August C.T. Scan

We received the results of Luke's Friday scans of his chest, abdomen and pelvis. The area in his lungs where he previously had that nasty fungal infection is all good... a little scar tissue but nothing else. Abdomen is just fine. Pelvis is all clear. His blood is looking great and we are still waiting on his UA(really important...can show the first signs of cancer). So the Lord continues to bless us with a healthy son and we are taking full advantage of that. We headed straight to the mall after his appointment and took Luke to the Lego store! I don't think he remembers the last time he had been to the mall. He was having so much fun, and saying "Thank you Mom...thank you Grandma Kay...for taking me to the mall...thank you". We headed straight to Soccer practice after that. Uncle Ken is his coach and cousin Veda is on his team, he loves it. Thank you all so much for your prayers...and thank you Jesus.( I sound just like Luke...I guess we both have a lot to be thankful for ;)

Crazy but Good

We had a crazy day yesterday. We were heading to the hospital for Lukie's scans and the car wouldn't start :( so we walked over to Grandmas and borrowed her car and made it to the hospital only a little late... where they told us the C.T. Scanner was broken. Sutter Memorial sent us to Sutter General. That hospital is really busy and under construction and I had no idea where I was going...but we made it. We had to go through the whole hospital registration process since we are new to that hospital and wait a long time in radiology... all the while poor Luke is fasting and worrying about having an IV put in. So, our 10 am scan finally happened at about 12:15 pm. He also needed his labs drawn so I asked if they could just take the blood from his IV so he wouldn't have to get poked again. This turned out to be another half an hour of walking around the hospital with a really kind radiology tech. who was trying to figure out how to get his labs drawn. The lab insisted they couldn't do it and wanted to send us to another lab. The whole thing was really weird. I had no idea it would be so difficult ! So a nurse walking down the hall heard the whole discussion with the lab and said..."oh, my goodness, just give me the tubes and I will do it". She met us in the waiting room and drew his blood from the IV and took it out...she didn't have cotton and tape or a band aid though and blood spilled all down Luke's shorts as he cried...Oh my... Well at least we were done.

Luke and I walked out of the hospital to the first restaurant we saw, Round Table, a very nice gentlemen working at round table that made a special pizza for Luke caused me to reflect on the kindness we had received that day. No where in that chaos of day did we come across a rude or mean person, actually it was quite the contrary, everyone was incredibly nice. Even both the ladies at the parking-toll booths were super sweet...one didn't charge me and the other told me how adorable my son was.....Strange.....now that I think about it...our day really wasn't that bad...the Lord blessed us the whole day...funny how he works sometimes ;) Thank you for your continued prayers. ~Erica

Upcoming Scan and Tests

Just wanted to put in a prayer request for Luke's upcoming scans and tests. He is scheduled for Friday morning at 9:30 for his C.T. scan and blood work/UA. Please say a prayer for our little guy. Right now he's being lathered up with sunscreen as heads back into the pool...what fun. He's becoming quite the good swimmer!! We send our love to all :)

Big Wishes Do Come True !!

Hi everybody ! Luke is doing great and we are all having a fun filled summer, I hope you are too!

*Update* Our last Bone Marrow Transplant check-up went good. Luke was, once again, a professional a getting his blood draw.. (a big sigh for Mommy)....His labs looked great. They said his iron levels might be really high due to the amount of blood transfusions he has had and they may need to "bleed him out" some to take care of that, but that wasn't the case...(another sigh for Mom!)...God is good! His vitamin D levels were another concern, but they were good too! He is now ready to have his immunizations done over again just like a newborn baby. I have been kind of procrastinating making that appointment...after all he's been through the last thing I want to do is give him more shots :(

It's really been amazing to watch him get stronger everyday. The human body is incredible...The Creator designed us with such an intricate design. It's hard to believe how close to death my Lukie was and how God has healed him so completely. I continue to pray...all the time...that his body will never make another neuroblastoma cell again! And I pray the lasting effects of chemotherapy will be non-existent.... I know God can do anything :)

Our little buddy Kenji is on his way to take part in a clinical trial in Tennessee at St.Jude's Hospital. Neuroblastoma cells are in his bone marrow once again. I'm praying this clinical trial might be a medical breakthrough. Kenji is a precious little boy with a head full of curly brown hair. His parents, Dave and Marlene, are amazing, caring people, I hope the very best for them.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot...how could I forget... the title of today's post "Big Wishes Do Come True"...Luke received his wish from the "Make-A-Wish Foundation"!! A giant ..16' x 32' ...above ground SWIMMING POOL !!! We went swimming in it for the first time today and Luke kept saying "Can you believe it..I can't believe it...we are in my very own pool...at my house..can you believe it...I can't believe it...my dream came true!!" his expressions were really cute. His brothers and sister are pretty happy as well, and I have to say I am enjoying it as much as the kids are... It has been pretty hot around here.

Well...Luke will have his next set of scans the beginning of August. We postponed them a couple weeks because we have some new medical insurance kicking in soon. YAY. Mike enlisted in the NAVY reserves ! A big decision for us to make...it still gives me a little tummy ache thinking about it...but I think it was what the Lord wanted for us. I have to say when Mike got down his uniforms and started trying them on it did make my heart go pitter-pat to see my sailor once again. He is really cute. Well, that's the Finch Family update, please keep us in your prayers, it means a lot to us. Sincerely, Erica

PRAISE GOD FOR CLEAR SCANS !!

The Lord is so Merciful!!! Mike and I took Luke to the Oncologist yesterday and received great news. "Everything looks great" the Dr. said. "There is a small spot still showing up in his lungs from the infection, but it looks exactly the same as his last C.T. scan. This is probably just scar tissue." YAY!

We headed over to the hospital lab for his UA and blood test and Luke wasn't even nervous. I could hardly believe as he sat on my lap for his blood draw, he didn't cry! We all gasped in amazement at this incredible child, holding so still and quiet, he even let out a little chuckle at us. What a great day. :)

Luke was so brave! He knew what he was in for, but he marched himself into that hospital, sat in the chair, held out his arm stiff and with his eyes closed tight he screamed and cried but did NOT move his arm. I figure, if he wants to cry that is okay with me...at least he let the guy put in the IV like he needed to. Peter was with us this time and just before Luke got poked, he whispered in my ear "I don't want to watch this". I didn't even think of Peter being worried, poor guy. Well... we all survived and the boys hopped over all the lines between the tiles on the floor all the way to the parking lot. The following day Luke once again slept through his MIBG scan. We saw Kenji and his Mom and Dad in the waiting room. They will find out next week if he is in fact having a relapse or not. Praying all is okay. We will have a visit to go over Lukas' scans with the Oncologist on May 11th. Luke's energy and stamina are increasing everyday. Today he is at Awanas til 4:30, has a 5:30 baseball game, followed by an awards ceremony at Cornerstone church where he will get up and recite his memory verse(James 2:10). Big day ! Thank you Lord for your healing:)

April Follow-up Scans

Luke had his C.T. and Bone scan Monday. Thank you for your prayers...God was merciful and gave Luke a fabulous I.V. therapist. He cried but didn't scream...He drank his contrast in a little shot glass this time then chased it with a hefty amount of apple juice. I think that was a great way to get it down, because when it is mixed together it's pretty nasty tasting stuff! Luke fell asleep during his bone scan again...what a trooper! We will go Tuesday to have a nuclear injection then a MIBG scan on Wednesday. Lord..please keep this boy healthy :)

Our Friends who encouraged and comforted us when we found out Luke was going to have a Stem-cell transplant are going through another scary time. Their son Kenji has past the one year mark since his transplant and has just had a scan showing a swollen lymph node and he has an elevated UA. Please remember them in your prayers too.