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Two Hands
By Margot | February 15, 2009
One the one hand, there is our little boy full of life and fun. He went to school on Friday for his Valentine’s Day party and had a great time and got a lot of Valentine’s, got to play four square, told us all about light and mirrors in science and  cheered on his brother in basketball Friday night -Andy threw up a great shot from downtown in the beginning of the game and made it and then began chucking it up from way out the rest of the game so much we had to bug him to pass the ball. He ended up scoring twice.  Sam played on Saturday and loved it. It was 26 to 30. They lost by four and it was against the only unbeaten team in the league. Colleen and I were losing our minds yelling.  In the first half there was a long pass from one of our players down the court and Sam was running down and it bounced off his head and knocked him down, our player caught it off the bounce and scored and Sam popped up with the biggest smile on his face because his team scored. It was so cute and funny and a testament to how much he always wants to win. On an in-bounds play later Sam cut right under the basket, they pass it to him, he popped it up and scored. It may have been just my perception but I swear there was a roar from the crowd.  Sam’s smile was priceless. Â
On the other hand, there is this monster that is stalking our son. He did all of this with basically no white count (judge away if you like and after you read below, you might, but I don’t want him to miss out when he’s feeling good enough to do things) and low red blood, though not quite low enough to transfuse and platelets that were nothing to write home about. Sam has been sleeping in our bed most of the morning. He’s woken up twice to throw up and was pretty miserable this morning. I’m monitoring his fever but it hasn’t spiked yet (hovering 98 and 99). Breaking update: He just woke up and asked to play a video game and wanted to know where Andrew is so I think he might be feeling better. I knew he was feeling miserable this morning because I told him if his fever spikes we will have to go in to the hospital and he said, “That’s ok. Can some people visit me though?” Â
So we have called Dr. Willert and let her know we might be on our way in and are monitoring Sam. He looks like he’s feeling a little better at the moment On an unrelated note, he’s begun peeing blood. Started Friday night and scared the crap out of us. Then he woke up fine yesterday with clear urine, it was clear all day and he was feeling fine. Neil and I actually went out to dinner and a movie last night while Elizabeth stayed with the boys and when we came home he said, “I peed blood again.” Before he went to sleep there was a  small clot in his urine and today it’s been red all day.  This is bladder damage from Cytoxan and there is nothing to be done expect to wait for the bladder to heal itself and maybe give some extra hydration. This most likely means that we are done with cytoxan, need much more hydration and mesna with it, or will switch to something else (he responded well to irrino/temo). His LDH is down 530 (lowest it’s been in a year) but his VMA/HVA are up a bit (40 and 41 I think – don’t have them handy) right after chemo week -not really a good sign. We will hang on to LDH this week and hope for some help from radiation. If this other hand were on my body, I would surely cut it off to give Sam just the good hand.  Â
 Kelly came and picked up Andy and Charlie for the park with the Brunettes and Thomas’s.  Andy and Charlie were bouncing off the walls this morning so it’s good  they can run out some energy. Charlie was a little worried to go without me but Andy put him at ease and I played up the whole “playdate with Jett” aspect of it. He asked me, “Jett is my friend? Oh, Andy, Jett is my friend.” Because the boys are always talking about playdates with their friends. Andy and Charlie will go to Ty’s birthday party later so will be kept busy today.
 Please think good thoughts for Sam.
 Margot
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Topics: Progress Reports | 9 Comments »
February 15th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
we’re thinking good thoughts for sam. thanks for the update.
February 15th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Praying hard for Sam today – for two good hands.
February 16th, 2009 at 12:48 am
First off anyone would be crazy to judge you. What better way to spend a weekend then almost beating the only unbeaten team in the league!!! I will be praying you get to stay out of the hospital among all the other prayers we say every night for your amazing man and the rest of your family. As always you and Neil amaze me.
With Hope
Abra McKean
February 16th, 2009 at 12:58 am
It wasn’t your imagination…the entire gym cheered!
February 16th, 2009 at 1:08 am
M & N~ ALWAYS thinking good thoughts for Sam and the whole family. Love you guys. I love that you dont shield Sam from enjoying life!!! Rebecca.
February 16th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Always thinking good thoughts for all of you! Angela (Madison’s Mom)
February 16th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Steal a basket, steal a base, steal every moment you can to have fun and be normal. Always good thoughts!
February 16th, 2009 at 4:05 am
Hey guys-
Thinking good thoughts of Sam! We’re including him in our pack of kiddos we pray for and visualize doing his thing – surfing, playing basketball, four square, going to school, etc. etc. etc.!
The Weberlings (lara, kevin, elle and hans)
February 16th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
You know that silly, or maybe not so silly, tradition of making a wish before you blow away the dried up seeds of a dandelion? Well Wyatt loves to do that that. The other day, he said to me “Mommy what I wish for??” I told him, “let’s wish for Sam to get better and not be sick anymore”. So we did. Now every time we go outside and he finds a dandelion, he says ” I wish Sam all better, all better!”.
May the power of dandelion wishes, silly as they are, come your way. We love you and think of you every day.