Help Cure Caleb- Caleb's Journey

Last clinic visit was count dependent for Caleb. His ANC was at 100 the week before and has to be at a minimum of 750 for him to get his chemo he was supposed to get the following week. His doctor explained that he most likely would be on a chemo hold while we wait for his counts to increase. Getting chemo decreases your counts as it is killing the cells - good and bad. With that being said, I packed his bag, but left it in the car not expecting it to be our full day of chemo. But to my surprise, Caleb's counts ALL increased. He jumped to 2700 ANC. So we were good to go for his chemo last week and that means his bone marrow is recovering. It was a  long day, 8-5 in clinic, but he found things to do to keep busy and have it go as fast as possible. Caleb played with his new friend KK at clinic. They both love the Wii and Mario Kart so it was perfect. They had their own Mario Kart Marathon going on. It was cute! This weekend was also a weekend long of getting shots of chemo fro

Thursday nights are getting to be as bad as Friday mornings. Caleb prolongs bedtime as long as he can because he knows when it's time to wake up he knows where he is going. I don't enjoy waking him up to that either. Thursday nights are also a time for me to prepare. I prepare a bag for him for the next day at clinic. This week he can eat so I have lots of goodies for him, a change of clothes, games to play and my iPad. I also prepare myself mentally what is going to go on tomorrow. I review his road map and go over the drugs he will be getting and their possible side effects.  One thing I am proud of that is since day one of diagnosis I have educated myself on his illness. I have listened as attentively as I could at every family meeting. I have researched each of the drugs, his protocol, his doctors and his hospital. I have reached out to other parents going through the same thing for support and reference.  I want to do the best I personally can as a mother for my son.

Just want to keep everyone posted on various fundraisers that have already happened or are going to support my little boy with his battle against Leukemia. A BIG THANKS to some that already have taken place! Thank you to the On Any Moto Family in Tucson, AZ & to the Lady Bombers Basketball Team at SWMHS for all that you have done! It is amazing how much support my little boy is getting! I can't thank you all enough. For all my friends and family in NJ there are two fundraisers set up for August 2012: August 2, 2012 This year the 9th Annual Denis M Flaherty Memorial Golf Outing is helping Caleb Blaise Golf Outing Facebook Evite You need to register by July 7th. It's not only for golfers, there is an auction and great dinner and party :) August 18, 2012 Angles & Tangles Hair Salon in Sayreville is holding a Cut-A-Thon with  Elizabeth Lang Jones Angles & Tangles Facebook   Donation Account A donation account has been set up for

Another week has gone by. These weeks are flying, so it seems. Caleb is done with the first half of his consolidation phase. He then repeats this phase of treatment again for the next 30 some days and will move onto the next. This week he had another Lumbar Puncture (spinal), chemo in his spine & IV chemo. Dr. Stuphin thought his lips were pale and wanted to check his hemo before we headed home. He also complained of some headaches last week - so our 2 hr visit turned into another 8 hr stay at clinic. Caleb needed another transfusion - this time Red Blood Cells and it runs over 3 hours. So by the time the order went in and the blood came up we were pretty much in clinic all day. He had a good time though - playing games on his pop pop's ipod, going to the playroom, petting the therapy dog and playing board games. For fun this week he played some Pirate Golf one day and today he attended his cousin, Avery's 3rd birthday party. This is the first time we've been out real

Hey everyone! Just giving you an update on my brave little boy. He had an awesome week. He is full of energy and has tons of smiles. He had his normal clinic appointment on Friday. We were up and out the door before the sun, as he says, and ready for clinic. He was upset accessing his port, but I think we've come up to a plan of doing it all in the treatment room, instead of the clinic chairs. He had low platelets, so the sight of blood would make any little one cry. Overall, he did so well. He got his spinal tap and chemo in his spine and through IV that day. He woke up telling me I had 4 eyes as usual. He just cracks me up and all the nurses too :) Later that day he began bruising quite suddenly after playing around. After a call to the doctor, we ended up in the ER. His platelets were low to begin with and he developed petechiae, which is common for leukemics especially with low counts. Thankfully, we weren't admitted for anything, he just received his platelet transfusion

Just wanted to give everyone an update on what's been going on.... Caleb has started his consolidation phase of treatment. The first part of treatment we spent the entire day in clinic. He was there from 8am-5pm. It was a really long day, but thankfully we were able to go home after. He's been taking oral meds and swallowing them like a champ. I don't remember being 4 and wanting to or even trying to swallow a pill. Now, thankfully he swallows all of his pills like a big boy! :) He also had a spinal the following week and when accessing his port it has been getting easier. All the nurses said it would get easier and he'd get used to it - I didn't think so by the screaming he did since day one with his port - but it has. He even had NO tears when taking the needle out and getting "buddy" ready to go home. We've had a home nurse coming over for shots of meds. Today he gets his 6th shot and he is getting used to it. He knows when Annie, our home nurse,