#Loganstrong

Logan has started getting his strength back and will go back to school today.  He is also starting to get his appetite back as well.  His team of doctors are keeping an eye on his thyroid as it has showed increased marks.  They will test it again in a month.

What’s next…..

We will continue to monitor his counts (platelets, white & red blood cells).  He did get platelets yesterday.  He will continue to have blood draws every week.  Currently we have a scheduled meeting with his team of doctors on November 7th to go over next steps.

#loganstrong

Logan and I (dad) are at Seattle Children’s all day today getting his stems cells transfused back into him.  These stem cells were removed and sent to a lab sometime ago.  The purpose of doing this is to see if we can help “jump start” his body into producing platelets, white, & red blood cells.  He is getting platelets as well today.

It’s going to be a long day….we headed north at 6am this morning.  It took us 2.5 hours to get here because of traffic/weather.  Goal was to have us out by 6pm.  That’s now changed as I type this.  His cells are coming from another location outside the hospital and they will be late in arriving.  Estimated arrival is now at 2pm.  After transfusing into him (about 30 minutes) they need to hydrate him for 5 straight hours.  The clinic closes at 8 so the nurse said they may need to move us to inpatient.

Logan has slowly been getting his strength back from his inpatient visit last week.  The nutrition team really wants him to gain weight so we had to put a feeding tube in.  He hates it.  Although constantly getting  poked, asked questions, being told to drink/eat Logan continues to smile and stay positive.

#loganstrong

Logan has had a pretty rough week.  Body temperature has been consistently around 102/103 degrees.  He has needed 2 bags of red blood cells and will probably need platelets.  His pain level this morning for the first time was described by him above a 10 on the 1-10 scale.  Knowing his pain tolerance….he is hurting.  The team of nurses were able to control it pretty quickly.  Nausea has been sporadic but has been controlled by medicine.  He is also dealing with a cold on top of all that.  Not to anyone’s surprise he remains VERY positive.  The nurses describe him as the nicest & most polite patient.  He continues to amaze.

Currently the plan is to be done with the treatment tonight.  If his temperature can get knocked down we are hoping for discharge tomorrow.

#loganstrong!!!!!!

Logan is back-up at Seattle Children’s Hospital for the week receiving more antibodies with a lighter dose of chemo.  The plan is next week to transfuse his stem cells that have been frozen back into him to try and “jump start” his system.  As his dad, it’s hard to see him have to go through this again.  He has been getting stronger…slowly.  He had a good week back at school.  I didn’t even see him this past couple of days as he was at his friend’s all weekend having fun gaming and going to a high school football game.

Going to be a long week….continued thoughts and prayers greatly appreciated.

#loganstrong

Logan’s platelets were low yesterday so Logan & mom had to go up last minute for a quick transfusion.  While up there one of Logan’s nurses came in and mentioned “see you Monday for admit”.  Kelly looked at her surprised/confused as last discussion was rest/recovery and admit mid to late October.  Come to find out Logan’s team of doctor’s & nurses met yesterday morning. They think it’s better we continue to “hit” him with treatment as at this stage his cancer has a high probability of returning aggressively.

Logan’s main doctor finally came in later in the transfusion and discussed the new plan with Kelly (Logan was sleeping due to dose of Benadryl).  Since they still want Logan to gain a little more weight they are going to push admit back one more week.  So now Logan will be admitted on Monday, October 3rd for the whole week.  He will receive the full dose of Antibodies but just 1/2 dose of chemo he received before.  Then the week of October 10th they will look at transfusing his cells that were frozen back into him.

So as with this past year our schedules/life shift on the fly.

As always….thoughts and prayers always appreciated/needed.

#loganstrong

We have now met with Logan’s team of doctors and have started planning out next steps…..

First, before I describe those steps discussed…..Logan’s two main doctors were both at a cancer conference in Atlanta this past week.  Both of their emails started “blowing up” about Logan’s results as they became available this past Wednesday.  They were “low fiving” under the table as the emails kept popping up.  They are very encouraged by his results.

Next steps:

Logan will continue to do the antibody treatment combined with a smaller dose of chemo.  We will not be doing it every 3rd week as before.  They will let Logan’s body recover and goal is to do it every 4 to 6 weeks up to 4 more times.  So that puts up back in the hospital mid to late October.  The purpose of continuing is Logan’s type of cancer hides really well so if Logan’s body can tolerate it they want to keep “hitting” anything hiding.

We are also going to keep a very close eye on Logan’s recovery.  He is really struggling producing platelets, red blood cells, and getting his white cell counts up.  They do not want his body to become transfuse dependent.

Lastly they still have two bags of Logan’s stem cells they harvested some time ago frozen.  They are discussing the option of transfusing these back into him to see if that will “jump start” his system.

Everything going forward continues to be an experiment as they have not seen this result with other kids that have gone through these many treatments.

Great news is if Logan’s white blood cell counts are up Monday morning he will be attending school Monday afternoon.  Mom and him went school shopping today!!!!!

THANK YOU to everyone for the messages.  Our family reads everyone of them!

#loganstrong

Yesterday we received the best news possible.  The “last ditch” effort of issuing antibodies/chemo in hope to slow the cancer from spreading so rapidly worked….actually it did better than that.  Logan’s scans and bone marrow showed NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!!!!!  We are speechless!

Just last week while meeting with his team of doctors there was discussion around how much the treatment was taking a toll and quality of life.

What’s next….we do not know.  We hung up with his tearful nurse last night and celebrated the news.  Logan’s blood/platelets counts are still very low.  His weight is at an all time low.

In the meantime we celebrate with all of you!  Your thoughts and prayers have worked!  Logan is a miracle!

Thank you to everyone who has shared Logan’s story & fight.

#loganstrong

It’s been an up and down week for Logan.  He finished up treatment Friday night but based on how he felt last time it was planned he stay a couple extra days for hydration.  So that brings us to today.  He is hydrated for the most part.  He just received platelets, as they were low as well.  But now his team is having trouble controlling his pain.  Logan is never one to complain of pain.  They do a pain scale with him 0 being no pain 10 being awful.  He almost always is a 0.  I think the highest I have ever heard him go was a 5 (and that was with a broken femur).  Today is is at an 8.  It is not consistent as it comes and goes.  They doctors are hesitant to send him home until the pain is controlled.

Is is getting his appetite back.  Logan is not one for the hospital food so he always sends his mom out to get what he is craving.  Today he decided to give the hospital food another try and he ordered nachos.   Who knew he would get one huge cheese chip;).

Thoughts and prayers the pain will go away to Logan & mom can come home….

#loganstrong

Logan was admitted this morning for round 2 of his antibody treatment.  Before they proceed with his chemo he is receiving platelets and blood as both of these were very low.  During the Q&A with the doctor Logan was asked if he had any pain.  He does not.  If he had any pain they would not have proceeded.

Logan had a great weekend.  His strength/energy is very close to normal.  He continues to eat great as well.

We are hoping this treatment is a little easier on his body than the last.  The team of doctors have altered the chemo dose as well as the pain medication.  They will also be administering the antibody over a 10 hour period vs the 20 hour period like last time.  He will more than likely get another fever.  If his blood pressure drops to low they will stop the procedure.

He continues to inspire me everyday with his positive attitude and strength.  I am the luckiest dad in the world to call him my son.

#loganstrong

One of the doctors on Logan’s team finally called up about 9:30 last night.  They think it would be best to hold off on another antibody treatment for another week.  Weight gain and strength is the goal.

Hopefully with this extra week we can escape somewhere as a family….

#loganstrong