Energy Spurts and Clinic Update

I just heard from Mike and despite the long clinic visit today it has gone well. David has put on two ounces! Whoo hoo!! I remember when he was a newborn and struggled to put on weight that we would celebrate ounces:)

Today he received Vinchristine which is a chemo drug that is just a push in his port-a-cath IV. He also received the Doxarubicin which is a red chemo drug that is a slow dripping IV. They warned us that his urine, sweat, and tears could be red for the next week or so. This is a heavy-hitting chemo drug which potentially has some rough side effects. I am choosing not to worry about that today. God is in control.

Mike also was informed today that tentatively the next CT scan is scheduled for January 3rd. They will sedate him (praise the Lord) and this will be a scan to determine how those lung lesions are responding to all this chemo. I am praying and believing that they will be all gone, but the doctor keeps reminding us that they are large lesions and that they will be happy if they have just shrunk. If they are still there he will need to switch to a different regimene of chemo which is a more aggressive approach. Please start praying now that this chemo has melted away those lung lesions. I just keep singing "Our God is greater, our God is stronger" when I get anxious about the next scan.

So, he has four treatments down, 32 to go. :) We celebrate little victories around here! I am so thankful that Mike took him today because my Mom is here today helping me get organzied for Christmas. It is so hard to not be there, but I am also getting some stuff done that will make our break more relaxing.

So here are some fun pictures from the weekend. David really had energy spurts this weekend and acted like a typical 7 year old. Then the next minute he would snuggle and watch a movie to rest.
Nerf guns are hot in our house right now and here is David and Jason teaming up against Ashley!

Ashley posing in the cute christmas glasses:)

A serious nerf gun battle in our house-David shooting Ashley from upstairs!

Jason got this picture of David eating pizza:) He still has a little wispy hair:)

David and AShley not only brought us dinner and dessert (yummy chicken and dumplins and brownies) but they also brought a Gingerbread house to do with the kids.

Kyle loves to make gingerbread houses because he loves candy! Ha!

I had gone to get David a pizza and missed this fun:)

On the left is the house the kids made and then the adorable train is made by some special ladies that work with Mike. They brought it by yesterday for our kids. It is so professional looking!

David usually eats a late night snack before bed and he begged me to put together this Lego thing with him. We had such fun and we love Legos. He has just gotten into them and we all love them!

Here are my cute boys this morning. Kyle was heading out to school and David was heading out to chemo. I love these boys and this year we are looking forward to Christmas break to rest and relax.

We are so ready to make some family memories and because of our circumstances this year we have not gotten caught up in the crazy hectic and commercial side of Christmas. We are amazingly ready for Christmas and we have yet to stress about it. All the "must do" stuff that we did not get to do while in the hospital does not seem so important now. We are just ready to spend time together as a family and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

This year we will look at the birth of Jesus a little bit closer because this holiday is when we celebrate the birth of the King that still reigns now today. He has walked every mile of this nightmare with us and He will continue to do so in 2012 as we endure the chemo and the side effects. The babe that was born in the manger so long ago is first in our hearts and lives now in 2011.