Time is just flying by isn't it? I got a call during our very big and successful yard sale from my friend Nichole. You might remember back during Luke's transplant we met Nichole and her family at the "family house" in San Francisco. Their daughter Layla was undergoing radiation after having a relapse of neuroblastoma almost a year after her transplant. Upon follow-up scans they discovered Layla's neuroblastoma was spreading to both her liver and lungs. Nichole told me she passed away on Monday at home in her bed... she was six years old. Layla was a beautiful little girl and we will always remember our short time with her. Mike and I are heartbroken for Nichole and Dennis and also for Layla's four year old sister Ruby, two year old brother Eli and baby sister Josefina. Nichole said she can close her eyes and see Layla running in heaven with sparkles all around her...and she knows all her pain is gone. The Lord brings great comfort in his promises.
Luke continues to do really well. We went to Sutter Memorial to have another c.t. scan of his lungs yesterday. Don't have results yet. We will go back to UCSF March 10 to check his immune system. Hopefully he will be off isolation! Please continue to pray for Luke's healing and for our friends Nichole and Dennis.
Thank you for following our journey, it really helps to know all of our friends are going through this with us. I love you all.
Luke's Journey
- Mike and Erica
- An information & update page about Luke and his family’s journey through discovery, and treatment of his tummy "bump". AKA abdominal mass.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Enjoying Home
We are having a great time staying home. Luke is just finishing his third cycle of cis-retionoc acid and it seemed to be a bit easier this time. His lips are chapped pretty bad but not quite bleeding and the rest of his skin is pretty good. I also didn't see too much of a decrease in his appetite.Dr.Yim assured us he would be feeling better now that his is off the fungal medicine. His second follow-up scan is now scheduled for Feb.1 .Praying for clear lungs!!
January 27 Luke will be 6 years old!! Happy Birthday Lukie!!(Mike and I got him a new blue bike for his birthday sshhh... don't tell) He is doing great with his school work lately. We are accomplishing much more now that we have not been traveling as much. He is reading now, writing and doing math. Joe and Luke are science buddies and do experiments together, and Grace is like a little teacher herself. I go upstairs to rotate the laundry and she breezes in and has him finishing his workbook pages by the time I get back (it's more fun than doing her own work). Peter is right there in the middle of it all doing his home work too. He gets very jealous "Mom.. I need help..what do I do?" Busy full days, sending them all outside with every peek of sunshine I see. ~ Love to all Erica
January 27 Luke will be 6 years old!! Happy Birthday Lukie!!(Mike and I got him a new blue bike for his birthday sshhh... don't tell) He is doing great with his school work lately. We are accomplishing much more now that we have not been traveling as much. He is reading now, writing and doing math. Joe and Luke are science buddies and do experiments together, and Grace is like a little teacher herself. I go upstairs to rotate the laundry and she breezes in and has him finishing his workbook pages by the time I get back (it's more fun than doing her own work). Peter is right there in the middle of it all doing his home work too. He gets very jealous "Mom.. I need help..what do I do?" Busy full days, sending them all outside with every peek of sunshine I see. ~ Love to all Erica
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Goodbye Two Thousand And Nine
"Goodbye Two Thousand and Nine, you were no friend of mine! " My sister Jennifer said that yesterday, I thought it was pretty approiate considering the trials we have had this year. However it is not entirely true. There were many things 2009 brought our family.We have grown in our relationship with God and with each other. We have been tested to the breaking point and we have been strengthened beyond what we knew was possible. We have been deeply hurt and we have seen incredible healing. We feel like we got our master degrees in Cancer treatment this year, and the compassion we have for others going down the path we just traveled and those beyond us is UN-paralleled. We have grown in knowledge about many things and have seen Gods love poured out by many. All in all it has been a pretty special year. Although, I have hope for a different kind of 2010. One that includes no more suffering for Lukas and the complete healing of his body!! And a happy and healthy year for all of you too!!
Friday, December 18, 2009
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.
(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.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
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
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
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