May archive

May Archive

Wednesday, 05/03/06 . . .
Sam was admitted to Cook Children's Hospital in Ft. Worth, TX. Symptoms included fatigue, partial paralysis, and a dangerously high WBC--white blood cell count (300,000). Sam was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Present with Sam was mother Michelle and father Steve.
Thursday, 05/04/06 . . .
Sam's WBC was still too high (240,000+). Had rough time sleeping due to the storm. Early next morning was given Ativan to help him sleep better and lower his WBC count.
Friday, 05/05/06 . . .
Was put on dialysis. Spent most of the day with Byrrd, Michelle, Holly, and Marina. Saw quite a few guests--probably too many! As of 5:30 P.M. his Dr. stated that his white cell count had decreased from 145,000 to 25,000. A remarkable and encouraging development. He should be off of Dialysis by tomorrow. He will probably be moved to the 3rd. floor by Monday 5/8. The visitation times will be more relaxed after his move. Website was constructed early morning.
Saturday, 05/06/06 . . .
Saw just even more guests today. His website boomed from Friday. Came off dialysis (thank God). He is receiving a handful of visitors ( two at a time--hospital regulation). Sam's WBC count is even lower and more stabilized. His calcium and phosphate readings have evened out are reading positively fabulous. He is expected to move to floor 3 Oncology for a spinal tap. His eyes were a little irritated so the doctors allowed him to put a contact in one eye and made him wear a bandage patch over the other--now he looks like a teenage Captain Jack Sparrow (any fans of Johnny Depp will understand that bad joke)! Visitors that are both family and friends will continue to meet in the Ronald McDonald waiting room.
Late Saturday and early Sunday, 05/07/06 . . .
He is coherent and off dialysis (thank God). He is receiving a handful of visitors ( two at a time--hospital regulation). Sam's WBC count is even lower and more stabilized. His calcium and phosphate readings have evened out are reading positively fabulous. He is expected to move to floor 3 Oncology for a spinal tap. Visitation is limited even more now. All of his catheters have been removed. He is still headed "up-hill" for the most part. He is low on platelets, but the nurses and doctors are continually improving that. He had a fever, but it has past, and the best thing is that he is in great condition. Michelle is "on duty".
Monday, 05/08/06 . . .
Sam has been moved to Oncology Ward floor 3, room number 3001. Due to bacterial infection he was unable to have any surgery done. Surgery is expected to happen Wednesday, 05/10/06.
Tuesday, 05/09/06 . . .
All surgery has been postponed until Wednesday, 05/10/06 due to bacterial infection. He has been moved to 3rd floor Oncology: 3001 (phone # available on contact page). Get off the elevator, make a right ---go through the double doors and it’s the first room. Visitation was relaxed today, but for tomorrow . . . do not hold your breath! He will have his surgery and I will not call for updates as tomorrow is going to be stressful enough. I will send one email to his yahoo acct and wait for an update, hence.
Wednesday, 05/10/06 . . .
His surgery went perfectly! There were no hitches. Everything was done correctly the first time. He is resting in his room and is barely conscious. He has opted for a shaved head (will get some pics of that ASAP!) to avoid the itchiness and the graduall hair fall-out that will occur within stage 2 of treatment.
Thursday, 05/11/06 . . .
He's as close to bald as can get without a razor! Pictures available (before, during, and after . . . thank you, Mr. West)! His uncle, Nick Taddonio did the honors instead of the predicted Matt K. His chemo started yesterday and is expected to last for three years, so as to catch any possible re-growth of the leukemia. He has started some physical therapy and is doing fantastic at it. No, he's not up to push-ups yet--don't worry--he'll get there! Right now it's light walking and light stretching of most frequent muscle groups. His agility is improving.
Friday, 05/12/06 . . .
He's still sleeping! Not for too much longer, though. He's on insulin to bring down his blood-sugar. Because of his blood sugar he's also adopted a diabetic's diet. Doctors say once his BS (yes, I mean blood sugar!) lowers to a more tolerable level he can head home. They are predicting some time next week. Hoooo-raaaayyy!
Sunday, 05/14/06 . . .
It may be a little longer until he can go home. His WBC count is actually a bit lower than is safe, but this is not unusual for his condition. His BS* is still too high and they (the physicians) are still working to bring that down.
Monday, 05/15/06 . . .
He looked great. He's getting a little chubby around the navel. All the better to provide a location for his insulin injections. His color is much improved. It's quite apparent that God is answering all of our (family, friends, and all) prayers ten fold.
Tuesday, 05/16/06 . . .
It is predicted that he will get to return home by Thursday. He is having a spinal tap performed tomorrow at 900am so please hold all calls until noon at the earliest. Best just to check here because the next update will be posted once Sam is coherent and able to receive visitors. The update may not get posted early enough for the 24 hour mark, but as soon as one is ready...it will get posted ASAP.
Wednesday, 05/17/06 . . .
His chemothereapy and spinal tap were performed at 9:10 this morning. It went most successfully. He is coherent and receiving visitors.
Thursday, 5/18/06 . . .
He is out of the hospital and staying with his mom and Byrrd over the summer.
Monday, 5/29/06 . . .
Sam is experiencing hair-loss due to his chemo treatments. He was able to get some good physical therapy in on Sunday, 5/28. I have a well-chlorinated swimming pool and will be trying to get Sam into it as often as he feels. You could perform open heart surgery in it and the risk of infection would be nill! Right now it might look like every Sunday after church. He was quite happy to go to church this past Sunday. Right now, the light walking he is doing with Val around their neighborhood along with the water exercises I have him doing are the best thing to prevent him from developing any signs of atrophy (a condition where skeletal muscles break-down due to lack of movement, very common in cancer patients).

Wednesday, 05/03/06 . . .

Sam was admitted to Cook Children's Hospital in Ft. Worth, TX. Symptoms included fatigue, partial paralysis, and a dangerously high WBC--white blood cell count (300,000). Sam was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Present with Sam was mother Michelle and father Steve.

Thursday, 05/04/06 . . .

Sam's WBC was still too high (240,000+). Had rough time sleeping due to the storm. Early next morning was given Ativan to help him sleep better and lower his WBC count.

Friday, 05/05/06 . . .

Was put on dialysis. Spent most of the day with Byrrd, Michelle, Holly, and Marina. Saw quite a few guests--probably too many! As of 5:30 P.M. his Dr. stated that his white cell count had decreased from 145,000 to 25,000. A remarkable and encouraging development. He should be off of Dialysis by tomorrow. He will probably be moved to the 3rd. floor by Monday 5/8. The visitation times will be more relaxed after his move. Website was constructed early morning.

Saturday, 05/06/06 . . .

Saw just even more guests today. His website boomed from Friday. Came off dialysis (thank God). He is receiving a handful of visitors ( two at a time--hospital regulation). Sam's WBC count is even lower and more stabilized. His calcium and phosphate readings have evened out are reading positively fabulous. He is expected to move to floor 3 Oncology for a spinal tap. His eyes were a little irritated so the doctors allowed him to put a contact in one eye and made him wear a bandage patch over the other--now he looks like a teenage Captain Jack Sparrow (any fans of Johnny Depp will understand that bad joke)! Visitors that are both family and friends will continue to meet in the Ronald McDonald waiting room.

Late Saturday and early Sunday, 05/07/06 . . .

He is coherent and off dialysis (thank God). He is receiving a handful of visitors ( two at a time--hospital regulation). Sam's WBC count is even lower and more stabilized. His calcium and phosphate readings have evened out are reading positively fabulous. He is expected to move to floor 3 Oncology for a spinal tap.

Visitation is limited even more now. All of his catheters have been removed. He is still headed "up-hill" for the most part. He is low on platelets, but the nurses and doctors are continually improving that. He had a fever, but it has past, and the best thing is that he is in great condition. Michelle is "on duty".

Monday, 05/08/06 . . .

Sam has been moved to Oncology Ward floor 3, room number 3001. Due to bacterial infection he was unable to have any surgery done. Surgery is expected to happen Wednesday, 05/10/06.

Tuesday, 05/09/06 . . .

All surgery has been postponed until Wednesday, 05/10/06 due to bacterial infection. He has been moved to 3rd floor Oncology: 3001 (phone # available on contact page). Get off the elevator, make a right ---go through the double doors and it’s the first room. Visitation was relaxed today, but for tomorrow . . . do not hold your breath! He will have his surgery and I will not call for updates as tomorrow is going to be stressful enough. I will send one email to his yahoo acct and wait for an update, hence.

Wednesday, 05/10/06 . . .

His surgery went perfectly! There were no hitches. Everything was done correctly the first time. He is resting in his room and is barely conscious. He has opted for a shaved head (will get some pics of that ASAP!) to avoid the itchiness and the graduall hair fall-out that will occur within stage 2 of treatment.

Thursday, 05/11/06 . . .

He's as close to bald as can get without a razor! Pictures available (before, during, and after . . . thank you, Mr. West)! His uncle, Nick Taddonio did the honors instead of the predicted Matt K. His chemo started yesterday and is expected to last for three years, so as to catch any possible re-growth of the leukemia. He has started some physical therapy and is doing fantastic at it. No, he's not up to push-ups yet--don't worry--he'll get there! Right now it's light walking and light stretching of most frequent muscle groups. His agility is improving.

Friday, 05/12/06 . . .

He's still sleeping! Not for too much longer, though. He's on insulin to bring down his blood-sugar. Because of his blood sugar he's also adopted a diabetic's diet. Doctors say once his BS (yes, I mean blood sugar!) lowers to a more tolerable level he can head home. They are predicting some time next week. Hoooo-raaaayyy!

Sunday, 05/14/06 . . .

It may be a little longer until he can go home. His WBC count is actually a bit lower than is safe, but this is not unusual for his condition. His BS* is still too high and they (the physicians) are still working to bring that down.

Monday, 05/15/06 . . .

He looked great. He's getting a little chubby around the navel. All the better to provide a location for his insulin injections. His color is much improved. It's quite apparent that God is answering all of our (family, friends, and all) prayers ten fold.

Tuesday, 05/16/06 . . .

It is predicted that he will get to return home by Thursday. He is having a spinal tap performed tomorrow at 900am so please hold all calls until noon at the earliest. Best just to check here because the next update will be posted once Sam is coherent and able to receive visitors. The update may not get posted early enough for the 24 hour mark, but as soon as one is ready...it will get posted ASAP.

Wednesday, 05/17/06 . . .

His chemothereapy and spinal tap were performed at 9:10 this morning. It went most successfully. He is coherent and receiving visitors.

Thursday, 5/18/06 . . .

He is out of the hospital and staying with his mom and Byrrd over the summer.

Monday, 5/29/06 . . .

Sam is experiencing hair-loss due to his chemo treatments. He was able to get some good physical therapy in on Sunday, 5/28. I have a well-chlorinated swimming pool and will be trying to get Sam into it as often as he feels. You could perform open heart surgery in it and the risk of infection would be nill! Right now it might look like every Sunday after church. He was quite happy to go to church this past Sunday. Right now, the light walking he is doing with Val around their neighborhood along with the water exercises I have him doing are the best thing to prevent him from developing any signs of atrophy (a condition where skeletal muscles break-down due to lack of movement, very common in cancer patients).

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