Post-Christmas Travels

Ever since we moved to Michigan a little over twelve years ago, the holidays have always involved traveling. And more than once, that meant celebrating Christmas at home, and then hitting the road to go visit family. 

This year our travels were neither as far nor as fun as they often have been in the past. Instead of making the familiar trip to St. Louis to visit Pete's family or the familiar trip to Dallas to visit Erin's, the day after Christmas we made the familiar trip ten miles down the road to what unfortunately feels like it is becoming our home away from home: Hurley Medical Center.

This week Jack is undergoing his fourth round of four chemo treatments that require three to four days of hospitalization. Normally he would have been admitted on Tuesday, but the doctors decided it would be best to let him celebrate Christmas at home and then come in Wednesday. Upon completion of this round of treatment, he will move into the new year ready to start a new phase of chemo.

Thank you for your continued support in prayer. We currently have the following prayer requests:

• That Jack would be able to go home Friday night
• That side effects (nausea, mouth sores) would be minimal this phase
• That Jack would be able to spend enjoyable time with friends over the next couple weeks while they're home from college
• That our family would face this new year with faith and hope, and not succumb to fear and weariness

Jack Up Cancer Night

Jack Up Cancer t-shirt logo 

Supporters of Jack Up Cancer Night

We need to express our deepest and most sincere THANKS! to SO VERY MANY people for all the help Friday night. Countless volunteers, people who supplied baked goods, advertisers, numerous others, and really the whole Grand Blanc community combined to ensure that the first ever Jack Up Cancer Night was a big success! We raised over $1000 for Hurley Children's Hospital and registered 30 new people for the bone marrow donor registry. Thanks to everyone for making it such a memorable night!

Jack and his pals

Warming up, decked out in orange

Tip off in front of an orange-clad crowd

Even the mascot oranged up!

In addition to the GREAT community support that Jack Up Cancer Night brought, it was wonderful to see the following local media pick up on the story:

mLive's Brendan Savage wrote a nice piece in advance of the event.

The premier issue of Cherish Local's online magazine included a feature on Jack Up Cancer Night on page 42, followed by this video interview with Pete on page 43.

The local CBS affiliate did a story, but it doesn't appear to be online anywhere.

Meanwhile, NBC25, who you may recall did a wonderful story on Jack this summer, had a couple pieces on the event. First, they talked about it during the game highlights portion of their Friday night Hometown Hoops broadcast. Then, Sports Director Jeanna Trotman awarded her game ball of the week to the Grand Blanc community for their support of Jack Up Cancer Night.

 

ABC12 also sent out a news reporter to do a piece on the event...

You’re Invited to Jack Up Cancer Night!

You’re invited to Jack Up Cancer Night at the Grand Blanc High School boys basketball game on Friday, Dec. 21st! We can’t thank you enough for continuing to love and support our Jack, and we’d be thrilled to see as many of you as possible filling up the Grand Blanc bleachers with orange in honor of Jack’s fight against leukemia next Friday night! The Bobcats will face Bay City Western at 7:00 p.m in the Tartoni Athletic Center. Please come, wear orange and think about joining us in giving a little back this holiday season.

Here are some of the ways you can participate in Jack Up Cancer Night:

• Sign up to be a bone marrow donor at the registration table! Thankfully, Jack is not in need of a bone marrow transplant, but many who suffer from leukemia are. Registering to be a donor could literally save a life! It will only take swabbing your cheeks and about 8 minutes of your time.
• Buy something sweet at the Bake Sale to benefit Hurley Children’s Hospital. Hurley has done such a great job taking care of us; we wanted to find a way to give back to them! Please bring a few extra dollars to support their lifesaving work in our community.
• Wear orange and cheer on the Bobcats! Freshmen & JV play ‪at 4:00‬ & ‪5:30‬, with the Varsity game scheduled for ‪7:00‬.

See also: A Brief Update on Jack's Treatment

A Brief Update on Jack's Treatment

Jack has completed three of his four scheduled admissions at Hurley for high dose chemo. He will be admitted for his last stay in this phase of treatment on Monday (the 17th) if his counts are high enough. If not, he will probably be admitted the day after Christmas. We are so thankful that he has been feeling good lately and is really enjoying spending time with Grace and friends home from college. Thank you so much for continuing to pray for him!

See also: You're Invited to Jack Up Cancer Night!

Six Months

It’s hard to believe. In a strange, inexplicable way it seems like it wasn't that long ago, while at the same time feeling like it was forever ago. It was exactly six months ago today though, that Erin got a call from Jack’s doctor, telling her to take him straight to the emergency room at Hurley Medical Center, have him admitted to the hospital, and don’t take NO for an answer.

While we knew Jack hadn’t been feeling well (and had some blood tests done a few days earlier as a result), we had no idea how serious it was. And we certainly had no idea what we all would experience over the six months that would follow.

We’ve hurt, we’ve wept, we’ve pleaded for mercy. We’ve felt unbelievable love from family and friends, who have constantly lifted us up in prayer and demonstrated their support in numerous other ways, as well. We’ve met and become friends with other families whose children also have leukemia. In this, we have become a part of what one of these dear new friends has rightly called, “the very best family you’d never want to be in.”

Today, six months after we first showed up at Hurley, Jack was admitted to the hospital once more. After having six unscheduled visits throughout the summer and into the fall, this is his third consecutive time being admitted that was planned. Like his last two times at the hospital, he is getting a heavy dose of chemo that requires him to stay in the hospital for three or four days.

So as we sit in Jack’s hospital room and wait for the chemo to arrive from the pharmacy, our main prayer requests are as follows:

• That the treatment would be effective in bringing permanent healing to Jack.
• That side effects of this round would be minimal. (especially  no mouth sores) The last week or so, Jack has probably felt as good as he has at any point in the last six months (seven, really). It would be so nice if he could continue to feel good, especially as his friends begin to return home from college for Christmas break.
• That the timing of the fourth and final round of this phase would be such that it doesn't land him in the hospital for Christmas.