Our Weekend in Photos

We have had a busy Thanksgiving weekend. 

The dogs played in the leaves...

... we destroyed our living room while putting up our Christmas tree...

... and we went camping with Grandpa and Debbie.

We had a visitor join us at the campground...

 ... and enjoyed exploring Grandpa's new camper...

... and meeting their new dog Lucy.

It was a beautiful weekend for camping...

... and while we needed to bundle up to be outside...

...it wasn't too cold for us!

 

Quiet Thanksgiving

The four of us enjoyed a quiet Thanksgiving yesterday followed by our annual Christmas tree trimming.   We have plans to go camping tonight, but this morning Logan is at the clinic getting tanked up on blood and platlets.  I will post pictures of our family weekend soon.

Little to Report

Logan has had several doctors appointments this week for lab draws and so far so good with this new drug.  He has had minor side effects so far with headache, nausea, and a small rash covering his scalp being his only ailments.  He did need another platelet transfusion yesterday but his ANC was up slightly to 140.  We are still being hyper aware of illness and avoiding crowds and so far so good in that department too.  Next checkup will be Monday morning.

Day One

Day one for the new chemo drug was a long one but uneventful medically.  Logan tolerated the new drug with only minor a headache.  So far so good, but time will tell as he will be on this drug for a long time.

His ANC is up to 100.  That is still considered neutropenic but Eric and I did a little happy dance that the boy has a little bit of an immune system.  He also got a double bag blood transfusion yesterday so he is all tanked up and ready to take on the world.

Shooting Sports

Logan has a love affair with guns.  I'm pretty sure he has never met a gun he didn't like.  Big guns, little guns, shotguns, and riffles... he loves them all.  His dad and grandpa took him to the shooting range for a fun afternoon of pulling the trigger.

He took a liking to grandpa's handgun.  He's a good shot too.

He also tried his hand at trap shooting.  He will need to practice more at this sport, as he didn't hit the target once, but fun none the less.

Eric also had a chance to shoot.  His first time out he shot 4 out of 25 targets.    

Then on opening day for deer season Logan and Eric braved the cold to sit in a tree stand.  They were only in the stand about 40 minuets before Logan shot his first deer of the season.  I am told that it was a great shot.  

New Drug Is A Go

Logan has been given the green light to begin this new chemo drug on Monday.  This first day is going to be a long one as Logan will need to have labs drawn multiple times throughout the day to test how his body is processing the drug.  We expect to be at the clinic from 7am to 6pm on Monday and will need to go back again for more labs on Tuesday and Thursday this week.  After the first week he will have clinic appointments every Monday.

Each drug cycle lasts 21 days.  Logan will get a week off from the drug in which time they will do a bone marrow biopsy to check for remission.  We are being told to expect at least two cycles (so 2 months) before we start to see improvement.

Fighting Weight

Logan had another clinic appointment yesterday and he is now officially back up to his pre-chemo fighting weight.  Operation Calories Count is now officially over.  Operation Healthy Food has now been enacted.  It certainly helps to be back here at home with Dad's yummy home cooking!

Logan did great yesterday for his procedure, however his CBC showed that his ANC is down to 30.  He has a weaker immune system than when he was released from the hospital.  Eric and I are doing our very best to keep the germs out of the house by avoiding the sneezing and coughing people out in public.  Amanda is even doing her part by taking extra showers when she comes home from being around germy kids at school and such.

Logan's other blood counts were low too on Tuesday so they are asking us to go back to the clinic on Thursday for another CBC and probably transfusions.  As of right now, they are planing to start the new drug on Monday.

Logan is still in good spirits and feeling good.  You wouldn't know he is sick by looking at him.

Ring and Results

Right before Logan left the hospital last week, Mark Collins, former KC Chiefs player, stopped by to visit Logan again.  Logan wasn't feeling very energetic due to medication, but while Mark was there he gave Logan his Chiefs Ambassador ring to hold onto until Logan kicked this cancer.  We have placed the ring in a place of great honor... on our fireplace mantel next to our beloved family photos.  Logan looks at the ring often and is hoping it will bring him good luck in the coming months.

Logan's rash is continuing to improve.  His skin still looks a little modded, but the texture of his skin is back to normal.  The skin biopsy came back as inconclusive, except they know for sure it is not leukemia in the skin.  Whatever caused the rash will not keep Logan from taking this new chemo drug.  

Logan has an appointment tomorrow for another bone marrow biopsy that is required for the drug study.  I believe this is the last step before the new drug trial can begin.  I'm not sure when his official start date will be but I expect it to be sometime next week.  

In the meantime, we have been enjoying spending time together watching movies, doing crafts, and other assorted projects.  

Two Fellas Missed Him

  Logan is home and soaking up the  attention of two golden retrievers.  The boys have missed him over the past month and a half...  Eric and I are enjoying cooking a meal together for our family.   Amanda is loving having her whole family under the same roof.    Sometimes the simple things are missed the most.

Tomorrow Is Only A Day Away

Logan will be released from the hospital tomorrow.  The doctors have lined up a whole slew of tests for tonight and tomorrow morning to make sure he is eligible for this clinical trial.  If his heart is good, kidneys are working, liver function is okay, and he passes his skin biopsy he will be good to go for the trail.  After they do all those tests they will be sending us home.   We should hear the results in a few days.

40% Leukemic Cells

Logan's test results are back.  40% of his bone marrow is leukemic.  We have done all the tried and true medications so now we are left with experimental drugs.    Eric and I have weighed all the pros and cons and consulted with Logan and we are going to put him on a clinical trial for Lenalidomide.  It will be done mostly outpatient so Logan can be home where he is most comfortable.  We are still waiting to hear of the timing of everything, but hopefully he will be home soon.