We got Mac's labs done last week and this time they were not lost in space! His results were fine. He has 130,000 platelets! Hemoglobin is steady in the 9's still. ANC was really high so we are starting the decrease in the GMCSF shot again. Let's see where this roller coaster takes us! He's doing fine with school, etc. I think he's ready for more extracurricular activities but he's remaining patient.

Here's the link to the video again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yED2GWqhGBs

Thanks for checking in and praying for us. And thanks to all of you who are supporting Team MacAttack and St. Jude! Labs again mid-November in Memphis. I'll update again then!

We will get labs drawn tomorrow here in NO so we should have results by the end of this week! Mac's been doing fine overall, and the reason for this post is to share a video with you! Raye, (team MacAttack captain, mother, attorney, part time meteorologist, and video-producer extraordinaire) has put this together for us. You've seen many of the pictures, but now they're all together in one place!

If you've already donated to our cause, thank you very much! Our team is in 7th place today, but we're kicking our fundraising into high gear!

Here's our story...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yED2GWqhGBs

And thanks for finding the hero in you!!

https://waystohelp.stjude.org/sjVPortal/public/displayTeamPage.do?teamId=5253&programId=401&eventId=108867

We did another round trip last Friday. It was quick and uneventful. Mac went to the dentist for a cleaning, and as long as he has a line in, he will continue to see the St. Jude dentist. His platelets jumped up and the Hgb and ANC were stable. Hemoglobin still in the 9's. I'm really ready for it to get up and stay there!! More status quo as far as medicines go. No taper just yet.

We've made it through the first quarter of school. Mac is enjoying himself and maintaining the pace surprisingly well! His grades could be better, but we won't get into that now. All I have to do is remember this time last year and grades become very insignificant!

Hope you are all doing well and getting the awesome weather we've been having! Not too hot, not too cold, no humidity, lots of sun! Thanks for checking in. We'll do labs here in a couple of weeks. Hoping for a big jump up as always. Thanks for checking in and praying for us!

It's been a while since I've written, but that's because there is nothing to report! Mac did labs last week here in NO, and we haven't seen results. They've been faxed but not received.... lost in space I guess. I can go pick them up but at this point we're leaving for Memphis tomorrow so...

Mac seems fine. We'll see what the labs are there and I'll update this weekend.

We made another round trip to Memphis at the end of last week. Mac had a small break in his central line, so we drove up earlier than we had anticipated so it could be repaired. Never a dull moment! His labs were fine, up a bit from the drops in August, but he's back on all the medicines. We'll watch the levels a while longer and hopefully they'll continue the upward trend, and then start the taper again. His hemoglobin was 9.7 and he manages to go to school and have energy. His body has adjusted to being low I guess. I know I've said this before, but when his hemoglobin gets above 11, he's gonna feel like superman!

School is going well for all. It's definitely an adjustment for Mac to be back in a classroom after a year away, but he's so glad to be back. Sue (his St. Jude teacher) had prepared us as well as CBS for this physical and mental transition. Peter is enjoying 5th grade (he said he's pretty glad to be rid of girls) and Annie is breezing through first grade. She has the benefit of being the youngest... been there, done that!

That's all to report for now. Please don't forget to go to Team MacAttack's website and support St. Jude - just click on your favorite runner. The team is huge this year!! Every time I go back I remember all over again what an incredible place St. Jude is. I hope you never need it, but if you or someone you know does, it's there and it's the best!

https://waystohelp.stjude.org/sjVPortal/public/displayTeamPage.do?teamId=5253&programId=401&eventId=108867

Thanks as always for checking in and praying.

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!