Our wonderful extended weekend is getting ready to come to a close. We have enjoyed sleeping in our own beds, playing with our own toys, having a larger selection of food and clothes, using our home phone, snuggling with our own blankets, and watching our own TV. We even went in the pool once (Parker put his legs in which he loved).

He has felt wonderful and has been bouncing around with energy. Parker does have his moments when he asks to go night night, but I think it is because he isn’t used to being so active.

Tomorrow we are going to get pictures taken and then friends are coming over for lunch and a playdate. This is will be our first guest since we’ve been here (besides our buddy Kel). It has been nice and quiet.

I realize you are over the chit chat and ready to hear the news from the doctor today. First off his counts are wonderful. He’s platelets are in the 90s and hemoglobin 9; WBC is in the 4000s. So that is great news.

As for the tumor. The results are inconclusive. The biopsy pieces were not large enough (and 3 were taken). The only thing they can definitively say is that it is not a fungus. The doctor still feels like it is a chloroma and wanted to go through with chemo and then try to have it removed if the chemo didn’t work. Mine and Aaron’s thinking is, is that if it is going to be removed anyways, and we are definite that it is living cancer cells why not get another (another) surgical opinion. That way we can know for sure what is inside. Gainesville was called while we were there and they will do a consult Wed or Thurs. and if it is a go then surgery on Friday. We will find out tomorrow for sure if we will be starting another round of chemo on Thursday (admitting to hospital tomorrow night) or heading to Shands.

Again, this is another stressful point for us. We want to be sure that we are doing the right thing for Parker. We don’t want to postpone chemo if that is what he really needs. But, we don’t want to give him chemo unnecessarily if he doesn’t need it. Both can be detrimental to the transplant. Please pray that we are making the right decision. Please pray that the surgeons can honestly tell us if this tumor can be removed safely. Please pray for Parker’s well-being, health and safety.

The awesome news for today is that I am writing this update from home!!! Parker has had so much fun being here and remembers where everything is.

The note so good new is we were told by our doctor that we will probably be going through another round of chemo no matter. He wished that the surgeon had not told us what he did so we wouldn’t get our hopes up. This is the problem that we had the last time. We got great results from the “touch prep” slide – and then further studies showed the bad results. So, we have to wait until Monday or Tuesday. So far there is bacteria showing up. If the biopsy cultures show AML then we for sure know that we have another round of chemo to face. If the culture shows something else, whatever that might be, then our doctor says we need another round of chemo. I’m still not set on accepting that answer though. I understand the concept that the 3 samples the surgeon got may have been from non-leukemic areas – but how likely would that be? The ultimate answer would be to remove the tumor. But there is too much risk in that at this point – at least with the surgeons here. What about a vasicular surgeon though? Would they feel more comfortable with it? Do we try a different type of chemo in hopes that it would shrink or dissolve it and then try to remove it? BUT – what if we put him through it and it isn’t cancer? Ugh? So many what if’s and doubts.

As it stands right now, Parker will go to the clinic on Tuesday for bloodwork; we’ll check in to the hospital Wed night; and have a bone marrow biopsy and begin chemo Thursday morning.

Another great note. My friends from high school, Laurie Scott-Philpot and Laura Boley, came up to meet us for lunch. What a great visit! Laura is also the one who has spear-headed the Kimberly’s Hallmark fundraiser in Lee County. They have had such amazing results. I am just blown away at the response they have had. She even brought up cards and some of the trains that complete strangers filled out for us. For more information on this check out the Lee County Fundraiser link.

My hope is that we will have a wonderful weekend at home as a family. So, unless anything earth shattering happens I will not update until after the weekend. PLEASE do not stop praying though.

Wow! Over 100,000 visits to our site. That is such an enouragement to our family. Knowing that so many people our praying for Parker, thinking of him and reading about his life. Keep it coming!

Today has been an exciting day for us. Starting with his lab results: WBC 4600; ANC 3128; Platelets 40 (he had a transfusion today); Hemoglobin 7.0 (he is having a blood transfusion right now – thanks to Kelly Rilea for donating!!!)

Our surgical consult said that they would not attempt to remove or biopsy the tumor. Still not feeling comfortable with going with a 5th round of chemo I asked what our other options were and were told that an Interventional Radiologist would look at the case. They did and said that they would take it. What this process entails is going to the OR, being put under and then an ultrasound is scanned over the tumor. The blood vessels are highlighted and then the doctor using some type of needle that jabs into the appropriate area. They will do this 3-5 times to get good “chunks” of the tumor. Seeing how this was not that envasive and it would ease our mind as to what this “growth” is – we opted for this option. Parker was put NPO (after his morning milk) and we were taken down around 1:30. Aaron had to work, so my mom, the girls, Parker and I all headed to pre-op.

When we were down there mom noted how sad it was that Parker knew the routine. He asked for his E.T. toe and wanted to hook up the the connectors to make it work. Once he did that he looked up and that screen and asked for that to be turned on.

The procedure took about 45 minutes. The surgeon came out and had very good news for us. Now remember my mind is mush and my mom was making Payton a princess – so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for exact wording. But, from what I understood this is a pile of “stuff” that formed outsdie of the bone marrow. Usually something like this is found along the spine. It is nothing that has to be removed and sometimes will resolve itself. It could be caused by the marrow not producing correctly (which is why he has needed so many blood/platelet transfusions) until his counts came back up. So, TO ME it doesn’t sound like cancer. Please keep praying though. Further testing will be back tomorrow and the following week.

Parker did a great job. When we got back to his room he sat up and was ready for juice. We asked to see the boo boo and he said no. The nurses asked to see it, he said no. Becky asked if Paige could see it…he lifted up his gown and showed Paige his boo boo.

Proud grandma would also like to announce that Parker had his first solid poop! She called in all the nurses to share in the excitement and crazy to say – they were excited too!

The dermatologist came in last night (10pm!) to examine Parker’s bumps (which grandma found another one on his back). He said it is Molluscum contagiosum”. This is a viral thing that he will continue to get for awhile until his counts are stable and take 4-8 weeks to go away. We could speed up the process by having them burned off or putting on a cream. We are waiting to talk to our doctor to find out what steps we should take.

Yesterday’s update would have included our “day pass” info. Unfortunately the internet connection was again not working for me. When I came to sign Parker out he raised his arms and shouted “I’m free, I’m free!” How cute! We took him outside and he pulled his hat over his face and said hot. He did this all the way next door and then when we got inside to get lunch he screamed and said “out – back to room”. We of course left and went over to RMH. He climbed up into my bed and said “night, night”. That didn’t last for long once Payton joined him and they started bouncing around.

Parker’s newest thing is pushing our head to the side and saying “night night” (for you to pretent to be asleep) and then screaming “wake up, wake up!”. He also likes hiding his binky (yuck) down your shirt or saying that it is broken to get a new one.

PRAY!!!