Never a dull moment

This morning we got up and got ready to take James to Macon for lab work. Owen was going with me to help with James and Becca and Carrie were coming along for the outing. Hannah and Katie had pretty significant lists they were staying home to work on.

When we got into the car, Owen looked like he was in pain and said that his head hurt. He decided he would take some tylenol and come along. When we were about half way to Macon, he said something about having felt like he was going to 'throw up'. I thought he meant when he had the headache, before he took the tylenol. Not long after that, he was not looking well. Then he was looking really anxious. I asked some questions--a little too late--and then we started looking for some of the plastic cups we were sure we had brought for drinking. Again... too late. It all happened so fast, I was impressed with how quickly Owen grabbed for his hat! (It's not waterproof, he told me later). Shortly after that, I was able to pull off the road and decided pretty quickly that, half way there or not, we needed to get Owen home. So we turned around and called home. By the time we got home, Becca was feeling and looking a little green. She never did get sick (no one else did either) and was pretty perky by the time Katie, Carrie, James and I left again, for our second attempt.

Owen fell asleep before we left and took a good long nap. I wonder if the headache was from missing sleep and fluids. He is fine now.

We made it to Macon just fine and had our easiest blood draw yet. We had a new-to-us lab tech and it didn't take much to convince her to do a finger prick instead of drawing blood with a needle and syringe. However, I forgot to give her the fax number to send the lab results too. That didn't really matter, though, because the lab results didn't make it back in time.

Thankfully, we were still in Macon, finishing up errands (one was a fun trip through Michael's--it's been nearly forever since I have been to one and longer for Katie. It was inspiring!...but I digress). We ended up stopping by the pediatrician's office. They have a night clinic that is separate from the day clinic, but they were able to get the lab results for me. I called the oncologist on call--thankfully it was someone we know, who knows us. We verbally reviewed James counts (WBC-4.49; Hgb-11.6; Plt 777; and roughly figure the ANC--~2600). Dr. Quayad said we were cleared for chemo. It was one of those times I was really glad to have a cell phone!

So we came home, at supper, had devotions, cleaned up and now most everyone is off to bed--some are up reading in the quiet. I like these quiet moments--we really do get them on occasion!

As you think of James, would you please join us in praying for this round of chemo--that God would be glorified in James NOT getting mucousitis (the sores on the mucous lining of the mouth, esophagus, stomache, and intestines), NOT having nay fevers, and NOT having any need to stay at the hospital?

Thanks for your prayers for us and James.

Love, Stephanie