Michael Dyer

Today's scans and tests

2011-12-20T18:31:00.001-05:00

Michael had an MRI and CT scan and blood tests today.

His AFP cancer number is less than 2. So no cancer growing, praise God.

The MRI and CT were both also good.

Michael continues to be out cancer kicking miracle child and we continue to praise god for his good health.

One of Michaels original doctors admitted that he didn't think Michaels would have survived as the cancer was stage 4 and well advanced. God had other plans though and we revel in this miracle which is our young son Michael.

We have our Christmas present and give thanks to God.

-Posted from my IPhone 4S

2011-12-14T11:40:00.000-05:00

Michael is so far healthy. We hope he stays healthy so he can gets his scans on Dec. 20th. We will be going to the new Motts Children Hospital. We will have to leave a little bit earlier, because I don't know the layout of the new hospital. He will have the scans and clinic later that same day. While he is under he will have his labs drawn. We should be able to see his AFP (cancer cell number). That will give us the first indication as to whether he is still ok. Please be praying that he stays healthy for his scans.

Michael loves cookies

2011-11-15T09:54:00.001-05:00

Michaels doing well. His scans were postponed for 4 weeks due to him having croup last week.

-Posted from my IPhone 4S

Mchaels continiong to do well

2011-08-09T22:30:00.001-04:00

The days and weeks and months continue to pass be as we watch young Michael grow and enjoy life.
He remains cancer free and we cherish each day with our loving son.
Cathy and Russ Dyer

Michaels Chiling after anafternoon swim.

2011-07-09T17:47:00.001-04:00

Michael continues to enjoy summer fun and after a nice swim in the pool with his brother and sister its time to watch a little tv and relax.

T-Ball is over

2011-07-04T15:25:00.000-04:00

T-ball is over and the boys had so much fun. Michael will be in it for another few years, Tristan for one more year. Tristan will then move on to baseball. Tristan is a great hitter and is getting much better at catching the ball. Michael is so cute running with his short little legs. We got to celebrate July 4th all together. We went for a morning bike ride and cleaned out the van, then dad mowed the lawn. The children watched a movie while mom and dad played on the computers. That gave everyone a break from being in the sun for a couple of hours. Michael got a new bike and he always wants to be on it. He is a bit scared but is getting more confident in ridding it. The kids will be going for a swim in the little pool we have later. We are enjoying being together as a family. Michael is a great little kid. We thank God for letting him be with us and for letting us enjoy this precious gift. Don't forget to tell the ones you love that you love them and enjoy time with them.

T-Ball

2011-06-06T20:04:00.001-04:00

Michael and his brother Tristan have begun playing T-Ball. Michael's healthy and its a joy to watch him running around carefree and full of energy.
Gods healing power has truely done a miracle in his life and we continue to praise him and pray that Michael will enjoy many more years and decades here with us.

Michael's hearing is also a little better than when he finished Chemo and he is able to function fine without his hearing aids.

God bless and thank you to all of our friends and fellow beleivers whose prayers for Michael have thus far been answered more fully than we we could have ever hoped for. Praise God.

Michael happy and healthy.

2011-06-04T21:17:00.001-04:00

2011-05-07T19:20:00.000-04:00

Went to the doctor and he said that everything look very good. They have decided to have the next scans in 6 months. If the scan still looks good then he will then be able to have the scans done a year from that date. They also referred us to the long term care clinic for next year. We will be learning what to expect in the future from the chemotherapy. What kind of test or evaluations that will be needed. We still have many years to go before he is considered cured. We enrolled the boy in T-ball this year. We will see how well they do in an organized sport.

2011-04-26T21:00:00.000-04:00

News from U of M hospital. Michaels scans went well and his cancer cells are at 2.0. Normal is 0-8.0. He is the low end of normal and that is good. His scans have not changed. That means he is still in remission. We will be going into the clinic to talk to the doctors about Michaels next step. If we will be waiting 6 months this time. When we will be getting labs again.

We will be putting more pictures up from the make a wish trip soon.

Thank you for all your prayers. We thank you for your continued prayer.

Michael enjoying the water

2011-04-13T15:32:00.000-04:00

Update - Michael doing great.

2011-04-13T11:49:00.001-04:00

Michael and the rest of our family enjoyed the make a wish trip to orlando, florida. Michael got to meet mickey mouse and a lot of other disney characters.
Michael's next scans are scheduled for good friday next week so we would appreciate prayer that they continue to show him cancer free.
We will post a few pictures of the trip soon.
God bless

2011-03-30T18:22:00.001-04:00

Michael at awana tonight.

2011-02-28T16:23:00.000-05:00

Michael is getting ready for his Make A Wish trip. He is so excited to be going to see Mickey Mouse. Throughout his time in and out of the hospital he wanted to watch Mickey Mouse Club House. I had to buy the DVD to take it with me to the hospital because many times he had slept past when it came on in the morning and could not understand why he could not see Mickey. Mickey Mouse is his nickname as well, because he loves him so much. I don't know how he will react to Mickey being so big when he meets him. All the children can not wait to fly on their first airplane ever. I know it will be a mix of emotions from fear to excitement. We will stay at Give the Kids the World and what a place it is. You will have to visit their website or pull them up on YouTube. I cried when I saw all the special things they have for the Wish Children to do. What a blessing! It brought back so many memories. We hope to visit some of the American Cancer Society events this year to encourage more families to give to support this cause. I hope to one day be in the 50 mile Wish A Mile with Michael. A week after Michael returns from his trip he will have his MRI and CT scan done. That will put Michael 16 months out from chemo. then.

Michael is in the other room sing "I have the joy joy joy down in my heart".

2011-02-07T18:10:00.000-05:00

2011-02-06T21:04:00.000-05:00

Michael has been doing great. He got to be part of the Coaches vs Cancer night at Morrice High School. He ran out to meet John the head coach of the boys varsity basketball team. The crowd applauded then gave Michael a standing ovation. Tears came to my eyes. He then ran back to dad. He looked so cute. He was then asked to stand with the guys for the National Anthem. He was smiling the whole time. After that he was asked to be part of the high fives when they announced the players. Michael was so excited. He was perfect and what an honor it was to be part of the Coaches vs Cancer this year. They raised $1700.00 this year for the American Cancer Society and Coaches vs Cancer. He got a new survivor shirt and a few other gifts from Amy of the American Cancer Society. What a night it was and when it was all over Michael was so tired. He likes to wear his shirt all the time.

Michael at Christmas

2011-01-05T10:51:00.001-05:00

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latest blood test very good

2011-01-03T20:27:00.001-05:00

Michaela AFP reading from his blood test last week was 1.9 which is fabulous. Absolutely normal and still cancer free.
Praise God.

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Abel Nichols

2010-12-20T09:58:00.001-05:00

Please keep Abel Nichols in your prayers this Christmas season. The genetic disorder he has is terminal so his fate rests in God's hands. We pray for God's will to be done and hope for a miracle.

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Good News from the Doctor

2010-11-28T13:49:00.000-05:00

Doctor Craig said, "Spoke with a radiologist about Michael's scans at the end of last week. After reviewing them again, he seemed even more convinced they were related to respiratory/breathing issues and DID NOT indicate possible new nodules or recurrent lung disease. While I was not particularly worried, it was beneficial to speak with him directly. We will continue to get the scans in 4 months time." Michael has gone from having 4 Nodules to 1 Nodule.

2010-11-28T13:46:00.000-05:00

We are ask prayer for our nephew William. He has just been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He will be turning three very soon. This is a new learning curve for his parents and William. To see him you would think nothing is wrong with him, but they have to be very careful with everything he eats. He now gets insulin injections and has to check his blood sugar many times a day. What a big change for this family.

Abel Nichols

2010-11-23T12:06:00.001-05:00

Please keep Jim Nichols and his family in your prayers. Jims son Abel was diagnosed with a terminal incurable genetic condition and few months back and has recently been released from a hospital stay to go home on hospice. Abel is currently doing ok.
Abel, Jim and his family remain in our prayers.

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Another milestone passed

2010-11-23T07:14:00.001-05:00

Michaels MRI and CT a scans were done last week as well as a blood test. We are pleased that the Blood test had a low AFP reading and after Cathy met with the doctor we are able to say his scans were good also. There aparently 3 spots still on his lungs, down from 4th in the last scans which are the calcified remains of dead cancer sites.
Michaels will get blood test in January and then fill scans early april.
If we can stay cancer free past April his long term survival chances to say up.
God Bless....

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2010-11-22T15:19:00.000-05:00

Michael's scans came back pretty good. His MRI showed no evidence of the cancer coming back. The CT was Showing one known nodule and that two others were possible. He had 4 before so we are waiting for the doctor to confirm that we don't need a new scan. They were not able to see very clearly part of the upper lungs. The CT did say no evidence of cancer progression. Just to be safe we have to have his AFP (cancer cell number) taken again in January. We go back for MRI and CT in 4 months. If it is clear they may move that out to a 6 months. Michael is almost a year out from Chemo treatments. PRAISE GOD! Thank you to all you who have been praying for him.

Michael has a bit of a cold now but is running around like a crazy man. It is so good to see him playing like the other children now. Good luck Adrian on your scans in December.

Today's CT, MRI and blood tests complete

2010-11-12T19:24:00.001-05:00

Michaels tests today went well.
We won't have the scan analysis till next week but his blood test results have his AFP level at 2.3 which is low and normal. We are very releaved. God bless.

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2010-11-09T19:49:00.000-05:00

Michael will be going in this Friday to have his CT and MRI done. We find out the results on the 18th. Please be praying that his lungs and liver are still the same or better then the last scan.

Adrian, We are glad you are doing well. Thanks for the comment to Michael. We will be praying for you in December when you have your MRI done. Hope your school year is going well.

2010-10-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

2010-10-30T13:41:00.000-04:00

We have a new member of our family. No! it is not a person, but a new little kitten. His name is Simba. He already is fitting right in. Michael is having a blast with Simba. He loves to have him in his lap. Simba is a Flame Point Siamese.

Michael will be going in for his next scans on November 12th. Please be praying that he will still be free of his cancer. That all the nodules will be gone.

2010-10-17T13:36:00.000-04:00

Michael is still doing well. He went to have his ears checked and to have his hearing aid remolded. He is so good about the test. He actually has a lot of fun during the test. They have him throw the ball's in the bucket and stack the blocks if he hears the sound. They said that his hearing is the same. They want him to wear the hearing aids while I am doing school with him.

Please be praying that next months results of the MRI and CT show that he is clear. Pray that his blood test all show good things. He goes in on November 12th and on the 18th we will have the MRI and CT results. I should have the blood test results the 12th. Thank you for praying for our little Miracle Michael.

Hi! Adrian we hope you are doing well and are still in remission.

Michaels and Tristans Room painting

2010-09-19T13:39:00.001-04:00

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2010-09-13T14:22:00.000-04:00

Well we went to the genetics docs. They said that after reviewing the information about our families that we did not have a genetic connection to the cancer. It was just a million to one odds that he got it. That is good for his future. His children should have the same odds as any other child. Michael seems to be doing well he has gain some height in the last month. He is now 37 inches tall. He is very active. We are starting him in preschool (home school). I teach him abc's, numbers, colors, shapes and objects that are the same and different. His brother is in 1st grade and his sister is 2nd grade. For gym class we do cycling, dance and weight training. Sometimes we just run around.

Out shopping Today

2010-09-06T12:21:00.001-04:00

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2010-09-03T21:48:00.000-04:00

Michael is so cute. I have just seen a movie that made me remember what our journey was like last year. It is a great movie. If you want to see it look for "Letters to God". It reminded me of the struggle that we went through as we meet new parents and their children were diagnosed with cancer. It reminded us that we were going through the same thing as someone else and that we could help each other. I remember walking down the halls at 3:00am and running into someone else's parents. Their child was having a hard night like Michael and had finally gone to sleep. We would talk for a while and encourgage each other then go back to our children's room and try to rest and regain strength for the next days journey. The nurses on our floor were all so wonderful. I give them a lot of props for going through that day in and day out. We have had some really good doctors and a few training doctors that will be great doctors someday. When you are having a hard day, just remember that everyday on the 7th floor at Mott Children's hospital a child is fighting to survive. It is so amazing all the smiles that come from that same floor. God Bless you.

2010-08-31T20:37:00.001-04:00

Michael has been doing so good. He still has not gained much height, but we are hoping that will come. I have begun painting the cars sences on the walls of the boys room. They are so excited. I will post pictures when I have finished them. Tristan said, "Mom, one day you are doing to be an artist". How funny. Michael is getting closer to being potty trained. He made it through the day yesterday and did not pee in his pull up. We were so proud of him. The children have started to settle down from last year and we are able to enjoy them a lot more. We hope you are bless. It still amazes us the amount of people that are praying for Michael. We thank God for you. On September 9th we take Michael to a genetics doctor. They will look at the families information and try to determine what might have caused the cancer.

Michael at the park

2010-08-15T18:09:00.001-04:00

Michael enjoying life.

2010-08-14T19:09:00.000-04:00

Michael is doing well and we thank you for all your prayers. Please keep the prayers coming. Michael will be seeing a couple of new doctors now. He will be going to a cancer genetics doctor to let us know what to expect as Michael grows up. They will also use the information collected to get more information for the hepatoblasoma (the cancer Michael had). Then Michael will see a gland specialist to determine if Michael has any issues with his development. Michael will still see the oncologist and they will check to make sure he is still ok. His next appointment for Michael's oncologist is November. Michael can not wait to go and sing tomorrow at church. When we tell him it is church day he will say Yeah!.

2010-08-05T13:25:00.000-04:00

Michael's first dentist appointment. He did great. He started to cry at first but then calmed down and was a trooper. They said that the chemo did not affect his teeth. The dentist said that his teeth were look great. He was ready to go back to the dentist again the next day. He was a bit disappointed when I told him that we could not go to the dentist. Hope all of you are doing well.

2010-08-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

Michael continues to do well. He is becoming more active and wants to go all the time now. We are enjoying the last bit of summer before the school season. We have the new van and it is an Honda Odyseey again. Our last Odyssey was great and we had no problems with it, so we decided to get another. The children enjoy the dvd system in it. We hope all is going well with you. Please keep the prayers coming. Michael is in remission but not cured yet. That will come in about 5 or 6 years. He will need your continued prayer that the cancer stays free from his body. If after 18 months Michaels chances of cure will go way up. Then each year after that he will get better odds of survival. Thank you are prayer warriors.

2010-07-16T13:08:00.001-04:00

We have wonderful news for everyone. Michael is offical, he is in remission. I got the word from his doctors. If he can stay cancer free for 18 months his chances for being cured go way up. We still have to wait for 5 years before we get the "He's cured statement", but we will take the words remission right now. He still has the three nodules and one tiny one. They hope will go away, but then again they could be scare tissue. We are now on a every 4 month schedule for MRI and CT scans. Praise the Lord for giving us back our little boy. I am so excited! Yeah, Yeah. Thanks for the prayers for Michael and our family. We are so blessed to have so many praying for him. Thursday is cancer awareness day. We need to pray that a cure for cancer will come soon.

Our big boom

2010-07-14T13:48:00.000-04:00

Well some of you know about this and other do not. Our family was in a major car crash that caused a great deal of damage to the Honda. God was watching over us. Praise God we were all OK. We came out of it with big bruises, seat belt burns and being really sore. Russ got burned by the airbag, 2nd degree burns. Michael is OK and just loosened one of his teeth and had seat belt burns. He told dad the next day that he did not want a big boom today. I asked him what he was thinking about before going to sleep the night of the boom and he said the tree and crying. The children all have taken it well. Russ was a little nerves getting back in the car to drive on Tuesday when he went back to work, but is managing to get to work and back. Tristan had to get stitches in his forehead and will get those out next week. Makayla just was a little sore the first couple of days. I was the one with really big bruises and bad seat belt burns. My Nephew Jamie had seat belt burns and a fractured breast bone. Have a look at our poor Honda.

2010-07-05T12:48:00.000-04:00

Michael's day at the hospital went well. They were behind already that morning. I guess they had a complicated person to scan before Michael could get his scan done. When he woke up from the procedure he was a bit whiny. His throat was sore from the tube, but as soon as he knew he was going to leave the hospital he was all better. He wanted to go and get blueberry pancakes, so I took him to Bob Evans. We should know the results of the scan on the 15th of July. That is when we meet with the oncologists again. He is still staying so very active. He loves to be outside and he loves going to church. He goes to Sunday School, but then wants to be in the main service. I guess he is not much of a nursery kid.

Last night we talked to his grandparents in New Zealand and he loves to play with them through the camera. Hidings, dancing or play talking on the phone with Granddad. It is lovely seeing him acting like a three year old again.

2010-07-01T20:43:00.000-04:00

Michael will be going for his MRI tomorrow to check his liver. The last scan was really good. Luckly he will be going just for the MRI. In two weeks he will go see the doctor and they will tell us what the next step of his treatment will be. So up early in the morning and off to the hospital. Please pray that all goes well and that Michaels scans go well. Thank you to all that have been praying for Michael.

2010-06-17T19:47:00.000-04:00

Michael is out enjoying his first Vacation Bible School. He is really enjoying it. He was smiling and joining in the games, loved listening to story time, doing the crafts and eating the food. He has really changed to be an outdoor guy. We are having a great time watching him change from the little boy that hardly would hardly move to the active little boy we see today. He is so active now. Thank you God.

Michael continues to do very well

2010-06-15T19:14:00.001-04:00

Michaels doing very well.
The doctors are thinking of moving him to a 6 month scan cycle and instead of getting the MRI and CT next month he will just get a MRI to check on his liver.

The one spot on his lungs that was of concern has shrunk to where it is all most gone now....Praise God.

We continue to pray for Michael and also for Abel Nichols who is still doing well and is stable.

God Bless
Russ

2010-05-28T20:33:00.000-04:00

Praise the Lord! Michael's scans came back and the Doctor said that they show a decrease in size and no new growth. We are waiting to get the paper copy of the offical report. The report was good enough for our doctor to say he does not need another CT in July. We are so thrilled. I would like to thank all of you that have been praying for Michael and our family. Please remember the Perodins in your prayers as they move to their new home in Maine. We pray that God will use them to touch many lives in their new church. We love you and will miss you.

2010-05-27T17:32:00.001-04:00

What a busy day! We started out getting up at 5:30 a.m. this morning. Michael got to have a little bit of apple juice right before we left for the hospital. We went to the hospital and he had his labs draw at 7:15 a.m. then off to the Pre-Op for his anesthesia and CT scan. His scans went well and he was done by 10:00 a.m. and awake by 10:15 a.m.. He then went to eat breakfast and have something to drink. Then over to talk to Dr. Craig about the labs and see if they had heard anything back yet on the scan. The labs looked good. His AFP (Cancer number) was 4.3 a little bit up from the last scan a month ago, but it is still on the low end of normal. His red blood cells were 14 which is high. They like that his RBC was 14 and not low. The rest of his numbers looked good. The news everyone wants to know is how is the Scans... but we don't know yet. We hope to find out tomorrow what they found out. Thank you to all of you that has prayed for Michael. We will now have to wait and see what God's will is. Once we were done at the cancer center we had lunch and because we were early for the next visit we went to the botanical gardens and explored the children's garden. Then off to the audiology to check his hearing aids. They had to do new molds because his ears grow. We had good news in regards to this as well. He has regained some of his mid-range hearing. He is still not hearing the top end of his high range hearing. That was great news.

2010-05-23T22:43:00.000-04:00

Michael is doing well. He seems to have more energy like a three old should have. He is smiling more and just having fun playing. He loves to go outside. We had a long bike ride today and enjoyed our time together. Please be praying for Michael as he has his CT scan this Thursday, May 27th. We are praying for good news from the doctors. Michael will be a the hospital all day long. Also, continue to pray for the other children that have cancer and their families. I will update you all as soon as I know something about the results. That will probably be late day. Thanks for all your support and love. God bless you for loving us.

2010-05-13T15:17:00.000-04:00

Michael has been doing really good for the past few months. Not a lot to report. He is really starting to run around and act like a three year old. He is fussing at his brother and loving on his sister. Tristan has an eye infection and we had to put him on antibiotics.

Michael's scan is in two weeks. He will have a really long day that day. Starting at the crack on dawn and going till late that day. Keep praying that the nodule in the left long is gone. That no new growth has occured and that he get a good report from the doctors.

2010-05-04T22:06:00.002-04:00

Michael is doing very well. He is playing more, running around and enjoying being outside this year. He always wants to be out playing. He went for a swim this last weekend and he was really doing well. He loved being in the pool. Makayla and Tristan loved being in the pool as well. They all got to spend time with Uncle Tim and Jennifer and their children. They seemed to be having a great time. It is so good getting away as a family. Thanks you all for your prayers.

Please add another child to your prayers. His name is Tyler and has the same cancer as Michael. He is on the list for a liver transplant. Pray that he will get a transplant he needs, and that it will be quickly. His cancer cell number is 36,000 right now. Thank you in advance.

2010-04-23T20:02:00.002-04:00

Michael's party was a big success. He had a Lightening McQueen cake and Chocolate ice cream. He had three different types of balloons. The table was decorated with a Cars table cloth and napkins. He had his grandparents come and visit from Romulus. He got a soccer net from Gramme and Granddad, balls, Hot Dog dance Mickey, Car carrier from Grandma and Granddad, doctor outfit from Grandma mallie and a fireman's outfit from Ms. Joann. He really enjoyed himself. Thanks for all the cards and gifts.

We got good news today. Michael's Cancer cell number AFP came back at 2.6. I hope this is a great sign that his cancer in his lung is not growing. A CT Scan will take place May 27th at 9:00am. We should know something that day. Please keep Michael in your prayers that the one nodule they are concerned about will be gone.

2010-04-21T18:05:00.002-04:00

Michael is doing well we should know the results of his AFP (Cancer cell number soon). He had the blood test yesterday, but it takes a few days to get the results. Tomorrow is Michael's birthday and we will be celebrating with the family. Michael wants a MacQueen cake and he can't wait to eat it. Gramme and Granddad will be coming up to celebrate with us. Maybe a few others, but mostly family. We have a lot to celebrate this year, as we were not sure he would even be here with us this year. Thank you all for praying for Michael. Your continued prayers are still needed. More updates tomorrow.

2010-04-12T12:57:00.002-04:00

Michael seems to be doing well. He has gained his weight back from before he had chemo. We are still waiting for his height to catch up. He is still a bit short for his growth chart. On April 22 he will be celebrating his 3rd birthday. Michael wants to have a Lightening McQueen Cake. Wow, we have come so far it just a short time his has been on this earth. He will be getting the annual immunizations at the pediatrician, as well as, going to St. Joseph to get his AFP level checked. They both will be done at the end of April.

2010-04-02T13:27:00.003-04:00

Michael has a bit of a cold but is doing well. He had his scans last week and went to see the doctors this week. He will be going back for a scan of his chest in May. The scan done last week showed three nodules were gone and three were stable, but one had gotten slightly bigger. They want to determine if the difference is just from position or if it is truly getting bigger because of cancer. If the May scan shows another increase, Michael will have to have it removed from his left side of his lung. His liver looked good no new cancer in the liver. He has gained back the weight that he needed to and we are waiting for his height to pick up now as well. He is behind about 4 inches.
The rest of the family is trying to fight the cold that is going around this spring. Please keep your prayers coming. Michael is still not considered in remission from the cancer yet, maybe in a couple of months.

2010-03-26T20:06:00.002-04:00

Michael is home now and they were able to identify the bugs. He had two that got in his broviac line. I think he may have picked one up from the ER. They did surgery to remove the line from his chest on Sunday and he was started on antibiotics. While under for the surgery he had his MRI and CT scan done. Everything went well and he is now taking two antibiotics to make sure the bugs did not get into his body. Good thing is he is able to take oral antibiotics so it is very quick to give to him. The other things is he likes them. He thinks they are the liquid tums he use to take. Next week he will be going in for his monthly check up and we should be able to see the scans that was taken this week. Now that the tubes are out of Michael, Mom has a lot less work, but aht also means he will get stuck everytime he has labs.
Makayla is ill again and she may have passed the cold to Mom. All in all we are doing well. A little bit tired from the marathon days at the hospital. We hope all is well with you. God Bless.

Tuesday and Another Day in Hospital

2010-03-23T10:19:00.002-04:00

Michaels still at Motts Childrens Hospital and the doctors are keeping him in for another night.

His scans showed no new cancer which is good and his cancer number (AFP) is still around 2. (0-8 is normal)

The doctors have not been able to identify the bug that Michael caught so thats the reason he is going to be in for another night.

Michael is doing very well though and playing and enjoying himself.

More later.

Russ

2010-03-22T09:38:00.002-04:00

Michael is in getting his MRI, CT and Broviac lines removed. We will be getting the results from this in a couple of days. This will tell us if he will be considered in remission. He is feeling better, but was very tired this morning. He was so off of his schedule that he did not want to go to sleep last night. Then this morning they woke him up early to draw blood. His line stopped working and they had to poke him. He was not happy about that at all. He also developed a line infection, but once the line is removed so is the infection. He should be out and in recovery in a couple of hours.

Room 94

2010-03-21T08:38:00.001-04:00

Michael and Cathy are still at the hospital. In room 94 on the 7 th floor.

They are waiting for the doctors to decide about whether to take out his broviac tube.

The tube aparently has a small leak and he may have a infection in it.
We are hoping they do take it out.
More later.
Russ

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2010-03-21T05:19:00.002-04:00

Michael is still at the hospital. His White blood cells are elevated and they are checking his broviac line for infection. I don't think theyhave gotten an infection. The thought is that it is a bacterial infection. They took a look at the X-rays that were taken and they looked ok. While we were at the hospital one of his lines got a hole in it. The Doctor on duty had to cut it and repair it. They are in the process of trying to get it to give a blood return. Special medicine is put in his line to release what is stopping the blood flow.

News, is they are going to keep him overnight. Give him some for antibiotics. More later when I know more.

Almost 24 hours with no sleep.

Michaels got a fever tonight

2010-03-20T21:46:00.002-04:00

Michael wasnt feeling too well and threw up a couple of times after dinner.

He had a fever so Cathy called in to the hospital and they said he has to go back in tonight to check it out.

We are thinking its just a stomach bug or the flew but since he still has the Broviac tube in the hospital has to check that out for infections.

I'll be watching the kids tonight at home and praying that Cathy and Michael are able to come home in the mornng.

god bless

Russ

2010-03-14T17:25:00.000-04:00

Things are going well with Michael. He is scheduled for a CT and MRI in a few weeks. We hope that the scans will show that he has not had any new growth. That would let the doctors know he is in Remission. His tube that is in his chest will also come out that day. Michael's hair has come back very quickly and dark. Thanks again for the prayers.

Friday News

2010-03-05T07:36:00.002-05:00

We spent the day yesterday at the Hospital (Motts Childrens Hospital) for what was supposed to be a routine blood test and consult.

Michaels Broviac tube is not working right so he had to be poked to get the blood test samples and an hour of trying to unblock his broviac tube was unsuccessful. We are still consulting with the doctors on when would be a good time to get the Broviac removed.

They did a Ultrasound to check for any blood clots that may come from the blocked Broviac and cause other issues, and we are waiting on those results.

Michaels Blood test results are still showing elevates liver enzyme results which we believe are the result of a virus he is recovering from. Michael may have another test next week to ensure its still trending down.

Michaels AFP ( cancer enzyme) result was 2.1 which is still normal and down from 3.2 a couple of weeks ago.

Michaels Immunity is good and all his other levels are normal praise God.

God Bless

Russ

2010-02-26T18:42:00.002-05:00

Michael is doing well these days. We are continuing to have trouble with his broviac line. It is flushing well but we are not able to get labs from it. He is now 31 lbs and 35.5 inches. He is getting his hair back. It is coming back in dark. When it gets a bit longer we will see if it has the chemo curl.

Russ and Makayla are down with a tummy bug. The rest of us are ok for now. Makayla got the bug Thursday night and Russ got it today.

Hopefully this cold weather will go away soon. Come on spring! I don't know about you but after being locked inside for over a year, I am ready to get out of the house and enjoy.

Abel Nichols

2010-02-18T14:18:00.001-05:00

Below is an Update from Jim Nichols on his sons progress.

Abel will be turning one on March 3rd and will be celebrating his birthday with family on the 6th.

We have been talking to Doctors at John Hopkins/Kennedy Krieger as well as Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Although these are supposed to be experts on Abel’s condition it seems we may have exhausted their expertise. Our family doctor is surprised with the improvement in some of Abel’s lab results and is looking for additional specialists to refer us to.

We are continuing to treat Abel with food and supplements based on information we find on the web. He recently started eating solid foods. His doctors were doubtful that he would ever do this. He really likes carrots and apples. He also is getting regular physical therapy, occupational therapy, osteo-manipulative therapy and chiropractic care.

Thank you for your prayers for Abel and Michael.

Please keep them coming.

2010-02-16T16:04:00.002-05:00

Michael had a wonderful time visiting different churches this weekend. Thank you United Methodist church in Webberville. We enjoyed the time we spend with you. Thank you for all your support over the last year. Thank you for your hospitality this weekend. We hope through our struggles and victories that we have encouraged many this weekend. We must always remember that God is in control.

2010-02-12T17:35:00.002-05:00

Michael had his labs today and his liver panel came back over hundred twenty lower then last time. This is very good news. That means his liver virus is recovering. We go back to have labs done next week. If all is well then or the number is even lower then we know that he is headed in the right direction. Thank you for all the prayers.

2010-02-09T18:27:00.002-05:00

Michael's test came back and his liver panel (AST, ALT) has come back up again. This time it is at 254. Normal is 5-44 at this lab. I contacted Dr. Craig and he said to go back on Friday and have the test done once again. He feels that it might be a virus and not related to the cancer that was there. If the test comes back even higher next time then we will be going in for an ultrasound. They want to find out if there is something that is maybe on the liver. Maybe a cyst or something like that on or near the liver. Anyway, we should know more on Friday. Please pray for Michael to get a normal level for his liver panel test.

Makayla is feeling sick so she is resting in her room and watching a movie. Please pray for her to feel better.

So far everyone else is feeling good.

2010-02-08T19:19:00.002-05:00

Michael seems to be doing pretty good. He is doing well with his potty training. If all goes well tomorrow and the snow holds off until the afternoon, I will be able to get the labs done for Michael. This test will help us to determine of we need to worry about Michael's liver. He will get a full liver and reno panel done. I don't know how long we will have to wait for the liver panel.

Thanks you for the prayer for his immunity. He now has a good immunity. Please continue to pray that his liver panel test comes back normal.

2010-02-04T15:38:00.002-05:00

The result from the tests Michael had today were pretty good. His Red and White blood cell counts are normal. His platelet count is normal. His immunity is at 6.9. That is the middle of normal. Yeah! The AFP or cancer cell number was.... 3.8. Yeah! again. The only concern we have is a slightly elevated liver AST count. This tell you if you liver is showing signs of damage. They think that the elevation is due to a liver virus. We are going to have a complete liver count done on Wednesday. If the count is normal then they will just keep an eye on it. If the number goes up we will have to get scans to find out why it is elevated. Thank you for your prayers for his immunity.

Michael was full of energy today he has a new hobby. He loves to sit at the computer and play with his school software programs. He already knows how to click on the software program to start it and to navigate his way in the program to what he wants. I even caught him today printing his picture out by himself. Then he goes in the den and gets his print out.

2010-02-03T13:49:00.002-05:00

Michael is doing well. He is trying more type of food. He finally is back to eating bananas. This is his first fruit that he has eaten since the chemo started. He is now on a regular schedule and taking really good naps. I plan on taking the kids on bike rides this year. I have order a child bike trailer for Michael. I can't wait to get out of the house and out doing things with the children. Tomorrow I take Michael to the cancer center for a checkup. We will get labs and a new cancer cell screening. We should also know then too if his immunity is back up to the normal level. Please keep praying for Michael. He has a long journey still ahead of him. In two month we find out if anything has grown. He will have been off chemo for three months by then.

Saturday News

2010-01-30T17:53:00.003-05:00

Michael is doing well today and continues to eat more and look better each day.

Cathy and I are noticing a slight trace of fuzz on his head so it looks like he may be starting to get hair back.

The rest of the Family is doing well also.

We had a visit from the Make A Wish foundation people today to fill out more forms for Michaels Wish, A trip to Disney World in Florida.

God Bless

Russ

Make a Wish

2010-01-27T18:55:00.003-05:00

Michael is meeting with his Make a Wish coordinators this weekend. He is making a wish to go see Mickey and Disney World in Florida. We have to work with them to find out the best time to go down to Disney. When there is not a lot of people in the parks. Then we will probably stay down there for about a week.

On February 14th we will going to United Methodist Church in Webberville. They are off of M52 and Holt Rd. They have really stood by us from the beginning. Thanks for the the gifts and most of all the prayers. The next day we will be going to Wendy's in Owosso. We hope to go and give Michaels testimony and say thanks to those that have been praying for Michael this last year.

2010-01-26T15:36:00.002-05:00

Good News! Woo hoo! Micheal's AFP came back at 5.2 today. That is even better then last time. Michael has not been on his hard chemo since the second week of December. We will have new labs next week on Thursday. For now all is well in the Dyer house. We are still waiting for the immunity to come back up but hopefully that will be soon. We will update you again soon.

Keep praying for Michael he will need all those prayers. Thanks!

2010-01-21T19:01:00.002-05:00

Michael had some of his labs came back. His white blood cell have come back up but still not normal. His red blood cells are going up but it is not normal yet either. His platelets are now within the normal range. We still are waiting for Michael's immunity to come back to normal. It has gone from 700 to 1000. Normal is 2300 to 9800, so again a couple more weeks out of church and in the house. We are still waiting for his AFP (the test that tells us his cancer cells). This is the test that we are very nerve about. Michael's last chemo was December 10th. This number hopefully will be normal and close to the U of M number. St. Joseph is now doing this test for us so we do not have to drive to Ann Arbor. Keep praying that no cancer grows. The first 18 months of not having chemo is the best chance of the cancer coming back. Our first goal is to get him to April and the official remission. Then to get him to the 18 months goal, then each year after until he is 7 1/2 or 8 years old. That would mean he would be considered cured.

Blood tests today

2010-01-21T10:19:00.002-05:00

Michael has blood tests today so we are a little nervous.
Please pray his levels are all still normal and we will update the blog when we get the test results which should be sometime later this afternoon.
God Bless
Russ

2010-01-18T19:36:00.002-05:00

Michael is doing well. Still has a bit of the effects from the Vincristine. He stubbles and falls a bit but he is getting better. He has been very good about trying to eat at every meal. He is sitting here on daddy's lab eating his yogurt bits. We go to get his labs done on Thursday. Hopefully his immune system will finally be up to the normal range.

2010-01-16T13:47:00.002-05:00

Micheal is doing well today. He is getting more active. He is even more willing to try new foods. We still have to wait for his immunity to come back up before we can go back to church. We will have to get him back into Sunday school once his immunity has been back up for a while. It will be great to be able to go places again. I would love to plan small trips for the family to just get away. Some place we can just go and forget about the hospitals, doctors and being sick. I hope we can go and just enjoy being a family and having fun.

Remember even tho the children are screaming, running around doing things they should not do and saying things they should not say. Cherish every moment with them, because at least you have them with you and you never know how long you will have them. Love them!

2010-01-12T19:51:00.002-05:00

Michael had his labs today. Everything is starting to come back up. His White and Red cells have moved up and his platelets are finally in the normal range. However, his immunity is still not up all the way yet. We hoped that it would be at least 2300 but it is still only 700. This means we will not be able to be at church this Sunday. He will have labs next week and we will see if he is finally back to normal yet.

2010-01-10T19:26:00.003-05:00

Michael is doing well. We were watching G-force and at the end of it all the kids started dancing around. Right in the middle of it was Michael. I could not help but smile as they danced around the lounge. At one point Michael looked at me with a huge smile on his face. It is so good to see all my children acting like children and not worrying about being sick or Michael being to sick to do anything. This year has started to great.

Thank you everyone for all the help, love and prayers this last year.

If you have suffered a setback in recent days, look to the future. Ask God to use this event to accomplish His perfect will in your life, to open new doors of opportunity for your good and His glory.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Glorybound

2010-01-08T15:24:00.003-05:00

If you are a church that would love to have the group that Russ sings with "Glorybound" come and preform please let us know. We will give your information to the coordinator so he can schedule performance. We would also love to bring Michael along and give our testimony about our journey with cancer. We would then also get a chance to meet so many of our prayer warriors. Glorybound will be preforming at Wendy's in Owosso, Michigan in February 2010. We hope to meet the Wendy's staff and thank them for their support during our journey last year.

Email: kiwiruss@gmail.com

2010-01-08T15:17:00.003-05:00

After many hours of travel yesterday it was worth getting the news that we got. We now move to our next phase of life with Michael. We have to try to get back to normal, but still knowing in the back of our minds that he is still not completely in the clear for many years to come. We will see doctors less for now and not have as many scans, but we will still need to watch and make sure his cancer cell number stays normal. We will also have to get CT/MRI scans every 3 months to make sure nothing is coming back. The doctor said that he will feel better when he has been off chemo for three months with growth on scans. That is why we have a tentative remission right now and why April will be the remission month. All tho we are not done with everything it should get a lot easier. So yes, Michael will not have anymore chemo for now (and hopefully never again). We will still need your prayer for years to come.

If you are wondering "How long?" before God brings you through--be faithful and focused on the One who came and will come again.

Good News

2010-01-07T20:50:00.002-05:00

We went in today to talk to the doctors about what the scans have showed. The MRI showed no new growth for the second time. The CT showed the same nodules that have been in his lungs. All are stable which should now indicate that they are scare tissue. The oncologist told us that he is tentatively in remission. If all the scans are the same in April we will get the full in remission statement from the doctors. We will have labs draw in two weeks to check the cancer cell number to make sure it is staying in the normal range. Then again the beginning of February. Then in April we will have the new CT/MRI scans to confirm that he is indeed in remission.

Michael's blood counts are coming back up nicely. His immunity is starting to come back up. He has 1200 fighting cells now. We have to wait for it to come up to 2300. That is the low end of normal. We hope to be able to get him to church Next week. Then hopefully back to church more and more. This is only the beginning we hope.

2010-01-06T14:47:00.003-05:00

We find out tomorrow about Michael's CT/MRI scans. They will compare them to the PET scan done last week. If all looks good then he will be considered in remission. We go for labs in the morning and that should include the AFP the cancer cell number. His last cancer cell number was 3.0. Hopefully it will stay in the normal range. We will update everyone tomorrow.

Please pray for Abel. We know what God can do! We know what he has done for Michael. Abel's chance of survival is not good, but Michael's was not either. Pray that someone will find a cure or at least a treatment for Abel that will work.

Abel Seth Nichols

2010-01-05T07:26:00.003-05:00

Cathy and I would like to request prayer for my fellow workmate and friend Jim Nichols family and their son Abel. Here is some information from Jim.

Abel Seth Nichols was born on March 3rd, 2009. He was recently diagnosed with Zellweger syndrome, a terminal rare genetic disorder with no treatment or cure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zellweger_syndrome

He has been a blessing to Alyssa and I. We do not take one moment with him for granted. We would be very grateful for any prayers regarding his comfort and safety.

2010-01-04T11:36:00.002-05:00

Michael had labs today and we should know soon if his bone marrow has recovered more. He is sitting and playing with one of Makayla's toys today. He done with the antibiotic's he was taking. Tonight I should get a good nights sleep. Michael has his CT and MRI scan tomorrow. We go back Thursday of this week to find out what the scans show. He is still a little grumpy but I am starting to see him have a little more fun. He is also eating a little more solid food.

2010-01-02T19:21:00.002-05:00

Today I got to go shopping by myself. I don't think I can remember the last time I got to go shopping alone. I was able to get new clothes from the Christmas money I got. I also got new cups for Tristan. No more sippy cups for Tristan. It was a nice break away from all the medication, IV's and flushes. Michael is almost done with the antibiotics. He will be done tomorrow night. I can't wait for that to be done. I might actually get a good long nights sleep again. His immunity is starting to come back. He is even starting to recover more and more the further away from the chemo.

2010-01-01T21:38:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year everyone. Hopefully this year will be a better year for us. Michael is starting slowly to try some of the solid food again. He has grown a little bit more. He is drinking his special tea and is maintaining his weight. Michael will be going in for his CT and MRI on the 5th. On the 7th we will find out what they are planning to do going forward. Michael is also starting to get a bit of fuzz on his head again. He is now starting to recover his electrolytes now, so that means less meds. I have two more antibiotics to give him tonight and then bed. Thank goodness we only have two more days of the antibiotics. Everyone will get more sleep. Makayla starts the year out with getting sick. She is now isolated to the upstairs so Michael does not catch the bug. He is just now starting to get back his immunity. I just hope that his antibiotics will protect him.

We would like to thank everyone that has supported up, prayed for us, assisted us in anyway this last year. You have truly done what God has told us to do. Be kind to each other, showing love one to the another. We still have a long road in our future. Please continue to pray for all of us.

2009-12-28T19:40:00.003-05:00

Michael is doing ok but his bone marrow does not seem to want to recover this cycle. I am sure that in a few more days we will see that change. He is busy playing with his sister. Tristan is sick and isolated to the up stairs since Michael has no immunity. On Wednesday Michael has a PET scan and Thursday he has labs, doctor visit and infusion center for chemo. we keep hoping this time will be the last time he every has to have chemo. On Jan. 5th we will find out what they plan to do. If the scans are showing clear films then he will be in remission.

2009-12-26T21:40:00.002-05:00

Michael got to come home Christmas Eve in the afternoon. We could not go anywhere do to his immunity. He is starting to get it back but it is very slow in coming. We are also waiting for his bone marrow to recover. His platelets are still a bit low. We go Monday to get labs again and hope the news is good. Michael is also back on a lot of meds. We hope he will be off a lot of them soon. Thank you everyone for the prayers and love you have showed our family. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

2009-12-23T13:16:00.004-05:00

Michael is doing better. He is sitting on the bed and watching Mickey Mouse on tape. Playing with Dad. He is slowly showing signs that he is getting better. He is having trouble with his platelets coming back. They are staying low even after the infusion. If all goes well we will be out of here tomorrow. We have to wait and see if the platelets stay or get wasted.

I was so sad to know that we had to come to the hospital this time of year. Michael's first Christmas that he would be able to open his gift by himself and have fun. On the way to the hospital with Michael I said your will Lord. We got to the hospital and we met a wonderful family "The Bashi's". Please pray for them they just found out that their son has cancer. He was here for his first treatment. I was able to talk to them during their stay here. Michael seemed to like Adrian. We went to their room to watch Adrian play the WII, but Michael was still tired. So we went back to our room for Michael's nap. I told them how God had worked in Michael's life. How amazing of a journey Michael had from the beginning. I was so glad we could encourage a new family that was beginning their journey with cancer. It can be a very scary time. Good luck Adrian we will be praying for you.

No fever since 7pm last night

2009-12-22T10:59:00.002-05:00

Michaels slowly improving.
He has not had a fever since 7pm last night so the antibiotics seem to be working.
He is a little grumpy but thats partly due to being stuck in hospital.
We will continue to pray he can be released before Christmas.
God Bless
Russ

Michael still at Motts

2009-12-21T11:40:00.002-05:00

Michael is still at Motts Hospital up on the 7th floor.
Hes still got the fever that they are treating him for and he possible has a bacterial infection which is being treated with Antibiotics.
He is a little grumpy but generally doing well and we are hoping t oet him home in a few days.
more later.
Russ

still in hospital

2009-12-20T10:13:00.001-05:00

Michaels still in the hospital.
He still is fighting a fever but is doing well apart from that.
His immunity continues to fall due to this latest chemo so he will stay in the hospital until the fever is gone for 24 hours and his immune system recovers.
more later.
Russ

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Michael has a fever

2009-12-19T12:31:00.001-05:00

Michael has a fever of 101.7 this morning so cathy is on the way down to the emergency room. They will probably check him in as he has low immunity due to the latest chemo.
Unfortunitely this may mean Michaels in the hospital for christmas.
Please Pray that there is no infection and Michael can recover and be home before christmas.
More later
Russ

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2009-12-16T20:14:00.003-05:00

Michael is feeling a bit better today. His potassium went down and we have to give him a supplement. We will have to continue this until his body is able to produce the amount of potassium he needs. I go for labs tomorrow to make sure he is able to maintain the rest of his electrolytes. It will also tell us if we have to get blood or platelets tomorrow. Michael should be getting close to having no immunity. This means we will have to make sure we are very careful to not be around anyone that has a virus or flu. Really any sickness. Thanks for praying for Michael. We can not wait to be able to go back to church again and spend time with our friends. For anyone that has been our support team we thank you so much. We hope to be able one day to help others who are going through a trial in their lives. Remember God is always with you. He will never leave you or forsake you.

2009-12-14T13:30:00.002-05:00

Michael seems to be doing well today. He is a little grumpy because he does not feel good. He is back to not eating solid food again. His little bit of hair that was coming back has fallen out once again. From the lab results today Michael will be starting to drop down his red and white blood cell, platelets, and immunity within the next few days. If he does what he has in the past then Michael will have no immunity by the 18th. It is normally gone for a week or week and a half, so we will not be going anywhere for Christmas.
I found out that Michael will have his new scans earlier, it is now scheduled for the 5th of January.

If you hang an angel ornament on your tree this year, be reminded of the joy they came to announce--and be a messenger, spreading that joy to others.

2009-12-13T12:20:00.002-05:00

Michael is home and doing well. He has not gotten sick from the chemo this time. We will have to go for blood test twice a week and then to clinic on the 21st and 28th. The good news about Michael is that his MRI showed no new growth and that the surgery was successful at getting rid of the tumor in the liver. The CT is a mixed bag. It show a few nodules that have continued not to change. This is a good indication that it is just scar tissue. The bad news is a new growth was found in the lower right lung. It is 2mm and if it is not gone by the 7th of January CT they will want to biopsy the lung. They said that if it is gone then they do nothing. Then we begin our journey of waiting and watching. The oncologist said that Michael is at high risk for relapse. We would then have scans every 3 months and blood workup every month. The AFP test (cancer cell number) is a good first indication that the cancer is staying away or growing. He has to keep that number in between 0-8 to be in the normal range. Michael continues to show a number of 3.

One last round of chemo

2009-12-10T15:16:00.001-05:00

Michaels scans seem to show no change but because the regimin of chemo he is on says another chemo rd the docs decided to do one more round of hard chemo.
they say that its best to do all we can to make sure the cancer is gone as its an up hill battle if it comes back.
So Michaels getting checked in for a few days for this chemo and hopefully home monday or tuesday.
god bless.
Russ

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still in consult room

2009-12-10T13:44:00.001-05:00

Still waiting in consult room. they decided to try and talk to the radiolgist to get some info.
more later.
Russ

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Blood tests normal

2009-12-10T12:59:00.001-05:00

Michaels AFP is 3.0 which. is in the 0 to 7.9 normal range.
We wont get the MRI and CT results till tomorrow.
Still one more consult and then home.
All is good. God is Good.
Russ

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Consult next

2009-12-10T11:32:00.001-05:00

Blood draw for tests is done.
We are now waiting for the consult with his chemo docotors.
Russ

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