Almost Christmas !!!

Merry Christmas Everyone! It's almost here. We will be very busy this week, but not with shopping and Christmas parties this year... Luke is due for his three-month
(post transplant) total disease evaluation. In other words, making sure the cancer is still gone... also known as tons of tests. One good thing about doing it before the new year is at least we have paid the deductible and co-pays to our insurance for this year!(thanks to all of you who have helped so generously...love you!)

We ended up taking the whole family with us to San Francisco on Tuesday. The kids were all very well behaved, but it was a long day. Luke got car sick and was throwing up in the car while we were stuck on the 680 in bad traffic jam, caused by an overturned truck. We had a bit of comic relief when, in total embarrassment, I, with no other option, dumped out Luke's little pink puke tray out my window followed by a motorcycle speeding past, right through the barf. The guy in the truck next to us got a kick out of the whole scenario. He was cracking up giving us the thumbs-up. Anyway, the doctor visits went well. Dr.Dvorak was happy to see Luke (they are Star Wars buddies). Luke introduced Peter as his "baby brother", Dr.Dvorak chuckled a little and glanced back and forth comparing the size of the two boys. Peter is now 45lbs while Luke is weighing in at 41. The ID doctor ended up deciding to keep Luke on the anti-fungal treatments for another 4 weeks. Bummer. But if that's what it takes...that's what it takes.

Lung update

Luke's C.T. scan showed the infection is improving!! good news. Thank you Jesus. We are going to UCSF this Tuesday the 15th. We will meet with the bone marrow transplant doctor, Luke will have a T-Cell function test and we will meet with the infectious disease doctor to talk about the future plans regarding the treatment of Luke's lungs. Our oncologist said often times these types of fungal infections can take six months of treatment.

Lukas is doing well this week, we are gearing up for Christmas. We got our first ever artificial Christmas tree (fresh ones can have fungus/mold). The kids enjoyed helping put it together and we got it all decorated last night . Joe said "who else thinks we need some Christmas music on to make this a perfect experience". Everybody said yes, so we turned on the music and chased down Peter and pried the tinsel out of his hands to put it on the tree. Ah...good times...Thank you very much for your prayers, please continue praying with us.~Love Erica

December !!

I can't believe it is December already. Luke is now three months post transplant...half way to freedom. In March he will be off isolation !! Yesterday Luke had a follow-up C.T of his lungs and we are praying hard he will not need a lung biopsy. His blood pressure has been good and we are keeping his potassium and magnesium under control (he still hates taking the pills). The new medication he has to be on is worse than I thought it was going to be though. It is just like being on chemo. His appetite has decreased he's been a little tired and his skin is awful dry, cracking and bleeding (even his private areas...poor baby). He just finished two weeks of it and now he has a two week break. That will be the rotation for the next six months. He is going through a little funk about going to the hospital and clinic...he is sort of mad...and sick of it all. We need to have a few more long talks about being a shining light for Jesus. It's a long road to travel, but looking back it seems to have gone by pretty quick, just taking it one day at a time. We will go to UCSF probably on Tuesday to have a check-up with the Bone Marrow Transplant doctors.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mike and I made a lovely dinner...we used our china (first time ever!) and the kids made a pumpkin turkey center-piece. We all told the Lord all the things we are thankful for. Luke was thankful God healed Joe's poison oak and for helping him with his tummy bump. We had a great time together :)