#Loganstrong

What a great holiday weekend!  We spent time with friends (old & new) and family in Seabrook, WA.  Logan had an amazing time.  His favorite part was no crutches!  The doctor called us on Wednesday before we left and cleared him to do all activities.  The bone did heal wrong, which we knew.  Once he beats the cancer he will have a surgery to fix it.  He swam, played soccer on the beach, went on a lot of walks, and laughed and smiled constantly.

We also found out Logan was randomized into trial number 3 of the MIBG experiment.  In addition to the radiation he will also take an experimental oral chemo for 14 days.  He started this today.  We are not knowing what to expect for side affects.  Mom and Logan will spend all day at hospital tomorrow doing tests and preparing for stay.  The plan is they will then come home, go back up early Tuesday and be admitted.

Please pray for Logan (and Kelly) during this experimental treatment….

#loganstrong

I am thankful for my family, friends, and people that don’t even know me/us but still pray for Logan’s recovery.  I am thankful for Logan’s little brother Peyton.  We know how much you love and admire your big brother and know only you can push his buttons just right and get away with it;)  I am thankful for my wife, Kelly.  Every minute, hour, day is a challenge and your love and strength are amazing.  I am thankful for family.  We could not get through this without all of you.  I am thankful for friends.  You help keep us sane and positive during dark times.  I am thankful for community.  Everyone that has reached out to support us.  Every message, “like”, smile, helps extremely!  Most of all I am thankful for Logan.  You are an amazing young man.  Your strength, courage, smile is contagious.  During your fight(s) you have inspired so many people to be better.  You are a HERO!

We are currently awaiting a call from Seattle Children’s Hospital to find out what clinical trial Logan will be randomized into.  Yes, you read that correctly.  A computer picks what trial he will partake in.  There is a total of 3 trials.  All are very similar.  One is just radiation and the other two involve chemo(s).  Logan & mom will be admitted next Tuesday with a planned discharge day the following Saturday.  Logan will be in a lead lined room and not able to get out of bed.  They will provide him with an iPad, maybe x-box, and lots of on demand movies.  He will have 24/7 Skype capabilities with Kelly in the next room.  Kelly (aunt Traci & friend Mandy) will help with Logan’s daily care as the nurses only can monitor his progress outside of the room.  When Kelly goes into the room she will have a radiation monitor on to make sure she is not exposed to too much radiation.  They tell us an active parent is exposed to about an x-rays worth of radiation.  After discharge Logan will be in isolation as he will still be radioactive.  He will need to use his own bathroom, have his clothes washed separately, all utensils he uses have to be immediately washed in hot water.  Saddest of all he is discouraged from hugging or being hugged.

We are going to go off the grid for a couple of days and go celebrate the holiday out in Ocean Shores with some friends and family.  Where we are going has an indoor pool and yes Logan can swim!!!  He is so excited!  I will plan on updating everyone on Sunday when we return.

Thankful…..Thank you!

#loganstrong

Logan’s results are in from his re-staging this week.  Cancer is still there as expected but no new growth/advancement.  This is what the doctors hoped for.  So in looking at the glass half full we are happy with the results.

Logan continues to do amazing and feel great!  We will get a nice 3 day break, then quick visit on Monday, then the rest of the Holiday week off to spend with friends and family.  The current plan for the MIBG experiment is he will be admitted on December 1st with plans to be discharged on Saturday December 5th.

#loganstrong

Great weekend!  Logan and I had the privilege of attending the 3rd annual Run For Mile race.  Great picture above of Jacoby & Logan!  Both of them are an inspiration to so many.

This week Logan and Mom will be up at Seattle Children’s Hospital doing all the tests again to see where the cancer is.  This is required before he does the MIBG experiment the first week of December.  Logan continues to feel great!

#jocobyandloganstrong

Remember as a kid you can say FREEZE and everyone playing has to stop…well I want to FREEZE life.  Logan is feeling great!  He is a normal teenager texting/face-timing until we tell him time for bed.  Peyton is loving his new haircut because he gets to grow it out on top…and Logan says it looks cool.  Kelly and I get to spend some much needed time together and talk about things besides hospitals and cancer.

FREEZE!  PLEASE…..

Logan is doing great.  He had his first physical therapy appointment today to focus on regaining strength in his leg.  He loved it!  They therapist was also very impressed with his endurance.  He goes back tomorrow for more therapy and is actually excited about it:).

#loganstrong

ter·mi·nal

/ˈtərmənl/

adjective

The last three days have been a roller coaster ride for our family.  One minute Logan’s counts are wrong, the next everything looks great, then we get a call last night that they did not collect enough stem cells. So instead of day off, back to hospital at 8am (traffic up at 5am).  We need to remind ourselves Logan is in experimental treatment and nothing is by the book anymore.  This morning Logan and mom headed north….after fighting traffic for 2 hours they arrived to find out the lab team was backed up by 45 minutes…I guess a lot of kids needed blood work today.  Once labs are drawn there is then at least a 1 hour waiting period before results are back.  They are watching Logan’s CD 34 counts.  When they are in a perfect window is when they transplant.  It is critical they get these stem cells at the right time, otherwise we can not proceed with the experimental MIBG radiation treatment.  So roller coaster…..our stomachs go crazy up then down.  Maybe we should just try putting our hands up in the air we are on a roller coaster….doesn’t that help with the stomach issues?

Also I will take this public forum to say how much I love my wife.  Cancer is nasty…not only for our son but also for our family.  We WILL get this through this together and come out stronger in the end.  I LOVE YOU!

#loganstrong

Sooooo what has been a long crazy day thinking that the last treatment of chemo did not work (a.k.a. bring his counts with in range to do stem cell harvest) we found out late it did.  Unfortunately there was a miss communication in the lab and they sent the wrong results.  We got the call we wanted to hear tonight (sort of).  “The results we went over with you today were the wrong results… Logan is actually exactly where we need him.  He needs to be at the hospital tomorrow at 9am to harvest his stem cells.”  Great news!  Mistakes happen right?

So tomorrow Logan & Mom head up early to harvest stem cells which will be used in the MIBG experiment he will go through after Thanksgiving.

Every second…every minute…..every hour….every day…..

#loganstrong

Logan’s ANC counts skyrocketed over the weekend to 5600!  He is feeling amazing.  It’s kind of surreal as everything went almost too well this last chemo treatment.  We are awaiting for another blood measurable (not sure of technical name) to come up to harvest stem cells.   Tomorrow morning he will head up early to get platelets as well as get another blood draw.  Currently the plan is to possibly do the stem cell transplant on Wednesday.  There is a possibility that Logan did not respond to the chemo and therefore would need a stronger dose and go through the procedure again…..we should find out more in the next couple of days.

He went with the crash test dummy costume to go with his crutches….his idea.  The whole idea of the wig is because he did not want to be bald anymore;)

Once again our family is amazed at the outpouring of support.  Thank you Fruitland Elementary Students, Staff, & PTA.  They did a fundraiser that allowed kids to pay a $1 to wear a hat to school….they raised $1500!

We also want to thank Kalles Jr. High for their continued support of #loganstrong….amazing!

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!

#loganstrong

Logan continues to look & feel great!  This past week while receiving chemo he did not get sick at all and ate great (gained 3 pounds)!  This week Logan’s counts will drop and we will once again need to isolate him to make sure no exposure to viruses.  To help his counts rebound quicker and prepare him for stem cell harvest I am giving him shots daily at home.  This morning when I gave him his shot I looked up at him as I jabbed him and he was smiling….amazing young man.

8 years ago when Logan was battling Neuroblastoma the first time a close friend of ours, Mario Casello, started a 3 on 3 basketball tournament to raise money/awareness.  The first year it benefited our family.  Every year since it has benefited another student in our community that is battling a life threatening issue/disease.  Two years ago LoganFest 3 on 3 basketball/fun run benefited Jacoby Miles & family.  Jacoby  was paralyzed in a gymnastics training accident.  I have had the privilege to get to know Jacoby and her family and am amazed and inspired by her/their strength and love.   This year at the 3rd annual “Run for Miles 5k & Half Marathon” they will be returning the favor in support for Logan and his fight with relapse of Neuroblastoma.  I plan on running/walking so come watch me suffer;)  Register today at the link below!

Come alongside Logan Lewis in his fight against Neuroblastoma by participating in the #LoganStrong Raffle!

What: Great prizes such as signed Seahawk’s memorabilia, Seattle Sounder Tickets, North Face jacket, and many more!

When: 11/14/2015 Where: “Run for Miles 5K and Half Marathon” www.getwelljacoby.com Need not be present to win.

How Much: $5 per ticket Other giving: www.loganstrong.com/donate

Information: email Gretchen Miles at lots_of_miles@yahoo.com

Sponsored by: Reaching for Gold Booster Club

#loganstrong