight only because I'm sitting here in the MassGeneral ER watching Liam sleep, waiting for a bed up on Ellison 17. After a relatively quiet November with no fevers, Liam decided to spike one today.... as usual, just after the hemock clinic shut down for the day, which left us routed through the ER for treatment.

So currently, the Tylenol has brought the fever down, but bloodwork points to signs that Liam is starting to fight an infection of somesort. They've already started him on what I refer to as the super antibiotics, and it's a matter of watching him and the blood cultures for at least 24 hours.

We are getting better at the packing for these trips. I even wore my pj's here tonight...well actually just sweats...but you might as well be comfy for the stay...which hopefully will be a quick one.

Quick update...

Liam had a scan today. Everything was great. Started up chemo....very tired, so more to come soon. Thanks and love to all...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm in trouble... I forgot to post that we changed Liam's scan date... a lot of people have been looking for an update. The new date is the 29th, just made sense not to rush the followup.

Liam had chemo Wed-Sunday last week. Wednesday was in Boston, Thursday-Sunday Critical Care came to the house. It was a little overwhelming; the equipment, supplies.. storing chemo in the fridge. The trade off for the commute is feeling a little more pressure to make sure everything is done right and also having a different nurse each of the days, but in the end it all worked out.

Liam had bloodwork drawn at home today (by the VNA, not to be confused with Critical Care). His hematocrit count was a little low, but not extreme enough for a transfusion (yet?)... and of course our favorite side effect of the Iirinotecan calls for Imodium every three hours and lots of Vaseline for the diaper rash. Liam is in good spirits despite it all...

Oh and yes.... We are once again HALFWAY through treatment!!

So we're back to "Picture" updates... Liam tolerated the last chemo cycle very well; he's starting the next cycle tomorrow. Bridge and Liam will be in Boston for day one, but the remaining four days we're planning to do at home with a Critical Care Nurse. We turning the guest bedroom (aka Nina and Poppa's room) into a "treatment room".

Had a great weekend, especially getting that extra hour on Sunday, the kids even seem to be going to bed earlier now... except of course for Troy who likes to hang out most of the night now...

Pictures from the weekend, visiting the Clydesdales...