A Shout-out from Florida

The Cardinals played their first spring training game today, so you knew we would be watching. What you didn't know was that Cardinals broadcasters Rick Horton and Dan McLaughlin would have a certain Cardinals fan on their minds...  

Prayers and Thanks

This week, Jack hit the requisite levels, so he is getting the treatments that he was originally scheduled to get last week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday). The first day is the hardest, and Jack was at the hospital getting a spinal tap and chemo yesterday pretty much all day (from 8am until a little after 4pm), and went home feeling pretty rotten. He's back at it today, and we'd sure appreciate prayers in line with those we requested last week--especially that the side effects would not be so severe. We'd also like to add this one: 

• That this current round of chemo would not cause any  damage to his bladder or kidneys.

On a more positive note, when Erin and Jack got to the hospital for treatments this morning, they were excited to see the brand new book cart that was paid for with money from Jack Up Cancer Night. Patients at Hurley Children's Hospital are able to get a book to read while they're undergoing treatments and take it home with them. And Hurley Child Life Services even recognized Jack and the Grand Blanc Community on the cart. We're so thankful once again to all who made and/or purchased baked goods to help make this possible!

Radiothon Thursday and Friday

Well, Jack's counts weren't quite where they needed to be this morning, so his treatments this week have been postponed until next Tuesday through Friday. Not sure if that's good or not, but Jack is happy to have another week with no chemo!
 
There still is news for this week though. This Thursday and Friday (February 7th and 8th), local radio stations Nash FM 95.1 and CK 105.5 will be holding a dual radiothon from 6am to 6pm to benefit some important causes that have been a blessing to us and are very dear to our heart: Pediatric Services, the Pediatric Oncology Clinic and the Child Life Program at Hurley Children's Hospital.

If you get to listen, you’ll no doubt hear from a number of the friends that we’ve met over the last eight months, and at least a portion of the time between 11am and noon eastern time Thursday specifically on Nash FM 95.1 will be spent focusing on Jack, his battle with leukemia, and the great care that Hurley has provided.

To listen to the radiothon online, go to the stations’ websites (Nash FM 95.1 or CK 105.5) and click on the “LISTEN LIVE” button at the top.

 

Update

It’s been awhile since we have given any updates, so before we share any prayer requests, here’s a quick review of what’s been happening the last few weeks:

At the very start of the “Delayed Intensification” phase in mid-January, Jack dealt with a great deal of nausea, pain and stomach issues. Thankfully, after a really difficult week, things settled down a little bit. Chemo was still having an impact on him, but it seemed a bit more manageable.

Jack's treatment includes a number of different forms of chemotherapy that are given to him at varying intervals, and Jack takes a number of different medications that fight side effects. As a result, it’s a little difficult to determine a pattern of what exactly causes problems and what exactly solves them. That said (to nobody’s astonishment), the more treatments he receives, the worse he generally feels.

In light of that, it was no surprise that last week was a fairly good week as he had a scheduled reprieve from chemo. This week though, things are likely to get tougher as he is scheduled to go in for chemo on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The four consecutive days are likely to leave him feeling pretty rotten, so our prayers for him would be as follows:

• That Jack would not have any headaches resulting from the spinal tap scheduled for Tuesday
• That the actual administration of the chemo would go smoothly
• That the side effects from chemo would be minimized
• That he would have strength and endurance to persevere through whatever side effects there are
• As always, that the course of treatment would continue to have its desired effect

As I’ve often put it in talking to people, with over two and a half years of chemo remaining, we know that the path that lies ahead of Jack is a long, bumpy one. We take some measure of comfort though that so far, he has made the progress that was intended, he’s where he’s supposed to be right now on that road and he’s headed in the right direction. Thank you for praying for him as he makes that journey.

***TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Click here 

Prayers for the New Year

Cancer and chemo are just plain brutal. Jack was blessed with somewhat of a reprieve over Christmas break. Even though he had to spend every other week at Hurley for high dose chemo, when he was home he felt pretty good and was able to go out and see friends. Things seemed not normal, but manageable. 

Last week, however, Jack started a new phase of chemotherapy called "Delayed Intensification" and it has hit him hard. Jack is a fighter but this is tough. Nausea and stomach issues are making him miserable every waking minute. 

We would so appreciate your prayers that:

• his doctors would find a way to give him some relief
• Jack would be encouraged to persevere through the next eight weeks of this phase
• the nausea and stomach issues would not continue into the next phases of treatment

As always, thanks so much for your steadfast prayers and support.

———————
THURSDAY UPDATE: Please continue to pray for Jack, but we are so very thankful that he is feeling much better today! Thank you again for your prayers.

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.

Thanksgiving

I have this bobblehead on my bookshelf at work. Cal Ripken was one of the great players of his generation, putting together a Hall of Fame career that included two Most Valuable Player awards and nineteen All Star Game appearances. Perhaps even more than for his considerable ability though, Ripken is famous for having played in a record 2,632 consecutive games without ever taking a day off. The previous record of 2,310 set by Lou Gehrig had stood for over 66 years, and it was universally assumed that it would never be broken--until Ripken broke it. 

I thought of Ripken this week for a couple of reasons:

1. Ripken wore uniform number eight. Jack has spent the week at the hospital receiving a heavy dose of chemo. It’s his eighth time being admitted to the hospital since he was diagnosed in June.      
2. In the same way that Ripken was renowned for his resilience and toughness, and his willingness and ability to go to battle, so Jack has demonstrated similar traits in his fight with leukemia. 

And so, as Thanksgiving morning arrives and finds my wife and son at the hospital, with my daughter and me at home. I am thankful that I have a son who is able to go to war with this dreaded disease, and is strong enough and tough enough to eventually come out the other side a victor. 

But my thankfulness extends far beyond that. I am also thankful for many other reasons...

• Thankful that I have a wife that loves our family so much that she would willingly deprive herself the comfort and convenience of her own bed night after night in order to be on hand to help care for our son in the hospital
• Thankful that I have a daughter who has graciously and selflessly taken extra things upon herself to help our family, never once complaining about the deserved attention from her parents of which she is no doubt being deprived
• Thankful that Jack is being cared for by doctors and nurses who are incredibly skilled and wonderfully kind
• Thankful that so many friends and family (and even formerly complete strangers, for that matter) have loved us so well and prayed for us so consistently
• Thankful that Jack hopefully will be coming home today (if all goes as planned)
• And most of all, thankful that the Lord is a God of steadfast love who has faithfully shepherded us through this so far, and who (I am sure) will continue to do so  

UPDATE: Jack is home as of late afternoon. We are thankful indeed.