Happy New Year!!

To all of our faithful blog readers we wish you the a Happy New Year! We hope the fast approaching 2009 will bring wonderful things for all of you!! I have a ton of new pictures to post, I will try in the next day or so to do a new slide show!! Have a safe & wonderful holiday!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to you all!! Thank you for following this blog, it helps Eric to know that you're all thinking, and praying for him. He had chemo today and is a little down, it's difficult to handle cancer on a normal day, but chemo on Christmas Eve is definitely no fun. To all of you and your families thank you for blessing ours with your comfort, prayers, and comments, they mean so much to us. Oh by the way, if your counting that's 2 more chemo treatments to go!! Woohoo!

Here is a picture of Eric with 4 of his favorite people (other than Lauren)

Eric had a visitor...

Eric is feeling good, he has been doing endless tasks for his mom, all in the spirit of Christmas. He was at our family party the other day when a visitor arrived...

Thanks to all of you that participated in Eric's quilt!!

The number 8

A while back (during a bingo game) Mom, Hailey, & I all discovered our "lucky" number was 8. I'm not sure why it's our lucky number, it just always has been. Well now the number 8 is also Eric's lucky number, it's his life saving number. Eight is the number of chemo treatments it will take to rid his body of this cancer, eight is a very lucky number indeed.

UPDATE: Eric is not feeling well at all tonight, let's all rally behind him!!

Chemo tomorrow

Eric has chemo tomorrow, the last treatment went well with minimal side effects (Eric might not agree with that statement, but we all think he did better this last time). So that's our word of the day folks, minimal...let's pray for minimal.

Overdue update!!

I know it has been forever since I have updated!! Eric is doing really well he has been helping mom with Christmas elf projects, and kicking butt at laser tag. He went to his nephew's birthday party and we all played laser tag, and he played several arcade style games and gave all of his tickets (he calls them coupins no not coupons, coupins) to his nieces & nephews. He has chemo again this Thursday, then again on Christmas Eve. For those of you keeping track he has 2 treatments this month, then two next, radiation after that, and then god willing he will be cancer free!!

Quick update

I know I haven't said much about Eric, he had chemo a week ago, but there hasn't been much to tell. He is actually doing fairly well, a little RLS (restless leg syndrome). But generally much better this time around than last. He has chemo again next Thurs., and then on Christmas Eve, I do have a special project I need help with if anyone would like to help me please email me rkings2991@aol.com

Hailey's crazy

Just for fun! I would like to submit a crazy stuff I am thankful for list!

1- Doughnuts- with out these delicious little things I would not make it! Especially tasties doughnuts! I actually dream about them on a regular basis I know pathetic right!

2- Hairspray- I could not live without it!

3- Make-up- Once again I couldn't live without it, if you have gone camping with me you know!

4- The camping trailer (that there is an RV!) there is no way this princess could go camping with out it! I do not pee in the woods! And were taking it with us when we leave here next month Eric! Unless the shiter is full :)

5-Christmas lights- my husband AKA Clark W Griswald he is so dedicated to exterior ilumination I love it! and I am so happy that I have a husband that no matter what will put up christmas lights for me and my kids!

6- Christmas movies- Of course National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story!

7- My Dad's Guacomole!!! Which it never fails he never makes enough or maybe I eat to much of it?

8- The day after thanksgiving shopping- Let me tell you that me and my sister took our lives in our own hands this year, it was bad Brandi saw a fist fight a few feet from her , and I got shoved (really hard) out of the way for the item I was waiting for, but all in all I love it, it is a fun tradition!

9- B-I-N-G-OIt's not just a game people it is a sport you can't just walk in there willy nilly and expect to win you have to have the right mind set, your up against some pretty fierce competitors, but I'll have you know when the four of us walk in it's like slow motion in the movies when the music starts playing some cool song and we toss our hair and we have all the old people in the place shaking in there trousers! I have to work on my yelling skills just to prepare for it, and my pepsi intake doubles! Ahhh it is a great place, the best part is I get to enjoy it all with my Mom, Brandi, and Eric!

10- And last but not least... My Beloved Sweats! I could not make it through without them, Corky says I have way to many pairs, I guess he says that because I have different catagories of sweats from going out sweats to staying in sweats to sleepin sweats to camping sweats to summer sweats ya I guess I need to cut back but I love them!Now I think you guys should write a crazy list of your own!

Love-Hailey

A word from our sponsor...

Here is Eric's list of things he is Thankful for....

Things that I am thankful for. I dont even know where to start. This last couple months has been full of goods and bads, but mostly goods. Sorry mine are kinda late but they still work..

1st and foremost the love of my LIFE Lauren!! I dont know where I would be with out her she has kept track of appointments mediciations making sure I am getting out of bed for a few min a day even if I fight her to no end. She gives me my shots and does not hesitate to do anything that I ask include go to school full time and have a full time job (I dont ask the last 2 she just does them so we can one day better our lives.) and her family they have always been there for me and taken me in like one of there own..

2nd For family and friends they have all kept me going during the worst times and the good times.

3rd I am thankful for is technolgy and advancement in drugs with out it this road I am on would be ALOT harder..

4th That we can live in a country that has insurance and hospitals that take care of problems.

5th I would like to thank all of the people including my cousin Jason who are serving in other countrys so we can be free in ours.

6th everyone that reads this blog.. Its weird My mom said you will be amazed how many people actually care, I figured that there was going to be a few odds and ends people but never this many its like everytime I see some one they know whats going on and ask how I am and if there is anytihng they can do. I know all of you want to help and that means alot to me the best thing that you can do is just keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

7th My sisters they have all helped me though this and that alone I am sure has not been easy weather it be a phone call on how Brandi almost died at walmart the day after thanksgiving (if you talk to her ask about that) or a text message from the twins asking how I am feeling.. It may not seem like much but it is I promise.

8th My mom she has ALWAYS been there for me and always will she has been at every doctors appt. even if it was somthing stupid.. She has been at every treatment with out missing a beat. She has tryed to take me away to vegas but my Dr. wont allow it..

9th my neice and nephews for giving me Bacon he has been there for every treatment since Halloween and will continue to be at every last one..

10th The people at the Palace Station Bingo. They all the been the greatest to me and my family. Always nice to us when we are there and have called and sent cards to show they care. Thanks guys!!

11th To anyone that I have missed or over looked you know who you are and you know that everything you do means alot to me. Esp you Trish I would be SOL if you didnt back me up.. I just want everyone to know that I love all of you and thank you SOOOOO MUCH for everything that you have given me!!Pleas don't stop leaving comments on here I read this page everyday if not 2-3 times a days I like to read the storys and remember the good times. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING EACH ONE OF YOU HAVE DONE!!

Whoaaaaaaa we're half way there, whoa oh livin on a prayer

Sorry I had a Bon Jovi moment, in all the hustle bustle of Thanksgiving & day after Thanksgiving (& believe you me there was a lot of hustle), I forgot to mention that Eric is halfway done with Chemo!! (Insert screaming crowd noises here) Woohoo!!

Happy Thanksgiving

From all of our families to yours, have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!

Chemo today, more Thankfulness (is that a word?)

Eric is on his way to chemo...I thought I would post the comments from the previous section, what people are thankful for...feel free to comment & I'll add yours too!!

Here's Hailey's
I am Thankful for...

1-My Husband (Corky)He is there for me no matter what the day might bring, he listens to me laugh and be a dork, he lets me cry and does not judge me, he calms my worries no matter how silly they are, when I am angry he forgives me even when he probablly shouldn't, he is the greatest dad to Hunter and teaches him so much, he is an excellent provider and hard worker and never complains when he has to work a little harder to get us by, he is my true love, my soul mate and my best friend all wrapped into one! I truly don't think I could live without him! I love you Corky with all my heart!

2- My Hunter--I love how excited he is about life,I love how sweet he is, always telling me how much he loves me and that I am the best mommy in the world, I love that he is trying so hard to be helpful around the house even though he forgets somtimes, I love how much he adores his dad, I even love his temper (that he gets from his dad), I love that he is so excited to be a (in hunters words) "a big brother and the boss", I just love everything about him!

3- My FamilyThis includes Parents, stepparents, grandparents, siblings, inlaws, aunts uncles cousins etc. They are so supportive, I love that we all come together and help out no matter what the cause! We are so blessed to have such an amazing family to lean on!

4- EricHe is so strong and I am so proud of him for all that he does, he is my strength. I love that when somthing makes him happy you can see the tears well up in his eyes and he tries to hold it back as if he is not emotional, guess he's got a little of me in him! I love how he loves his neices and nephews so much and is so sweet with them even when there being rowdy! I am so thankful to have you as my brother Eric I love you!

5- My friendsFor being there when I need them the most, and always listening to me no matter what. I love you all very much thank you for being such great friends!

6- For my LifeNo matter what road it might take it is truly a blessing just to be here with the ones I love!

7- My MomShe is always there for me no matter what, I love her to no end I could not imagine my life with out her I don't tell her often enough how much she means to me and my family but we are so lucky to have her! I Love you Mom!

8- My Siblings- This includes half's steps and inlawsI too like Brandi do not tell you all often enough how much you mean to me, I am so thankful you are there to listen to me even if I just need to rant, thank you so much for helping me out with Hunter I know I ask way to much of all of you and I really appreciate everything you do for me and my family I love all of you very much!

9-I am thankful to all of you that read Eric's blog and keep him in your thoughts and prayers, it means so much to our family to know that we have so much support and love out there, and that there is always somone who is listening and praying for us and keeping a positive attitude even when it is hard for us to do the same. Your love and support does not go un-noticed Thank you!

10- Everything in generalThe fact that I live in a country that has such a wonderful military so that me, my children and family can remain protected and free. That I am able to work and so is my husband so that we can provide a nice place to live for our growing family. I am thankful that I have so many things to be thankful for!

11- I Had to do a # 11For lifes little miracles!for those of you who don't already know, after two years of trying to have another baby we finally gave up and now we are thankfully blessed to have one on the way! I am not sure which worked better giving up on trying or booking a non-refundable cruise in january (which we are still going on)Anyway I am now 10 weeks pregnant and went to the Dr last night for the second time, this time the ultra sound was much clearer the baby has arms, legs, hands and feet! We are so blessed!Hope all of you Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!Love-Hailey

Here's Heidi's (my neighbor)

Thanks brandi you are making me cry.I am thankful for LIFE. No matter what it sends my way.My kids and my husband and my parents.Everyone that sends me good wishes when I need them. My beautiful neighbors.I realized I can be bitter and thankful at the same time.:>

Here's my mum's

Here is my list of 10 things I am thankful for.
1.My wonderful family and all the support they give me and give to each other. We are all truly blessed.

2.My husband Terry who supports me (with a smile) no matter what mood I happen to be in. I am so grateful to have him in my life. I appreciate that he is so supportive and attentive to Eric's needs. On Eric's rough days Terry brings Eric his favorite flavored Sonic slushy and sometimes even mozzarella sticks. He visits with him for a bit which means a lot to Eric.

3. The doctors, the technology and research that is helping Eric fight this battle so he can live a full and productive life with Lauren.

4. Speaking of Lauren, I am thankful that she is part of our family. Lauren has already shown Eric the true meaning of being there for him in sickness and in health. We love you Lauren!

5. My mom for her love and support. There are so many in our family it is hard to count but mom has unconditional love for all of us.

6. My friends, thank you for your support, your love, and most of all, your thoughts and prayers. They mean so much to me and to my family.

7. My co-workers who are also my friends. You are with me more than my family. You are my work family. You cheer me up when I need a laugh and and you support me when I am having an emotional day. And you all rally together when there is a "WOOT OFF"! Thanks to Kevin for getting us all hooked on woot. :O)

8. Our men and women in the military. This one is especially for my nephew Jason who is on his 3rd tour in Iraq. May god watch over him and bring him home safe to his family.

9. This one is for all of you that read Eric's blog. I want you to know how uplifting it is to pull up the blog and see how many hits the site has gotten. It's amazing how our lives are so intertwined with each other. I went to a doctors appointment today and the new PA that I spoke with listened to my story about my son having cancer. She stopped me and asked what my sons name was and then she started laughing. She is friends with Kimber and she reads this blog all the time. How small world is that. Like I told Eric when he was diagnosed. He will be surprised how many lives he has touched and now look how many of them are there for him.

10. My kids sense of humor, I don't know what they are talking about as far as:"The fact that you might need food for 14 people and you can get it all without getting out of your car
(she knows folks believe me she knows)

"Thanks for reading my rambling. May god bless you all and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Chemo...and Thanksgiving!

Eric has chemo this Wednesday, pretty yucky timing for Thanksgiving but he did get a Thanksgiving Dinner last Saturday.

Thanks to everyone at the Randall family party, those of you that wore green, wore a green bow, made green bows, prayed out loud, prayed silently, wished Eric well, thought good thoughts from afar, said something thoughtful, didn't know what to say, gave him a hug, stayed away for fear of getting him sick, everything you did that night was noticed, don't think that because you didn't talk to him he doesn't know you love him, he does. I thought in the true spirit of Thanksgiving I would post 10 things I am Thankful for...
1. A family that can truly band together when times get tough
2. My home, children, and amazing husband
3. My brother's tough spirit, he is my hero.
4. Lauren, she is the best thing for Eric, I would like to also say I think that he is the best for her too!
5. My siblings, I know I don't tell you all often enough, but I love you!! (This is including steps, half's, and in-laws!)
6. Parents, mine, Rand's, and of course again steps
7. Modern medicine, it's been a rough year for me with kids sick, and Eric, modern medicine has saved my children's and my brother's lives.
8. Grandparents
9. friends, (yes my neighbors are some of my best friends), they have truly been there for me especially this year, and I thank them for that. Also you all reading this are my friends!
10. The fact that you might need food for 14 people and you can get it all without getting out of your car (This is an inside joke, ask Eric, or Hailey, or Lauren, or me or definitely, definitely ask my mom what this means).

Okay it's your turn what are you all Thankful for?

Bring It!

For those of you coming to the Randall family Thanksgiving dinner tonight, Eric will be there. I want to see you all in your lime green, if you've got it bring it!! Let's show Eric our support!

Much better

Eric is feeling much better, he came to visit last night at mom's and he's up and about today. He is planning on coming to the Randall family Thanksgiving party this weekend, so for all of you reading this, bring your lime green!! :0)

Crappy day

Eric's feeling worse today, he has two more days of shots, two more days of feeling like crap. Hopefully after Wednesday he will start to feel better.

Eric's doing okay

Eric's feeling okay, not great but okay...He ventured out for a little bit today, which is some real progress. Last chemo treatment he was horribly sick about now, let's hope it keeps getting better. He's planning on attending our family Thanksgiving party next weekend, he will probably be to sick to celebrate the "real" Thanksgiving, he has chemo the day before. So for all of you out there that haven't gotten their flu shots...get on it!! Remember if you get the flu mist you cannot be around Eric for 10 days as that vaccine contains the live virus.

Home...

Eric is home resting now, his blood work was good, he did his chemo treatment this afternoon. The first 4-5 days are the worst, he's hoping it will be better this time. If everything goes as planned he has 5 more treatments to go...

Let's try this again

So hopefully today Eric will have chemo, we should know by about 11:00 if his blood work is in the "safe zone". I'll let you know. He's been feeling well lately, getting engaged can do that to you :0)

Pardon the interruption

Today is Veteran's Day, we would like to thank the Veteran's that have served and are serving our country. We (Eric, Hailey, & I) have a cousin Jason who is serving his third term in Iraq, we want him & his family to know we think of him often, our prayers are always with him. We are forever indebted to you. Thank you for protecting us.

May I have your attention please...

This left hand belongs to my beautiful sister-in-law to be!! That's right folks Eric & Lauren are engaged!!! He had planned to ask her next weekend but when he couldn't do chemo last week he changed his plans & they went to Park City, he proposed on the balcony of Stein Eriksen Lodge at sunset. They have not set a date, she wants to finish school, but they are very excited!! So are we!! Congratulations Eric & Lauren!!!

Distraught

That is the only word I can think of to describe how Eric's feeling right now. Eric will not be receiving chemotherapy today, his white blood cell count isn't in the "safe zone". It has to be at a certain level before you can have the treatments. He is upset, I know he feels like he just wants to get these treatments done. He also has to do the Nupagin shots now for all of his treatments. He is not fearing the shots as much as before, he now knows the chemo was the culprit for most of those side effects that plagued him. Let's help him through this, we love you Eric!

Update

Eric continues to feel great, yesterday he went to help set up my mom's booth at our craft boutique (St. James Catholic Church email me if you want the details), he also went to a movie with a friend. Tomorrow though is chemo, his appointment with the clinic is around 9:00 and chemo starts around 11:00. Eric says he can barely feel the lymph node in his neck, woohoo!!

Great day!

I just wanted to let you all know Eric's feeling great hooray!! He is running some errands as I type, it's good to hear that he's out & about again!! Not to be Debbie downer, but chemo again on Thursday, so these next few days should be good ones.

I'm still here

Sorry there hasn't been an update, things around here (my house) are crazy! Eric's feeling okay, still not great though, this chemo treatment seems to have had more of an effect on him than the previous one. He has another treatment next Thursday a total of 6 more to go. His niece & nephews gave him a stuffed pig for his treatments, they appropriately named him bacon. So if you see Eric with a pink pig you'll know why. He's ventured out a little bit the past few days, but not far. We're hoping the days left before treatment will be good ones for him...

Trick or Treat

So Eric is still feeling awful, I thought maybe we would do something fun ( & a little bit cheesy, just play along). To help Eric's spirits I thought we would post fun or sweet stories we have about Eric, you can either post them on the comments section or email them to me rkings2991@aol.com . I will copy and paste them from the comments section because there are some people that cannot access the comments section. So I will start things off:

You might not know this but Eric is a kickass bingo player (yes there is such a thing), I'm serious the ninety year old ladies shake in their support hose when they see him coming. But it hasn't always been that way, when Eric first went with us for his first biannual Las Vegas trip he thought we were pretty girly. We started his first day off with bingo & Celine Dion, he was pretty much going crazy (he text messaged through the entire concert). So the next day he was bored to tears, that is until that afternoon when he hit the cash ball for around $1400.00. Since then he has hit several coveralls, jumbo consolation's, and just normal bingo's, one time when we went we each came home with 4x's the amount we took...I told you kickass...

Ok it's your turn!!

Here's some comments...

Two things come to mind when I think of Eric. I remember when Lorie would bring him to church when he was little. I remember his sweet face sitting next to her and wondering how a boy his age could be so good in church! And I love it when Eric really laughs! When he laughs, it makes everyone around him laugh harder! Terry and Lorie's antics are some of the things that can really get him going! Such comedians in the family!Well, Eric, our family is praying for you. We know how strong you are and only wish we had the words to bring you comfort. But, please know that we love you and care about you and want you to get better! Keep strong, buddy, and hang in there!Love, The Pilgreen's

One of my favorite things about Eric is his love of treats. Again we were in Vegas and we were walking by the bakery that always has an array of lavish treats, there happened to be black and white cookies the size of your head mind you that seemed to catch Eric's eye, well that is all it took and because Eric was so busy staring lovingly at the black and white cookies he didn't see the steps in front of him and fell on his face, I always knew it would be the love of treats that would bring him to his knees!! Love ya Eric!Love-Hailey

From the Marcus family:

I remember when I was taller or just as tall as Eric...lol! (Not just the expression)..but Eric does "Stand tall above the crowd" one way he stands out is that despite his grandeur he comes down to all levels....especially to the level of kids....and all kids are naturally drawn to him and we all know why.... he is a very tall teddy bear! So naturally a lot of my memories are watching him connect and play with children. Watching in amusement, to see how many little monkeys he can handle clinging to his limbs and still be able to gracefully;steadily walk around. I know you feel weak Eric, let the strength of family and especially the humility of children which you share; strengthen you! Amy M.

Not great

Eric is still not feeling well, weak, jittery, nauseated, generally not well. By about the 6th day last treatment he started to feel better, that would be tomorrow, so let's all hope!! I didn't want to jinx it but did anything notice anything special about yesterday? It was a Sunday & Eric didn't have an E.R. or urgent care visit!! Woohoo!! This has to be good right, we knew he would eventually get a Sunday at home! But seriously Eric I hope you're feeling better soon...

Still not feeling great

Eric's feeling weak, tired, & nauseated. Last time he had these symptoms he thought all of these were side effects from the shot he was taking, this time around he's realizing that chemo can have some nasty side effects of it's own. He even turned down going out for breakfast this morning (bacon people, he's turning down bacon!). Most likely he will feel better in a few days, this too will pass, but at this time he needs your love, support, & prayers! Thanks!

Feeling blah

He says he can't describe it, he just doesn't feel "well". He's resting which is good, trying to eat and drink and feeling blah, well blah is better than yuck so we'll take it, for now blah is fine by me.

2 down 6 more to go...

Chemo went well, Eric did great!! They used the port for the first time, the blood flow was good, and all of his labs look good. The doctor did a physical exam on Eric and she said that the lymph nodes in his neck are getting "softer" and have dramatically gone down. This is wonderful news, it means the chemo is doing it's job. Right now he doesn't have to do anymore shots, unless he gets an infection or there is a problem on his next set of lab work. So maybe he can just rest and relax for the next 2 weeks. Also I am nagging again flu shots...have you gotten yours? So far Mom, Dad, KT, the grandparents, Hailey, Brayden, Kenzie, Corden, & I have gotten ours...check in did you all get yours?

Port is in...again

So after a looonnngg day at Huntsman's Eric is now the proud owner (once again) of a port-a-cath. They will access this port tomorrow when they do his chemo. Eric is doing well, just tired. Good luck tomorrow Eric!

Green eyeshadow

Green toenail polish

This is our cousin Kimber

Scope done

The urologist said his bladder looks good, there was some scar tissue & inflammation. But nothing to be concerned about. He can still continue with chemo (Thursday) and get the port put in tomorrow. Here are some more fun green pics for your enjoyment, thanks Kimber!!!

Appointment tomorrow

Eric has an appointment tomorrow with a urologist at LDS hospital. More than likely they will do a scope on his bladder, he has been having blood in his urine (I know to much info) for a little over a week, but no bacteria so they are trying to determine the cause. He is still scheduled for the port on Wednesday and chemo on Thursday, but that all could change depending on what the scope shows...I'll keep you updated!

Another kidney stone...or worse?

Well today is Sunday, can anyone tell me what that means? Yes Eric is not feeling well, I don't know what it is with him & Sundays! He has spent most of them (since his diagnosis) in the hospital or E.R. you can read the previous posts if you don't believe me. Anyway he hasn't been feeling good all weekend, all of our nagging about fluids has paid off, he has been drinking the 64 oz. requirement, in fact he drank that amount alone in cranberry juice yesterday to try to take care of the pain he's been having. But it's not helping, in fact he's feeling worse, so today he's going to try to go to an urgent care instead, they may very well send him back to the E.R. but we'll see how it goes.

More shots...this time for you

Now that Eric is finished with his shots I need to remind you about a shot that you all need, your flu shot. Eric will not be getting the flu shot, even if he did the chemo would just destroy it anyway, so I am here to nag you to get yours! If you interact with Eric at all (or even if you don't), you need to have your flu shot. The flu is very difficult to fight off with no immune system. My family will be getting ours on Monday, Hailey, mom, dad, & KT already have theirs...so it's your turn! It's important to note that the flu mist vaccine is different from the flu shot. The flu mist (the nasal spray version of the vaccine) contains the live flu virus, if you get this version please stay away from Eric for 2 weeks following as he can get the flu from this version. Eric has an appt. with the radiologists today to come up with a plan for his radiation following the chemo. He's doing well, but if I must say he needs to drink more fluids, drink Eric drink!! (Eat too!)

Finished with the shots, & a good day!

Eric had a very good day today! He slept well last night, ate lunch out in the sun, and went for a drive with mom. She also took him to dinner and he had a milkshake!! He finished the shots tonight, lets hope he doesn't ever have to do those again. :0/ He's tired, but definitely in better spirits than he's been all week. I know that all of your positive thoughts, and prayers have helped, keep them coming!!

Green Rocks!!

This is what I'm talking about!!! Thanks Amy & Tricia!! You rock too!!

1 down...

Thanks for all of the great comments...he took one shot, he's got one more to go tomorrow night...the side effects from these shots last about 48 hours...come on Eric one more!!!

Your help is needed...

Hi I have a huge request...Eric is having a really rough time. These shots that he has to take are pretty awful. They make him very jittery, he hurts, he's nauseated, he has more sores in his mouth. He only has 2 more shots, one tonight, and one tomorrow. We need to get him through these shots, they are used to boost his white blood cell count. They need to get this number high before they put his port back in, if his white blood cell count isn't high enough and he gets an infection from the port then his immune system will have a difficult time fighting it. So here is the part where I need your help, maybe, just maybe if you all could rally together & post some positive comments here maybe he will feel better. So now I will turn it over to you...Come on Eric only 2 more shots!!!!!! We love you!!

feeling yucky...

Eric's been feeling yucky, this is mostly due to the Nupagin shots he has to do for the next few days. Nupagin is a medication that boosts your white blood cell count, they are trying to boost his count so that they can put his port back in next week. This medication makes you feel yucky, flu like. He definitely doesn't like it. He hasn't been eating a lot, his mom made him some tapioca pudding like he requested, so hopefully after these shots are done (Wed.) he'll start feeling better...

kidney stones & mouth sores

Well Eric spent yet another Sunday in the E.R., this is like a regular thing lately. He has a kidney stone (they think). He is home now trying to eat, and rest. The chemo can have some nasty things one of which is mouth sores. The reason for this is the chemo attacks and kills fast duplicating cells (that is the whole point to kill the immature leukocytes that are duplicating at an unnatural rate) , the inner lining of your mouth is constantly sloughing off and replenishing itself. We hope you're feeling better soon Eric!

I found this postcard on PostSecret it reminded me of Eric. Obviously he's not a "she" he's a "he" but you get the idea...

Mean & Green (his hair anyway)

Yep he did it, he dyed his hair green. The docs said it will probably fall out within 2 weeks...maybe he'll have green hair forever! :0) So I have a challenge for all of you, lime green is the support color for lymphoma, so let's see your green!! You don't have to be as extreme as Eric because after all it's not your hair that's falling out, but let's see how creative you can be, it doesn't have to be your hair, it can be anything, a bracelet, a ribbon, ect. Show me your green pictures, & with your permission I'll post them here!!

He's feeling pretty good

I just checked in with Eric, he's doing pretty good today yay!! He says he just tired, so hopefully things will just get better from here!! Eric has decided to dye his hair lime green today (the color of the lymphoma ribbon). I promise I'll post the picture when he's done!

And the fight is on...

Eric is officially fighting lymphoma! About an hour ago Eric started Chemo. He had quite a lengthy visit with Dr. Gilbert beforehand. They will be reinserting the port-a-cath on the 22nd, he will have another Chemo treatment on the 23rd. He will also be meeting with the radiologists from St. Marks at the end of the month to set up his plan for radiation treatments. Dr. Gilbert looked at the open wound for the infected port (which as you know has since been removed) she said it looks good. Eric has been told he WILL lose all of his hair within two weeks. So far he is tolerating all of the chemo meds ok (they were worried about Eric's asthma as one of the drugs can cause breathing problems.) I will add to this post later tonight with more details. The doctors said 1/3 of chemo patients experience NO effects (nausea, exhaustion) from the drugs...let's hope Eric is part of this 1/3.

quickly...

Tomorrow is a big day, I know your prayers are appreciated. I will update as soon as I know anything. We went to the pumpkin patch & corn maze tonight...it was fun, I'll post pics when I can.

Quiet is good...

I know it's been quiet around here...but for us quiet is a good thing. Eric saw the surgeon for a follow-up yesterday, they have left the incision open to let it heal from the inside out. The surgeon hopes that this will prevent it from getting infected again. But there are some concerns that it may become reinfected once Eric starts chemo. We definitely don't want this, infections are much harder to fight when chemo is destroying your immune system. Dr. Gilbert will be evaluating this on Thursday, but as things stand now Eric will be getting chemo on Thursday. If she decides she doesn't want to risk the infection that could change. We went to Red Lobster, endless shrimp is a good thing (according to Eric), but the question stands is it better than bacon?

I get by with a little help from my friends...

I forgot to post yesterday they have found the culprit of Eric's infection...surprise it was the port, they cultured it & he had a staph infection (no so fantastic on a port leading to your heart). But all is well it seems the infection is making it's exit, so now Eric can focus on the next big thing Chemo. Dr. Gilbert does not want to wait to start the chemo so on Thursday she will be evaluating him, if everything looks good then the chemo is a go. Eric had a quiet uneventful day today. Home health came & changed his bandage and taught Hailey (sis) to pack his wound it seems there are some concerns about insurance covering the home health care each day so Hailey may be helping out if that's a problem. Oh I'm glad I just have to deal with loose teeth, and mosquito bites :0)

Yay!!

Eric is on his way home! He will have home health care, they will be helping change the bandage, packing the wound, and basically just watch it to make sure everything looks 0key-dokey. He has an appointment with Dr. Gilbert (his oncologist at Huntsman's) on Thursday, she will be determining if he can start his chemotherapy or if he needs to wait for this incision to heal completely.

waiting...

I know you've all been checking the blog all day, you're thinking where is she, did she forget us. No I didn't I was just holding out hoping to post a "good" post for a change...alas no Eric is still in the "slammer" we thought he might be coming home today, well we thought that because the surgeon gave us hope. But nope it looks like Eric will spend at least one last night in the hospital. They have decided that Eric is allergic to the adhesive in the bandages so they are using a different type of bandage. He's doing well, but they just want to make sure he is infection free, we want this too so we'll hope (again) that tomorrow he'll get to go home, without this nasty infection.

Yucky

I just got a text message from Eric, it was a picture of his open wound. I WILL NOT post it here I don't want you to vomit cheerios all over your keyboard. Let's just say it's pretty awful. The surgeon came & saw him they are not letting him go home today, he says it's still infected. Eric is pretty bummed. As much as he LOVES soggy french fries, and baconless grilled cheese he would like to be home with out the poking & prodding from nurses. We're hoping tomorrow's your day Eric!!

Quick update

I'm baaaack did you miss me. Thanks Mommy for updating for me. Just a few changes from below Eric is NOT having chemo on Thursday, his surgeon feels that chemo is not a good idea because Eric has an open wound that is recovering from infection. The chemo's job is to kill Eric's immune system, this may prevent him from a good recovery. They can do the chemo with a PIC line in his arm once the infection clears up. Then when they feel his body is ready they can place a new port-a-cath. He looks really good, yay for good news we needed it. (P.S. prayers for my grandma she had a rough day, we're hoping tomorrow's a better day.)

SURGERY IS OVER (THIS ONE ANYWAY)

This update is being done by mom as Brandi and Hailey are at the hospital going back and forth between Eric's room and the ER as their grandmother Johnston is having some health issues.

Eric had surgery about 11:30 this morning to have the port-a-cath taken out. When we met with his surgeon he stated that there was a lot of discolored fluid in the upper part and around the device. They cultured both areas and hope to have the results later today. They won't be putting in another port until all of the infection is gone. Eric will be having another sleepover tonight at the hospital and getting more of the delicious treats (IV-Antibiotics). Since he hadn't had anything to eat since last night Eric decided to snack on a cracker. Low and behold the nurse caught him and he had to spit it out as the doctor had not sent over any orders stating that he could have anything to eat yet. Needless to say he wasn't very happy. Eric is still scheduled for his first chemo treatment at Huntsman's on Thursday with or without the port-a-cath. We will update later once we get more information.

Surgery...

Eric is having surgery today at 12:00 to remove the port-a-cath, this is all I know for now.

Upside down hearts & bacon :0)

Just got home from visiting Eric in the hospital. His infection is about the same, they are giving him I.V. antibiotics about every 6 hours. It's on his left upper chest in the shape of an upside down heart, which is just darling (not really). Eric seems to be feeling better they have given him morphine for the pain. He is being a perfect patient, he only had one gripe they wouldn't let him order bacon on his grilled cheese sandwich, so Hailey being the sweet sister she is went to the cafeteria & brought him some up. Tomorrow around noon the surgeon will decide if the port-a-cath needs to come out. Eric asked the doctor today if he could keep it if they take it out, let's hope he doesn't get a souvenir, we'd all like it to stay in.

Getting worse...

Eric was just seen in the E.R. by the surgeon, the infection has spread. They have decided to admit him into the hospital, they are going to try 24 hours of I.V. antibiotics. If this doesn't clear up the infection they will remove the port-a-cath, and start over. This is a set back but he's doing well. He even went out to eat last night (shocking though no bacon or cheesecake). Hopefully this I.V. antibiotic will help things...I'll let you know.

A little better

After a rough night and watching Eric's infection spread outside the lines (the nurse drew a line, it spread past it) things are looking a little better. As of last check Eric was snoozing away, much better than 3 am when he was doing anything but sleeping. He called the oncologist on call last night they are trying to give the antibiotics 24 hours to work. Let's hope things get better from here on out...

Update from below...

Eric saw the surgeon, he started him on antibiotics but didn't seem concerned. Eric didn't feel comfortable so he called the oncologists at Huntsman's, they wanted to see him immediately. He went back up, they drew blood work. They are watching this very closely, they believe Eric may have an infection. If this is the case the port-a-cath will need to be removed (more surgery), he will need I.V. antibiotics, he will need to completely infection free before they can reinsert the port-a-cath. Let's pray this isn't the case, this will delay his treatments. They will be watching his blood cultures closely. I'll update you if anything changes.

Huntsman Cancer Center

I must start by saying the Huntsman Cancer Center is pretty amazing. I don't know what I expected, but it certainly impressed me. We arrived at 8:00 am yesterday, Eric checked in at the Lymphoma clinic, yes they have an entire clinic devoted to each type of cancer. He first saw the P.A. and she again did a full physical of Eric. She spoke with us for quite a while, answered all of our questions & even gave Eric a hard time for not completing his medical history form (we liked her already!) We then met with the oncologist, she explained how lymphoma occurs (I'll post about that later) We found out they didn't have all of the tests from McKay Dee that they were needing they were missing the PET scan. They had their pathologists look again at the slides from the pathology from the infamous lymph node that started all of this. They agreed it is Hodgkin's mixed cellular Lymphoma. The doctors were concerned with the fact that Eric has some history of asthma problems & last week he had that chest pain (remember the chest x-ray?) So they sent him to U of U for PFT's (this measures your lung function). So as he did those Hailey, Mom & I went in search of that pesky PET scan, we picked it up at IMC in SLC, and met Eric back at Huntsman Cancer Center for part 2 of the day. We again met with doctors they confirmed that it is stage 2A and that if Eric does his treatment there he will be doing 4 months of chemotherapy (a total of 8 treatments), and then radiation treatments every day for 3 weeks (this radiation treatment can be done in Ogden). They gave us a tour of the Hospital, and the Institute, we saw the research labs, the infusion center, and 2 very yummy restaurants. It was definitely a lot to take in, & Eric is weighing his options. Either way he will start treatment next week (Thursday if he goes to Huntsman, Friday if he goes to McKay). We are trying to remain neutral in all of this, we would like Eric to make the decision, he is the one receiving the treatments, he needs to decide what option he is more comfortable with. It was a difficult day yesterday, an emotional one for sure. But I was once again impressed with how well Eric is handling things, it's a lot for one person to think about.
Just to update you-Eric's incision is bothering him (from the port-a-cath) he is going to see the surgeon this afternoon, I'll let you know how that goes.

Long day...

We left this morning at 6:30 am & didn't get home until 6:00 pm, a very long (& emotional) day. We are all truly exhausted. I promise tomorrow I will give you the complete breakdown on the appt. Tonight I am to tired. I will just tell you this, the assessment and diagnosis were the same at Huntsman, there are definitely pros & cons to getting treatment there, as there are at McKay Dee. Eric is weighing his options and has not come to a decision yet. I will post all the details tomorrow, but for now things are the same.

Off to SLC

Tomorrow we are off to The Huntsman Cancer Center, his appointment is at 8:00, I'm not sure what kind of information we will get once we get there but I will let you all know. Eric is still scheduled to start chemotherapy treatments a week from Friday, but that date could change I'll let you all know.

Feeling better, on to the next thing

Eric is feeling much better, he was not feeling well Friday after the port-a-cath. He is now back to work and doesn't have anything scheduled until Thursday. We have a fun filled schedule that day, he has an appt. scheduled at Huntsman's cancer center at 8:00 am, he then has to go to U of U for a "procedure" (sorry Eric couldn't resist :0). We are going to take mom for a belated birthday lunch, then we have to pick up some "craft" items for mom's business. Any guesses on where we'll be going? I'm sure it will involve the words cheese & cake.

Done with port-a-cath & more news

Port-a-cath is in, everything went well. He is a beautiful shade of oompa-loompa orange (from the iodine). He is scheduled to start chemotherapy on Oct. 3rd, that date could change if he decides to do his treatments at The Huntsman Cancer Center. The chest x-ray from yesterday didn't show any infection. Now for the best news Mom got her birthday wish Eric's bone marrow biopsy was clear...yay!! So for right now nothing else is scheduled until next Thursday (that's his appt. at Huntsman's). I'll let you know if something changes. In the meantime is there something about his cancer or treatments you're confused about? Let me know & I can post links here...

New slideshow

Quick update

Just wanted to let you all know that Eric met with a new surgeon today & he will be placing the port-a-cath tomorrow morning around 8:00. Today was supposed to be quiet, but true to form wasn't (we haven't had a "quiet" day in weeks). Eric had a chest x-ray done this morning he hasn't been feeling well & they are just checking things out. He is on an antibiotic just in case it's an infection. He says he's falling apart at the seams, once again though all we do is eat, Mom sent him home tonight with more cheesecake, so which is it Eric cheesecake or bacon or both?

Not a lot today...

Eric did get the results back from his MUGA scan, it showed the function of his heart as normal. This is important because the port-a-cath used for the chemo is placed in the superior vena cava vessel at entrance of the right atrium of the heart. We believe he will get this placed either this Friday or next. As I said in an earlier post he has an appointment at the Huntsman Cancer Center next Thursday. We haven't heard back on the bone marrow results we don't expect these results until at least Friday.

I also wanted to update you with a few questions we asked the oncologist this week:

1. Because Eric is stage 2 Hodgkin's not stage 3 he will be doing about 6 months of chemo plus radiation treatments following the chemo. Studies have shown that the two treatments in early stage Hodgkin's lead to a higher survival & a less likely recurrence rate. (Later stage Hodgkin's is normally only treated with chemotherapy)

2. The ABVD chemo treatments should last about 3 hours, the actual drip itself lasts about 1 hour 1/2 you can read more about that here Lymphoma Information Network - ABVD Chemotherapy

If there are any other questions any of you have please post them in the comments section or email me at rkings2991@aol.com.

Glad to be done with that...

Well the bone marrow biopsy is done, hopefully he should have the results back by Friday. He said it was very painful, a four letter word might have been uttered. But we are not judging, a few of us around here might also have said a few four letter words in the passing days. But anyway, he's glad it's over, so are we. He met with the surgeon this afternoon, we still aren't sure when he will get the port-a-cath placed, they are waiting on the MUGA scan results. For right now he doesn't have anything scheduled for tomorrow, if that changes I'll let you know.

Bone marrow biopsy & yet another birthday!

First we all want to wish our beautiful mom a Happy Birthday!! She has said that she wants nothing more for her birthday than a clear bone marrow biopsy for Eric today!! We're all hoping with her. On a more serious note, Eric is not excited about the bone marrow biopsy. He has been wanting to "get it over with" for several days. We are hoping the pain is much less than he is anticipating, we already know he's tough! He loves reading your comments & well wishes, I know it is helping him through these tough times. Thank you for loving our brother & wanting the best for him. I will update later after the procedure (by the way we won't know the results from it for several days.)

BIG NEWS! & correction

Eric called me right in the middle of the MUGA scan, big news! More importantly some good news (Finally!). It looks like the PET scan is showing Stage 2 NOT stage 3 like the doctor was fearing from the physical exam. This is big, it's not showing any cancer cells below the diaphragm. He will now be having the bone marrow biopsy tomorrow afternoon & meeting with the surgeon to schedule the port-a-cath tomorrow as well. Also Eric has decided he would like to have a consult down at the Huntsman cancer center, he feels, and we all agree that he just wants to make sure he has the most up-to-date treatments possible. I'm not sure when we'll hear the results from the MUGA scan (I forgot to ask I was so excited). I'll let you know when we hear more. Keep praying guys, it's working!

Quick update

Not a lot of info but I wanted to update you all...the doctor could not reschedule the bone marrow biopsy for today, instead he has rescheduled it for Wed. afternoon. He still has the MUGA scan this afternoon, and a consult with surgery coming up this week (for the port-a-cath). The nurse at Dr. Hansen's office is trying to get the results from the PET scan back, hopefully we should hear something by later today. On a different subject, we'd like to wish our step daddy a happy 66th birthday!! We love you!! I'll update more when I can.

Big day

Today is a big day, today Eric should get his PET scan results, he also has a MUGA scan scheduled. He is trying to get the doctor to do the bone marrow biopsy this morning, he wants to get it over with. Prayers are needed today. Let's hope the scan shows good results, specifically we would like it to show NO malignant lymph nodes below the diaphragm, the doctor believes there are some in the groin, but as we know doctors can be wrong. This is what we are praying for today. I will update more when we know the results.

We love you Eric!!

Not much today...

Not a lot to report today, Eric received the final pathology report on the lymph node. It is Mixed Cell Hodgkin's, this is a moderately aggressive cancer. He had his PET scan today, he should have more information on that on Monday. On a quick side note you'll all be excited to know he hasn't lost his appetite, he ate at Ruby River two nights in a row with a visit to Cheesecake Factory in between for lunch (I'm not complaining he brought me delicious treats, thanks Eric). He says he's hoping to be the only obese person on chemo. Let's hope.

Today's appt.

Eric met with Dr. Hansen today, he informed us that Eric is a difficult case (we already knew that :0) When we arrived we were informed that Eric's pathology results are still not complete. The pathologist believes that Eric has Hodgkin's disease, they are leaning towards "Mixed Cell Hodgkin's", but they are unsure. They said that the results don't completely match the "fingerprint" that Hodgkin's often has so they are having someone complete a second opinion. We should know more about that next week (where have we heard that before?)

In the meantime they have scheduled him for a PET CT tomorrow (a good explanation of what this is can be found here :PET Scan: PET Scans and Cancer.) Next week he will have a MUGA scan (to test the function of the heart), and he will have a port-a-cath placed in his chest which will help facilitate his chemo treatments. He will also need to have a bone marrow biopsy done, this is the only way to determine with certainty that he does not have stage 4 cancer.

The doctor did a physical exam of Eric & said he believes based on that exam that Eric is in Stage 3, and beginning to show some B symptoms (you can read more about that here Hodgkin's Lymphoma Types: Lymphocytes and Reed-Sternberg Cells), but he is unable to say with certainty until these other tests come back.

Based on all the information we have (and the lack of information we don't) we are anticipating Eric starting chemo in 2 weeks. More on that to come...

Where to start?

The difficulty in starting this blog is knowing exactly where to start...I guess we'll start at the beginning. About two months ago Eric noticed a painful lump on his neck (where his neck slopes down to meet his shoulder). He was started on an antibiotic by his doctor (P.A. Tara). Upon finishing the antibiotic he still was experiencing some pain, but tried to ignore it. Finally last week Eric decided he needed to figure out what was going on & made an appointment with her again. She quickly got him in for an ultrasound, they then sent him for a C.T. scan. The news was not good, they scheduled Eric for a biopsy the next morning. Friday morning he went for the biopsy (looking hot in his blue hospital gown, I have a pic I'll post later :0), the doctor was able to remove most of the first lymph node but commented that it looked "suspicious", and noted there were other lymph nodes all in line that looked the same. The weekend was long, we waited, and waited, and Monday came the news we were fearing. Eric has Lymphoma. We don't know how advanced, or what type, or why. He has an appointment Thursday with an oncologist. He should have the final biopsy results, more than likely he will require another C.T. scan (his first was only from the sternum up), from that and some more blood work they should be able to determine what stage, and type of cancer Eric has. We think he caught it early, Eric has had few symptoms (tiredness, itchy skin, and the enlarged lymph node) other symptoms he has not had (fevers, night sweats, weight loss), we believe this is a good sign. We will also find out Thursday what method of treatment will be best for Eric's type of cancer, more than likely he will start this next week. I will update later when we know more, but for now this is all we know. Here is a link for the Lymphoma Society if you have any questions.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society