9-28-09

Hello everyone....
Just wanted to let ya'll know Jon is doing pretty well. Due to so much intense chemo these past 3 weeks, his numbers are very low and he cannot have visitors. He is staying in touch with a lot of people on the internet and has finally started school. He has been able to work on a lot of his school work while we are at the clinic and seems pretty excited about getting back to doing things his friends are doing. We are fortunate that his home bound teacher only lives two blocks away and we have known her for several years.

We had a little setback with the home health services which caused return trips to the hospital and the clinic last weekend but we are working on getting that corrected for the future.

We actually started radiation today and it took longer to drive there and back than it did for the actual treatment...but that's okay with us!! Jon was pretty anxious about going since it required him to be put in "the mask" but he made it through like a champion!! Now, only 7 more treatments and we will be finished with radiation. We will actually have an entire week off before we return to daily chemo treatments. We are sure looking forward to that!

Jon wanted to let everyone know that he is doing so well and tolerating all the drugs and procedures so well due to all of your prayers. He knows that he is not in this alone and that means a great deal to him as well as to the rest of his family. Thank you so much for keeping him in your prayers and we will keep you updated. Take care.

Update 9-15-09

Hi everyone,
We are home and have been since Saturday evening!!! We have arrangements made with home health services so we don't have to return to the clinic for a couple of days. Jonathan is still tolerating the medication extremely well and he is feeling good. Thank you for all the prayers as we know that is why he is doing so well!!!
We return to the clinic on this Friday for a small procedure, but only for a day, then not til the following Friday for another procedure a little more indepth than the one previous. He is scheduled to start radiation on the 28th which means daily trips to MUSC for about 3 weeks in a row.
But, good news we finally made the arrangements for him to begin school, some home bound and some online so he will be able to get started with that hopefully by Monday of next week.
He has been enjoying talking with his friends on the internet and he has been able to get outside for short intervals these last couple of days. We are all so happy to be at home again and try to return to some sort of normal routine.
Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers as we go through the process of getting him well.

Labor Day Update

It is Sunday night and we are still in the hospital receiving chemo treatments daily, however, it looks like we will be released sometime tomorrow, return to the clinic for several hours on Tuesday, then be home til at least Friday morning. At that time, we will have to be admitted to the hospital again but hopefully only for one night and two days.

We are getting into the daily treatment protocol of the chemotherapy and so far Jon is tolerating it very well. At least no more fever since Tuesday late and his numbers have come up some.

Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers and we will keep you posted as we progress through his treatment.

Update

Just when we thought we were heading for the home stretch yesterday, Jon spiked another fever so we are still at MUSC and looking for perhaps the end of the week as our discharge date.

We received a very special gift on Monday from Rollings Middle School of the Arts where Jon just completed three years with his core in vocals. Jon received a card designed by several students and signed by every teacher at Rollings, so you can imagine how large the card was!!! What an uplifting gift, he was truly touched by this and we have it hanging on his door. Thank you so much to everyone at Rollings for ALL of your support and prayers!

We also received a very special copy of "God Does Have A Sense of Humor" by Rob Ballister. An autographed copy in fact, from Mr. Ballister, himself !! It is a wonderful book and has brought a lot of laughter to all of us. Thank you to Micki Ballister, our nurse anesthesist who made this possible.

Even though we are spending more time in the hospital than we thought we would be we are still blessed with all the angels taking care of us. They treat us like family, spend time to see that we have all our needs met and we could not be in a better place through all of this. Thanks so much to Abby - our special angel, Karen, Andrea, Katelyn - who is such a charmer, Amanda, Seth, and all the rest of the staff. We really appreciate all that each of you do for us!