Help Cure Caleb- Caleb's Journey

Caleb now has completed day 23 of Delayed Intensification. Though how I thought this week would be a rather quiet one - it wasn't. On Friday, Caleb had a really rough day. A few days prior he had complained of leg and hip pain and even had me pick him up early at school on Thursday because of it. He refused to take his regular tylenol or even tylenol with codeine just saying he needed to rest it. When he woke up Friday he asked for his meds for pain. Not thinking it would be that bad, I checked his temperature (as I have to do before ANY med like that) and he was ok - so I gave him some regular tylenol. In two hours, he was crying in pain on the couch. He was crying for more meds and to call the doctor. I think he tolerates and deals with pain till it gets to a point that he can't. When he tells me he needs the doctor, he NEEDS the doctor. I called clinic and they said I could give him the meds with codeine. They lasted about two hours :( Again, he was screaming in pain f

Since Caleb's diagnosis I could not stress more that awareness is so important. This is one reason I choose to share his story and every step of the way through this journey. The more people that are aware the more research that will be done. Last September, I (like many others) were completely "unaware". I never fathomed the thought or did it ever cross my mind that I would be in the "world" I live in now. In a split second, the life Caleb and I were so accustomed to changed FOREVER. Caleb is so strong and brave. The things that he has to go through at such a young age is just horrible.  No child should have to go through this. I try and keep my blog positive and uplifting. I like keeping everyone aware of his situation and story and up to date on his progress through this lifelong journey. June 24, 2015. That will be his last day of chemo. No that is not a typo, it is 2015. For 3 years and 3 months my son will be getting toxic, lifesaving chemotherapy pump

Week three of Delayed Intensification is complete. Caleb had his last dose of doxo yesterday and an infusion of vinCRIStine that he gets quiet frequently through treatment - he also started his second steroid pulse yesterday. Before clinic this week he had lots of fun. He had family in town and was able to spend the majority of the week at Bay Lake Towers pool where he loved going down the water slide. His counts were high enough and he had a great time. His counts this week have dropped a lot. His WBC has dropped and platelets - BUT he has a two weeks till his next part of this phase so I'm expecting his bone marrow to recover and him to be up there again back at normal for him before he gets hit with some more heavy duty chemo. This second part of the phase is a repeat of an earlier phase with added oral chemo. His counts took a hit back during that phase, so I'm expecting the same.... in addition to bouts of nausea during his shots of a chemo he gets also. He may even need t

Caleb has completed his first two weeks of the dreaded delayed intensification. He is truly such a champ and hero in my eyes. He was on steroids all week. Did he have major meltdowns, yes. Did he cry over anything and everything, yes. Did he give me a hard time taking his meds, yes. But he did what was expected of him. Today we went in for his second dose of doxo and vincristine. I hate giving him doxo. I hate giving him any of these chemo drugs. The side effects lists are crazy and probably any adult reading the list would have EVERY symptom. He did complain of a headache, bone aches (hip and knees), sharp pains in his wrists and ankles and filling dizzy - which Momcologist Candice has figured out his dizzy means "I feel nauseous!" But overall he is doing well. He attended school one day this week. His teachers did say he was more tired than usual and hungry - both side effects of the steriods. So on Thursday we were all dressed and ready to walk out the door, but he said