Last night Chase and I didn't do a whole lot. We basically sat around and watched a movie while I got a bit of work done and took pictures of the Boy Scout patches that have come in. He has received SO many from all over the United States, and he is incredibly proud of them, too. I'm still processing them and uploading the pictures to Flickr for everyone to see.
Weight Loss:
As you may remember, Chase's weight loss has been a big concern of ours. When he was admitted into the hospital on March 25, 2009, he weighed 103 lbs. In less than 2 weeks, he had dropped six pounds, eventually losing 7 lbs total. Well, when he was weighed recently, he was up to 101.9 lbs!!! Woo-hoo!!
I'm sure having Easter candy and donuts around here doesn't hurt either. That and Chase has developed a massive craving for milk. The hospital keeps pints of milk in the fridge here for everyone to use and he has been going through about 6 a day (two at a time). Given that he's acquired a taste for whole milk instead of the non-fat that we use at home, he's chugging down some fat and calories as he drinks.
Visitors:
Today, Chase has had quite a few visitors. Mr. Jason, Mr.John (two of his Scout leaders) and their teenage sons Ryan and JD stopped by. They all went through Chase's patch collection and Mr.Jason, who was in Cub Scouts as a boy, was admiring some of the vintage Cub Scout pins and other items that Chase recently received in the mail. It was interesting to hear how things have changed so much over the years.
Well, the visit didn't take long before it began to degenerate. Before I knew it, one of them had found the nerf crossbow and then arrows were being thrown back and forth across the room. Chase got into it as well whenever an arrow would fall on his bed. He would take the opportunity to launch it right back. Let it be noted that the "adult" males in the room were also active participants. That is until they chose to take blue surgical gloves and see if they could pull them over their head and blow them up while wearing them. Yes, there are pictures. Be sure to check them out in the gallery!
Great progress!:
Anyway, while all the mayhem was going on in the hospital room, Dr.Keller stopped by with some GREAT news! Chase's counts are coming back VERY nicely, especially within the past day. He said that it looks like Chase's leukemia is trying to go into remission. Does that mean no more chemo if that is the case? No. Two rounds of chemo is the minimum. Also, much will depend on the results of his next bone marrow aspiration and if one of us is a match for him as well.
Dr. Keller cautioned me by saying that they're looking for trends in his counts, but thus far everything looks very promising. Even though he had a fever last weekend, ALL of his lab cultures came back negative for infections (Woo-hoo, again!), and because he hasn't had a recurrence of the fever, he took Chase off the antibiotic, which he called a "bold move", but entirely prompted by Chase's progress.
For the past week, we've been told that he probably wouldn't be able to come home for a short break until late next week, which would be the end of my Spring Break. However, today Dr.Keller said that although he can't promise anything, if Chase's counts continue to rebound as they are, then he could be discharged MONDAY!!!! That would be so incredible if that happens since my Spring Break begins Monday as well!! I'm not going to get my hopes up just in case, but I'm so very thankful for all of this wonderful news regarding his counts!! It's amazing!
After all of that excitement, Chase and I went to the library to return a couple of movies and to get me a bite to eat. When we returned, Debbie, one of our cousins on David's side of the family, dropped by for a visit. Chase had not seen her in a while, so it was great for him to be able to reconnect the name with the person once again. She promised to teach him Chicago Poker the next time they're together. It sounds like a crazy game. I have not a clue how to play poker myself, so I may need to sit in on that game, too.
Debbie had not been gone long before we heard ukulele music. I opened the doors and there were CLOWNS across the hall. We ran into them on the way back to the room and Chase spoke to them briefly, but we didn't think they would be back around. Actually, the conversation in the hall was funy. One of the clowns told Chase that he was an inventor and that he was working on something that would make him very rich - those things that keep the ceiling from falling to the floor - walls!
Well, back in Chase's room, the invention conversation continued. He was also inventing a new kind of car. The other clown began to take "notes" of this new car, too. This car would be made entirely of wood. Chase started asking about all kinds of the parts, just to egg him on a bit, and the clown enthusiastically explained how the body was made of wood, the engine of wood, the tires of wood. But then they discovered one thing about the car - "It wood-n't go."
Chase missed the joke completely, but the clown continued.
So, when that car "wood-n't" go, they got the idea of putting steel on the car. "But it 'steel' 'wood-n't' go."
Again, Chase missed the joke.
He tried two more times, but those also went over his head as well. Then the 2nd clown (the one taking notes), suggested that they put snails all over the car that way when it was driven down the road, people would point to it and say, "Look at that es-car-got!" **Cue groan**
Clown #2 told him that the idea needed to go one place. With that, he tore off the paper he had been writing on and put it in the trash. Clown #1 told him that at least he still had his "wall" and "floor" invention. Chase said that he couldn't make any money off of it and that someone would steal the idea unless he patented it, which prompted him to "pat" the wall and floor. "See, now I've patented them!" He then left the room and told Clown #2 that he knew of a cake he wanted to invent, too, so he better go "patty cake" it.
It's been a full day thus far to say the least. I have to get lessons on how to change Chase's dressing over his central line, which I imagine I'll have to do at some point today and then again tomorrow. They have a mannequin to practice on though instead of Chase. Thank goodness for that!
I'll update if we get any further developments regarding when he might go home. In the meantime, thank you to each and every one of you for keeping Chase and our family in your thoughts and prayers! Prayer works and I see it in Chase every day!
God Bless!
The O'Bannon family!
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