Miracles!!!!

Our emotions are very tender today. We feel so humble and grateful for the divine tender mercies and blessings we have received through this very difficult and trying journey. We feel that from the very beginning we have been guided and strengthened through prayer to deal with this challenge. We are so thankful for your love, support, and prayers, for our little Jeremy. We feel that those prayers have been answered and we have been granted a miracle. Yesterday Jeremy had an MRI and CT scan. We met with Dr. Spraker afterwards to discuss the results. Jeremy's tumor has shrunk to a size that is no longer measurable.  It is now stranulated and confined to the left sinus. The nasal passages are clear and there is no discrete mass and no evidence for new enhancing tumor. Contrast is showing the tumor to be dead. We asked Dr. Spraker if this means that Jeremy's cancer will be in remission at the end of chemotherapy in July. She said with these results, she considers him in remission now. She continued to say that because we have noticed his increased activity, appetite and energy over the past two weeks, this confirms that the chemicals normally released by a tumor such as this, have stopped.  (He made the full three hours at church this last week for the first time since last summer.) As he completes these last three months of chemotherapy, the tumor will continue to shrink and will become minuscule. These results are miraculous! Surgery was not an option and the "plan" was that Jeremy would have a dead tumor at the end of chemotherapy.  Though we have to finish Chemo, it seems we have the dead tumor now.

We believe this experience started with a miracle but because of the emotions and emergent nature of what was happening we did not record the beginning of it all.  So we have this record in the future to look back on, this is what happened...

This morning I have been reflecting on last August when Jeremy started snoring. He had just started Kindergarten. I was so glad that he was in afternoon kindergarten, because the snoring was interrupting his sleep (and James' since they shared a room). He seemed to be getting louder and more tired. I had heard that tonsils can cause snoring and felt that I should take him to the doctor's for a check up. The morning of September 12, 2011, I felt a strong impression that I should make a doctor's appointment for Jeremy that day. I also felt very impressed that Jeremy needed to see Dr. Gabrielsen (sometimes we will see whoever is available at Wee Care). I called to make the appointment but Dr. Gabrielsen had no appointments available for that day. So I made an appointment with him later that week. I started cleaning the house and felt troubled. I had a strong impression to call Wee Care again. It is interesting looking back. Snoring is not an emergency, yet I felt so strongly that he needed to see the doctor that day. I called Wee Care and the lady on the phone told me that Dr. Gabrielsen had a cancellation and asked if I could be there in an hour. After examining Jeremy, Dr. Gabrielsen said that Jeremy's tonsils were huge! He said it is not an emergency, but he felt like we should get it taken care of as soon as possible. He walked us to the reference desk and asked the scheduler to make Jeremy an appointment with an ENT specialist within the next couple of days. She scheduled us an appointment with Dr. Anderson.
At our first visit we saw Dr. Anderson's physician assistant. After examining Jeremy he scheduled surgery for removal of his tonsils, adenoids, and a tube to be placed in Jeremy's left ear. He said that they normally do not schedule surgery during the first visit, but felt this is an obvious case and it needs to be taken care of. Surgery was scheduled for October 5th. He also prescribed an antibiotic for Jeremy's ear infection (we did not know he had one because he did not complain of pain). During this waiting period Jeremy developed a constant runny nose and started having sleep apnea, and his nose was so congested that he could only breath through his mouth. I called the doctor's office and they changed his antibiotic and prescribed a nasal spray. We saw Dr. Anderson at Jeremy's pre op visit. He asked me if Jeremy was having any pain or fevers. I said no. He said that is unusual. He has developed an abscess behind his left tonsil, which are painful. He told me that since it was late in the afternoon and surgery was scheduled for early in the morning he would take care of the abscess at that time and also do a biopsy, but if there were any changes during the night to take Jeremy to the ER. I slept by Jeremy's bed that night.
The next morning Mike and I were waiting for Jeremy to come out of surgery and it was taking a very long time. After a while they asked us to wait in a room for the doctor. Again we waited and waited....feeling that something was not right. Dr. Anderson came to us and said "I am so sorry. It was not an abscess its a tumor. It is cancerous, malignant. We removed the left tonsil and did a biopsy on the tumor. (They left the right tonsil and adenoids. The tumor had pushed the tonsils forward making them look enlarged, the tonsils and adenoids were healthy.) I asked him "How do you know it's cancer?" He said that it was very obvious and they called a pathologist in to confirm. He told us that we were going to McKay- Dee Hospital for CT scan and x-rays and he would also get us set up with an oncologist at Primary Children's Hospital. We were shocked, confused, uncertain, and afraid of what this might mean. Our hearts were in anguish.
Jeremy spent Wednesday night at McKay Dee Hospital, a night home (I slept by him) and on Friday morning we headed up to Primary Children's Hospital. After CT, MRI, x-rays, and several other procedures. Jeremy was admitted and stayed for 9 days. The tumor was growing so quickly, it had closed off the nasal cavity and the left side of his mouth. Jeremy could only breath through a small opening on the right side. With the left tonsil removed we could easily see his tumor. He ended up spending a couple of nights in PICU because of his sleep apnea.
Jeremy was diagnosed with Rhabdomyo Sarcoma, intermediate risk (because of location), stage 3. Chemotherapy was started on Monday, October 10, 2011. We were told that we were very "fortunate" to have taken him in to the doctor's office when we did. It was a very fast growing and aggressive cancer and the location of the tumor was compromising his breathing. If we had waited only 1-2 more weeks, it would of spread and he would have been stage 4 or we would of had an emergency situation with his breathing entirely compromised. We feel this was more than "fortunate", it was a miracle!

"For I am God, and mine arm is not shortened; and I will show miracles, signs, and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name.  And whoso shall ask it in my name in faith, they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick; they shall cause the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk. And the time speedily cometh that great things are to be shown forth unto the children of men;" D&C 35: 8-10

Week 28!

Jeremy had the VAC chemo last Tuesday. My heart aches to see him suffer with nausea, vomiting, and fevers. We adjusted his nausea medicine and he did a little bit better. On the next VAC chemo, we are going to start his nausea medicine a few hours before chemo is administered so that it is in his system and see if this will help. We can also try a steroid, but he is already on so much medication I hesitate to add another one. Jeremy was on a steroid when he was first diagnosed. It made him very emotional and irritable (a common side effect). It seems like we would be trading one problem for another. On the bright side, Jeremy seems to recover quickly, by late Thursday afternoon he was outside riding his bike. We feel that he is being very blessed!

We are trying to spend time each day helping Jeremy with reading, writing, and his physical therapy exercises. We are thinking about skipping kindergarten and sending him to 1st grade. We are praying to know what would be best for Jeremy. I spoke with the principal and he suggested we enroll Jeremy in summer school. We are considering it. Chemotherapy is scheduled to be done in July. Jeremy has a MRI and CT on Tuesday, April 24th. We feel that he is doing well and expect no surprises, but we still feel anxious to see the results! We have an appointment with Dr. Spraker right after to talk about the scans. We will post the results next week.

Megan taught Jeremy how to tie his shoes.

I did it!

Now for the other shoe! 

I have a greater appreciation for these simple, normal childhood moments!

A Week of Dinosaurs!

We have been enjoying a "break" from chemo.  Jeremy usually has chemo every week, but in his chemo plan there are a few scheduled breaks. We sure enjoy these little breaks! Jeremy's next VAC chemo is on Tuesday, April 17th.

We love this beautiful Spring weather! Jeremy is looking for potato bugs in the garden.

Found one!

Mike had work in Vernal and Price last week. Since the kids were out of school for Spring break and Jeremy did not have chemo, we loaded up the camping trailer and went with him. Although Jeremy had a break from chemo, there are no breaks from cancer. We packed Jeremy's feeding pump, Neupogen shots, and mapped out the hospitals along the way, in case we had an emergency. 

James, Ireland, Jake, and Jeremy looking at the fish outside of the Dinosaur Museum.

This is a really fun museum. 

Towards the end Jeremy was getting tired. He laid down on this stone bench and closed his eyes. I asked him if he was getting tired. He did not want to admit that he was, and said "I am pretending to be a Utah Raptor (dinosaur) fossil". 

It is nice to have big brothers to carry you around! When Jeremy got tired of walking Jake and James would offer to carry him on their backs.

We went on a really fun hike looking for real dinosaur tracks by Red Fleet Lake. 

We went slow and took many breaks but it was well worth it.

Here is a real dinosaur foot print in the rock. 

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Jeremy was so excited that he learned how to skip rocks!

 The boys wanted to go fishing. Jake set up Jeremy's fishing pole and helped him fish. Mike had to work during the day while the kids and I vacationed. We wished that he could of joined us, but we were glad the kids had this opportunity to spend time together. We had a great trip! 

Jeremy at the "Make a Wish" Easter Egg Hunt!

Looking for eggs.

The Easter Egg Hunt was at the Dinosaur Museum in Ogden. 

Jeremy got a dinosaur painted on his face. 

Megan was home from BYU for the weekend and was able to come with us. All of the kids have been so supportive and helpful caring for Jeremy through his cancer. He has been blessed with wonderful big brothers and sisters!