We have done labs twice in the last 2 weeks because the counts were a bit low, and the second time they were stable... but still on the low side. So we are increasing the shot a bit more, and will be back in Memphis in 2 weeks. It's like I said before - taper, add back, taper, add back. This could go on for a while!

Here's a picture from the first day of Christian Brothers - Peter 5th and Mac 7th. It was pouring rain and early so the boys look kind of sleepy.

Mac has been doing well, all things considered. As I told the nurse at NO Children's Hospital (we raced over there durning Mac's lunch/recess) "We're trying to see how we can fit this catastrophic illness into our normal routine!" She was humored by that.

And here's a picture of Annie's first day at St. Matthew -1st grade!!! She's a big girl!


Thank you for keeping us in your prayers! More after our next Memphis trip!

No talk of labwork today, just some pictures for you!

Here's an updated photo of Mac with his original Team MacAttack. They've been with us since Day 1! Dr. Reiss, Martha and Katherine... and Mac with normal cheeks.

Kids at the beach... no oil in sight!!

Mac took this picture of Annie "holding the sun"!!

School starts this week! So long carefree days of summer! We'll get labs drawn again mid-August and will update after that. Take care and stay out of the heat!

We made another quick trip to Memphis at the end of last week. Mac's counts were better. I forgot to mention that due to his low counts mid-July, we got them checked again a week later and they were lower still. So we restarted the GM-CSF shot again at the second-to-lowest dose to give his counts a boost again. We will keep it at that level for about 4-6 weeks. Dr. Reiss said this is farely common. The tapering of both medicines will take a while; since he's not on protocol, we can taper, re-introduce, taper, re-introduce as they watch his counts. The theory of course is that eventually all meds will end and the counts will stay up. That is the goal, and that is what we're praying for. Keep that BMT out of the picture!!

It's always fun to go back to St. Jude because we love the whole Hematology dept. I call it our Cheers bar - where everybody knows our name!! Mac's officially going to start school next week (yikes!) and we are enjoying our final week of vacation with family at the beach. Now that we've reached the year mark, I can't help but think about "this time last year"... Today was the day his first line was put in and tomorrow is the day he started his first ATG (horse). Hmm.... I'll take Florida instead!!

Hope you are surviving the heat and enjoying the end of vacation. I will post again after school starts and we get his labs checked again at NO Children's in mid August. Thanks for praying for that pesky bone marrow to work!