We made it back at the end of last week! We came in a few days earlier than expected so we could surprise Peter and Annie. We have labs (here in NO) some time next week, but until then we're not going to think about it! We are enjoying being home and getting into a new kind of groove - sending Peter and Annie off to school and getting organized and unpacked. The home bound teacher is coming tomorrow to sort out our situation and get Mac started on his schoolwork again.


It's been good seeing everyone here & there (carpool, grocery, church)! Thanks for keeping up the praying... as I've been telling everyone, it's great to be home, but we're not out of the woods yet. Someone recently told me that in prayer we could be very specific with God, so.... we specifically need his hemoglobin to kick in and his platelets to keep going up!!!! Got it?! Thank you as always!

More of the same from Memphis! Mac has to take the standardized tests his school takes, and Sue, his teacher, said she would administer them here before we leave. That way he can stay in this sterile environment and take the Terra Nova and we won't have to worry about that when we get home. We are in the process of getting a homebound teacher to come to our house a few days a week to keep him up with his studies (we're trying to talk Sue into coming home with us!) . Otherwise, things are winding down here. We have labs one more time next week, one last PT, and when the testing is done, we're packing up and heading south!! Hooray!! Our next appointment here is mid April!

We're far from being done with the treatment, we still have some hurdles ahead. His counts must keep climbing and then he has to get slowly weaned from the last 2 medicines. That is when we really hold our breath and pray his bone marrow can continue to work on its own. That being said, we're happy we've made it this far! As Sista Mary wrote me, "God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage." We're still waiting for our safe landing. I think it'll be soon!

Thanks for checking in and praying for us! I am convinced it is all your prayers that have gotten us through the hard parts, and given us the peace and acceptance we've needed to deal with this situation. Who Dat? Mac Dat!!!!

It was a pretty uneventful week for us here! Mac's lab trends continue to move up, and he has been weaned from the fluids and his blood pressure medicine. There is talk of us possibly going home soon! He can continue taking his medicine (we're down to 2 oral & 1 shot) and get his labs checked at the Baton Rouge affiliate or even NO Children's Hospital. Then we would come back to Memphis monthly to have a check up. We're definitely here for a couple more weeks as we continue to watch his counts and work out the details of HOME! I am starting to look into the homebound student program, so he can finish the 6th grade from home! Our hope is that his bone marrow is recovered and he is off the medicines in time to go to school next fall. We'll see... one day at a time!

Things are definitely going in a positive direction right now, let's pray it continues and the BMT continues to move out of the picture! Thanks for checking in, keeping us in your prayers, and to many of you, SEE you soon!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAC!!!

Yesterday in the clinic, they brought him balloons, and this tshirt, which he will wear today. And the best present of all is that his labs looked good yesterday!!! Small steps on the road to bone marrow recovery!

Since I do all the "talking"on the blog, today I thought I would interview Mac so you can hear from him....

ME: How do you feel today, your 12th birthday?
MAC: 12-ish
ME: What do you want for your birthday?
MAC: stuff
ME: What kind of cake do you want?
MAC: chocolate
ME: Any words of wisdom for your fans out there?
MAC: Nope
ME: Want me to stop asking you questions?
MAC: Yes.

Ahhh... such complex and insightful answers. You can see why I have done all the writing the last few months!! Thanks for checking in and praying. I think he'll get extra blessings (and hopefully extra blood cells) on his birthday!

We made it back Sunday and had school and clinic yesterday. His platelets continue to move up, now we really need his hemoglobin to kick in... and soon!!! Mac's only outing when we were home last week was to get beignets at Cafe Du Monde. He'd been wanting some and he tells everyone here what a beignet is.

Please keep those positive vibes and prayers coming our way!! I feel like his bone marrow really wants to work!!

I realize I haven't written in a while, but we've been really busy. On Friday, Feb. 12, we had our normal appointment in the clinic and since we're in this wait & see mode, we asked for a week off and the doctors thought it would be ok. So we are in NO for the week! It's been great being home and seeing everyone we haven't seen in 7 months! And just being home with Peter and Annie has been fun. We skipped the Mardi Gras scene, but had lots of beads delivered to our door so we didn't feel left out. We'll be back in Memphis by Sunday and back to our schedule of school, PT, and clinic.

Let's hope his counts go up and the BMT continues to move out of the picture! Thanks for praying and checking in.

WHO DAT! Here's a new bead we thought you all would appreciate! Thanks Raye for sending them to us!

Can you see it? It's a flying pig!! Perfect for Dat Tuesday or Lombardi Gras!! Wish we were in that number!! (I obviously spend way too much time on NOLA.com!)