Evening update

Michaels got good test results although he has no immunity yet.




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Early update

Michael was really happy last night, playing and having fun.
He slept very well and is still sleeping as I get ready to go to work.

He has blood tests today

God bless
Russ


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morning update

Michael slept well last night and was still sleeping when I left for work.
more later.
Russ

Update

Busy day.
Blood tests this morning. Down to motts hospital for platelets this afternoon and back home for dinner and last oral meds for the day.
Michael a bit happier this evening.
God bless
Russ


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Evening update

Michaels still home.
Eating a little more which is good.

He's getting his evening infusion at the moment. It will go till 9:30 pm.

God bless
Russ


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Monday update

Michaels possibly comming home tonight.
He is getting blood, plateletts, and electrolytes.
He's been wining a bit also today poor kid.


I've been off work today trying to get a replacement hot water cylinder put in as the old one died last night.
Thanks John Keetch and Paul Heath for the assistance getting another circuit wired for the heater.
It should get delivered tomorrow.

Please pray that michaels apetite returns so he will eat more solid food . He has been really out of sorts this round.

God bless
Russ and Cathy

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Michael is still at the hospital

Michael is still at the hospital, but is acting more like himself. He is a little playfull and is talking a lot right now. He even said goodnight to his brother and sister over the phone. He also talked to grandma Dyer a bit on the phone. He is getting ready to go to bed and so am I. I have to journal his information before I go to bed.

The first 24 hours blood workup came back and so far they have not found anything growing. That is great news. We have to wait 48 hours before we are in the clear. It seems that his temp has gone down. He looks much better and he is acting a lot better. Thanks for all the prayers.

Had to purchase a new dishwasher as the 2 1/2 year old one died. Then we had to by a small fridge to keep Michaels meds in. Then Russ called me when he got home and said that they were having problems with the water heater. So we will have to have an electrician come over and put a 220 outlet in for a new water heater. Wow what a week.

Next week we will need a lot more help. Russ's Mom and Dad are going back to New Zealand so his mom can have her surgery. Pray for a safe journey.

If you are someone that can be called on anytime day or night and our children know you, please let us know your contact information. We may have to call on you for help.

Love and God bless,
Cathy

Morning Update

Michael is still here at the hospital. He is receiving Antibiotics but they have not had any of the blood cultures back yet.
He is resting comfortably and has had medicine for his temperature.
He was shaking a lot and very unbalanced but this morning is no longer shaking and looks a little better.
God Bless,
More this afternoon,
Russ

High temp

Michaels got a 101 plus temp, so we are taking him back into hospital.
Please pray for him
Russ

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Evening Update

Michael was at the hospital a little longer than expected and will be home in about 10 minutes.
He had a few intravenus things including magnesium and lasics to remove some fluid from his body.
Seems that all the fluids they had him on was too much and he needed lasics to get some of the fluids out of his body.
Overall he is in pretty good shape still.

On a side note we will probably buy a new dishwasher tomorrow. Just getting a cheap one as the expensive one didnt even last as long as the last cheap one we had.

God bless.
Russ

Early update

Michael had his hearing aids fitted and also a crayon and blood tests to check his fast breathing rate.
The doctors decided to admit him so they could give him blood and platelets so he spent the night in room 95 on the 7 th floor. His tests came back ok so he should be home again today

God bles
Russ


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Michael ok - Dishwasher not.

Slight Home Emergency - Our Dish Washer Broke down.
Anyone who can assist with fixing it would be greately appreciated. (Cheaply )
Details - Manufacturer LG , Model - 5811 WW , 2 and a half years old. Error code is LE - We think its a motor burnout issue.

Another tough night

Michael is still stuggling through this round of chemo.
He threw up again last night and we are trying to keep up with his nausea medicine.

Please pray that he can get through this tough period and get back to normal, well better than he isdoing at the moment.

He has his hearing aid fitting today.



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Morning update

Michaelthrew uplast night again at midnight.
He's having a rough time with the chemo.
Cathy's taking him for blood tests this morning.
God bless
Russ


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Bed Time

Michaels allmost asleep.
Still not eating as much as he does when he is feeling his best.
- Effects of the Chemo.

He also threw up once a little this evening.
He's doing ok with his meds though which is good.

god bless
Russ

evening pic

Morning Update

Michael had a good nights sleep and is off to the local hospital for blood tests this morning to keep nad eye on his electrolytes.

A tough night

Michael wasn't feeling the bastlast night and was sick around 12:00pm.
We gave him some more nausea medicine.
The nausea is the biggest issue for him with the chemo and its something we just have to deal with.

Overall he is doing very well still and talks a lot which is great.

More later
Russ


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Monday morning

Michael slept through the night. He has to go for blood tests this morning at the local hospital but that doesn't take long.
He has to have blood tests Monday,Wednesday,Friday to monitor his electrolytes.

More later
Russ


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Michaels home

Michael is home. Released this afternoon and will get meds at home for the next 2 weeks.
Michael is doing very well today with his chemo.

God bless and have a great evening


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Morning news

Michaels doing well today after sleeping till 5am this morning. He us getting magnesium to bring that level up a bit.

He had half a waffle for breakfast.

More later
Russ


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Morning update

Michaels sleeping at the moment.
He had a good night and has not throw up at all since checking in on Thursday.

All is well and we are hoping to get through this stay ahead of schedule.

God bless
Russ


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Evening update

Michael had a great day . Chemo is going very well.

He was visited by the Blue Angels, the US navy flight demonstration squad.
He got some gifts also.
Thankyou guys for the visit.

God bless
Russ
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Morning Update

Michaels doing great thus far.
His test results from yesterday show his AFP at 20.0 which is getting close to a normal reading of below 10.
This is his "cancer number" and shows great progress. This also is before the current round of chemo goes to work on the cancer.

Michael slept well and is doing well in Hospital.

more later
Russ

Evening update

Sitting up on the 8th floor eating pizza and listening to piano music.
Michaels eating pizza also.

Michaels getting 4 hours hydration which should be done by 9 pm and then he gets the 6 hr infusion of sys platin chemo drug , then 2 hours infusion of doxy Rubin.

Will update tomorrow.

Russ


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all checked in

we are checked into the hospital for michaels next round of chemo.

room number 7527
7th floor motts childrens hospital.

We anticipate he will be here for around 5 days.

more later
russ

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Morning Update

Michaels doing well today.
Eating and drinking lots and enjoying his day of rest before the big day tomorros when he checks back into the hospital.

Its a Miracle - comments fixed

Comments are working now.
Sorry for the issue. no idea why they broke or how I fixed them ;-)

System update

Comments are currently broken.
Im working to get trhem fixed but it will be probably a day or so.

Morning Update

Michael has a good nights sleep and ate one and a half waffles for breakfast.

His lab results were good yesterday so he has less meds to take during the day which is good news.

No appointments today, just preparations for checking in on Thursday.

God bless,
Russ

Monday Update

Michael is at the Hospital today for tests and also for Hearing aids.
Unfortunitely, the person doing the hearing aids is sick so no hearing aids today.

Thats delayed till thursday now.

Michaels eating and drinking well today.

Evening roll call

Michaels laying with Cathy on the lazy boy chair.
He's had some cereal and a chocolate cookie for dinner along with his meds.

He will get his infusion in a little while before bed then sleep tight till tomorrow .

Cathys taking him to the hospital for tests tomorrow and to get his hearing aids.

God bless
Russ

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Morning at graceway

Michael and the family visited cathys parents church this morning. We prayed over Michael asking gods assistance to rid him of the cancer.
Thankyou pastor Worrell and all at graceway.

Michael had a good breakfast this morning and took all his scheduled meds. He is doing well today.






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Morning at graceway

Michael and the family visited cathys parents church this morning. We prayed over Michael asking gods assistance to rid him of the cancer.
Thankyou pastor Worrell and all at graceway.

Michael had a good breakfast this morning and took all his scheduled meds. He is doing well today.






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Prayers we still need:

1. He gets fitted for hearing aids on Monday, July 13th. We pray that God would heal his ears and if he chooses not to, that Michael will be able to hear ok with the aid of technology.
2. The cancer that is left in the body to be gone with the new MRI and CT are done in August. But that if some cancer remains , that what was left in the lungs is gone, so the surgical team could remove what is left in the liver. If he has surgery that the operation will go well and Michael will recover fast.
3. If we have to have additional chemo, that it will be as affective if not more affective as this group of chemo he is on. That what ever is left is gotten with the remaining chemo treatments.
4. For Michael to be in remission soon, so his little body can finally rest and recover.
5. That Michael and the whole family could be witnesses for what God can do.
6. That God will bless those that bless us with their prayers and kindness.

God has blessed our family:

1. Micheal lived through the liver biopsy. His liver started bleeding and would not stop. They gave him 2 blood transfusions during the operation and then had to tilt the bed down so blood would go to Michaels head. They had to pack the liver in ice just to get it to stop bleeding. He gain 10 pounds of fluid from the operation. So that added more pressure on a already cramped body.

2. The doctors believed that Michael would never start his 2^nd round of chemo on time but he recovered and his immunity came back, so he started on the planned started date.

3. Michael's stomach after the operation was 66cm and in just one month went down to 50cm. Not only that his stomach soften now so much you can hardly feel his liver.

4. Michael's liver that was swollen so much from the tumor, it went from the right to the left side of the body and below the belly button. (the liver is suppose to be under the right rib cage) It has now reduced in size, has become much softer, and is now on the right side and above the belly button.

5. Amazing Michael still has his hair.

6. Because his tumor in the liver has shrunk so much, Michael does not require oxygen anymore.

7. Michael's liver cancer number cell number was lover for the size of the tumor, so doctors thought it would not respond well to treatment. Past cases have not. The first cancer number was 66,000 and the week of May 3 it had dropped to 32,000. Then only one week on chemo it dropped again to 12,800. The second week of chemo it dropped to 649. They did not check it and for one month, but when they did it was 97. Just last week it dropped down to 59. The doctors said that they could not account for chemo dropping the first two times. Thanks for the prayers.

8. The chemo has not affected Michael's heart.

9. The MRI and CT scan showed no new growth. The best part is that the cancer in the lungs has shrunk and some are gone. The cancer in the liver has reduced in size a good 20-30% and what is left has the beginnings of holes in it. That means that it is dying.

10. Michael has begun to eat on his own again and Saturday, May 12^th ate a 6” chocolate chip pancake and even had some of his mom's. His favorite thing to eat is cheese slices.

11. We were told it would take longer for Michael's body to recover, but his immunity this cycle has already started to recover and if his kidneys are OK he will start round #4 of chemo on time.

12. Michael has finally started smiling and laughing again. He has even started to say more words, even tho he has lost some of his hearing in both ears.

13. Prayers of so many people, churches of many different denominations. What a wonderful Godly support team. Our goal is reach out to the world to pray for Michael. We have many of the states in the US (like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, California, Oregon, Illinois, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania) . The countries that we have currently is: Costa Rica, Honduras, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Europe, China, South Korea, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada

Saturday Morning

Michael had a whole chocolate chip pancake for breakfast in addition to some cheese and his meds.

We are currently at the Mall and he is enjoying a ride in his stroller.

more later
Russ

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morning update

Michael slept soundly through thethe night.
He has no appointments today.
more later.

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Evening update

Michaels getting his evening infusion.
He's had a good dinner and lots to drink.
He's sitting on cathys lap relaxed and looking very comfortable.
Sweet dreams all
Russ


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Thank you Owosso First United Methodist Church for the wonderful prayer quilt for Michael. It is so beautiful. Thank you Betty and Roger Banister for the letting them know about Michael. Thank you for watching the children for us when this all started.

Michael has had a good day today. He has been smiling a lot and he was even laughing today. He has been down for a nice long nap. Good news his numbers have come back from the blood draw. His immunity is almost back up to normal. He should not need to get blood transfused this coming Monday. We will have to wait to see if his platelets continue to go up. Pray that the cancer in his lungs are gone and that by God's miracle the cancer in the liver will be gone. Michael goes in on Monday for Blood draw and Vincristine (his chemo). He should start his 4th cycle of chemo on July 16th if all his numbers look good on Monday, July 13th. Our next MRI and CT Scan should be in August.

Morning update

Michael and Cathy are out getting his blood tests done.
Michaels had a good breakfast today and is doing very well.
God bless,
Russ

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Evening update

Michaels still home .
He's thrown up a couple of times - side effect of chemo so we have given him some nausia medicine.

He's eating and drinking pretty well still.

Blood tests tomorrow.

God bless
Russ


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Hospital charges

FYI - incase you all are wondering about finances, we are blessed with great health insurance.
Michaels hospital stay from 5/7 to 6/30 bill was
$ 220,191.78. We paid 9 dollars and the insurance covered the rest.

His 7 days in the ICU was $ 27,272
about $45,000 for 31 days in other hospital rooms.

God bless you all for your support , prayers and my work for thier assistance and great medical coverage.




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Evening update

Dinners done and Michael had a little play with a ball and some meds and we may go for a wee walk in the stroller before bed time.
More in the morning.
Russ


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Afternoon update

Michael slept well and is doing well today.
No appointments for him today.




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Evening update

Michaels home, getting his evening magnesium infusion. It will be done in about 30 minutes.
Good night all.


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Update

Talked to Cathy on phone , michaels AFP (cancer enzyme) number is now 59.5. Which is down from 97 a couple of weeks ago.
Michaels sleeping and getting a blood infusion.
Should still be home this evening.
More later.
Russ

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Morning update

Michaels at motts and will get blood, platelets, and vencristin (chemo)today and should be comming home this afternoon.
God bless.
Russ


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Evening Update

Michael sas thankyou for the beautiful quild from Owosso First United Methodist Church. Here is Michael sitting in the lazuboy chair at home with Cathy and the quilt behind him.

Michaels not eating a lot today so we have had to be a little more forcefull to get him to eat some food.
He did have a good long nap this afternoon.
Hes off to the hospital tomorrow for a little chemo and blood tests. Maybe even a blood transfusion.

god bless
russ

Morning update

Michael was sleeping this morning when I left with Tristan and Makayla for church. He slept through the night.



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Evening update

Michaels blood test showed his magnesium is good so ge will not need this evenings infusion.
His Immunity is zero today so no going to church for him tomorrow. It should be back up in a few days.

His belly measurement is back down to 50cm which is way down from the post biopsy first hospital stay of 64 cm.

He's looking pretty good today.
God bless
Russ

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Morning update

Michaels had his morning magnesium intravenus hooked up by Cathy. The home visit nurse was here to Monitor it. The home visit nurse has to come and watch 5 times to see that we can do it ok.

Michael is dry caughing a little today.

Michaels currently feeding himself some cereal for breakfast.
We will have to call the local hospital to verify they can do michaels blood tests today, otherwise we will have to drive back to the Motts hospital to get it done.

It's good to be home.
I'd bless
Russ


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We are home

Michaels back home for a few days.
He's got blood tests tomorrow and an outpatient infusion Monday of chemo and probably blood.

Cathy and I are tired but glad to be home.

Michaels still needing several oral meds and also intravenus magnesium twice a day which Cathy is giving him.

God bless
Russ


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discharged and heatsing home

we are heading home .

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Afternoon update

We are still working on michaels magnesium but will get to spend a night in a hotel near the hospital tonight with Michael and the kids.

Should be released to go home tomorrow.

Michaels eating and drinking well today.

God bless
Russ

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Thankyou Red Cedar

Thankyou staff and patients of red cedar family care for the lovely cards.



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Thankyou for cards

Michael thanks Mychalla and Jacob for the pictures of lightening mcQueen and Sally from the cars movie.



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not going home today

Michaels in tonight still.
His Magnesium and Calcium are still low. We are discussing doing iv's at home or a stay at a near by hotel for a couple of days with trips in during the day for iv's and tests.
Michaels taking a wee nap at the moment.

Wednesday adn still at motts

we are still waiting for morning rounds and another dose of magnesium for michael as that level is still low.
Michaels walked quite a bit this morning. 3 and a half times up and down the hallway

Here are a couple of pics from yesterday. He was sitting in his stroller, rolling a wee ball off the front for grandma too go fetch.