Well, the big boys are back to school and I think it is going to be a banner year for both of them. They both seem to have really great teachers and lots of friends in the class.

Yesterday we went to the Neurologist to discuss Eli's brain...and seizure. The dr seems to think that the seizure could have been solely due to the Methotrexate that was given and that the lesions may have just been a coincidence. He said that he thinks that there are probably more kids than we think walking around with these types of lesions, we just don't know it because they don't have an MRI. He thinks the event that caused the lesions is long gone and that Eli's brain should recover without problem. We are also taking him off of his antiseizure med as of next week. We will keep a "doomsday" kit at the house just in case it happens again, but we are praying that it was a true one time event.

Today we went to the clinic and started.....Cycle 5!!! Why such a big deal, you ask? Well, cycle 5 is when we no longer get an LP on month one and two, now we just get one once a month at the beginning of the cycle.....and today was a LONG wait to get his "sleepy medicine". We got there a little before 8 and were finally asleep about 11:30. I thought the grump was going to start chewing my shirt!!

We had the dermatologist take a biopsy since he was going to be asleep anyway. We should get the results in the next day or so. He also saw something on the bottom of Eli's foot that lead him to think that he may have some type of Hookworm stuff and that may be the cause of the rash and everything. He said he really doesn't see it that often present itself this way, but Eli is no textbook child now, is he?! So we will wait and see what happens. I am glad we did the biopsy so we can rule out any of the really yucky stuff right away.

Eli's counts are still rising. ANC- 1380 Platelets-178 Hemoglobin 11.3 Yea!!

All great numbers. They have him on 50% chemo right now, a big change from the 150% he was on before his numbers crashed. We have to keep him at this level for a couple of weeks, then begin to increase them again. I am just glad that we will have good numbers for the start of school and everything. That way I will feel more confident sending him there.

I read tonight that a little girl we see at clinic has relapsed. Her name is Jayse. Please pray for her family during this most difficult time. For those that wonder how we do it...take the pain and multiply it by 100...I cannot imagine.

Thanks for checking in.

Maria

I am thankful for the amazing families that we have come in contact with through this awful disease.