San Francisco

We got home at 1:30 in the morning on Monday.  Michael and I flew out Wednesday night for San Francisco.  This was a trip planned before we knew Jackson would be back in Chemo.  In a way I am glad, because otherwise I might not have gone and it has been fun to be just the two of us after all the craziness that has invaded our lives since the worlds worst Valentines Day.  Michael is the Chair of the Irrigation Association Certification Board and we are here for his summer meetings. 

Michael, Thursday night with Alcatraz in the background.

Friday while he was in meetings I took a Duck tour around San Francisco and then toured Alcatraz.

It was a really interesting tour, I like the audio that told the stories of the guards and their families that lived on Alcatraz, about 80 families at one point.  Plus I didn't know Alcatraz was once a prison to hold Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, it's been here AWILE.

This was the day of the mass shootings in the Colorado Movie Theatre.  Hoping that criminal ends up some place like Alcatraz for what he did to those people and their families.

The view of San Francisco from Alcatraz.

Thought the kids might like to see Alligators and Turtles made out of Sourdough Bread!

Mason & Shelleys Wedding

We were home a couple of days from Chemo then loaded the suitcases back in the car for yet another road trip. We were smart enough not to put the suitcases away this time! We were super excited for this road trip, we have waited over a decade for this wedding......Mason got married. Even better, as a supreme bonus, we love his bride!! Just kidding Mason---although some of your past girlfriends were....well we love Shelley! It was such a sweet wedding, they were both emotional which helped all of us feel the spirit of that special marriage ceremony. Great day. Great trip.

Grandpa Fred and Grandma Beve rented two big water slides for us to play on the day before the wedding.

Baby Bode--blue eyed beauty.

Two little monkeys swinging in the trees.

My newest niece via Magen and Shawn, baby Brighton.  We all fought for turns to snuggle with her.

               Dead Man Walking, I mean here is a picture of Mason the day before his wedding!!!



Magen's husband Shawn arranged to have us tour the private WWII museum -- he and his Dad restore all these pieces for a private individual collection.  Sydney, Tyson, Heather, Brett, Wesley, Braxton, and Dexter came along. 

Huge room to hold huge equipment.

                                              Dexter and Carter with their soldier friend.

Wedding Day!!  Jackson, Mason, Michael, Fred and Carter posing for their GQ cover.

Sierra and Zoe

Carson was getting last minute touch ups from his Dad, Marcus.

Sierra and my new best friend Millie---just so you all know 3 year olds are my favorite people to converse with!

Carter---dang that boy is cute!!  Too bad ladies, he claims that he hates kisses and is never getting married.

                 The beautiful Billy Freeland Family.  Mandy, Billy, Millie, Mya, Bode and Little Billy.

                                         Aunt Sandy, Gina, Jordan (kind of) and Mathew.

There she is!!

The best man (Jax) Mason, Bishop, and Shelley.

They were both so sweet and emotional.

                                                    Mason's dog Snake was the ring bearer.

                                                                  The happy couple. 

         Jackson and Mason.  Jackson was super excited when Mason asked him to be his best man.

                   All the nieces and nephews--Shelly brought 2 cute nieces, Mason provided the rest!!

Plus we got to see the phenom ballplayer Caleb in action!

While we were enjoying the wedding, Sammi got to go with Brian, Holly, and Kylie to Las Vegas.  Brian had planned it all in advance and kept the location top secret.  Top secret until they were leaving Home and he took and business call and he told the guy I can't do the job this weekend I'll be in Las Vegas!!  They rode all the death defying rides and saw PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!!  Super fun trip for all of us.

Histio Round 3 Chemo round 5 labs week 1

WBC normal range is: 4.5 -11.0 his count today: 58.8 Critically High Range (because of the Neulasta shot this is expected)
HCT normal range is : 41.0-53.0 his count today: 39.6 low  RBC normal range is: 4.5 - 5.9 his count today: 4.17  low  ANC normal range is: 1.8 - 7.8 his count today: 51.2 Critically High Range (again because of the Neulasta shot) 

We got home Sunday afternoon---uneventful trip home, I love those!  Jackson has been sleeping hard at night, but working most of the day so I am impressed.  We are leaving tomorrow for Utah for Mason and Shelley's wedding---2 days at home this week--better than 1 day last week!

Histio Part 3 Chemo Round 5 Days 1,2,& 3 PLUS the 4th of July!

I really wanted to post about our bike a thon and trip across America (I exaggerate at times) so I have not been good about posting blood counts and the Histio part of our lives, hope you haven't missed that---I know I haven't!  Suffice it to say since the addition of Neulasta at the end of every round of chemo his counts have been good--not always normal but pretty dang close!  This round we had to come a day early because it was time for the first MRI since valentines day when the new lesions were found.  The results were good---the biggest and fastest growing area of concern was the right orbital bone and skull behind it, and the MRI shows that area is for sure shrinking!  Just what we needed to keep Jax out of inpatient hospitalization and "killer" chemo doses.  We can keep going with the current chemo road map---phew, as much as I hate this disruption in our life it is better than the alternative of having Jax inpatient.  The other lesions on the pituitary stalk, pons area of the brain, and right side of the brain are stable, which makes me wonder if the body doesn't somehow know to take care of the most dangerous place first.  I'm just wondering and don't know except I'm glad the fast growing area is shrinking.  I came Monday night with Jax, Sierra, Zoe, and Carter.  We spent from Tuesday at 8 am until 5:30 pm at the hospital.  Then I fed them, we gathered jackets and headed to the ferry to go to my friend Julia's house.  We got in line for the 8:10 ferry at 7:20ish---not soon enough.  Bainbridge Island does their fireworks on the 3rd and apparently other people had the same idea as us!!  We did catch the 9:15 ferry and made it to Julia's in time to see the big fireworks.  Carter claims to have seen a heart, a box, a smiley face, Santa Claus and Mario.  The rest of us saw the heart and smiley face fireworks!  We felt pretty big city catching the 12:55 ferry back to Seattle and falling into bed at 2 am--we are so hip (read crazy).  The next day was IVIG and chemo and fairly long 6 hours.  That night we went to the movies and saw Seattle's fireworks from the freeway going back to the hotel.  On Thursday Mom and Courtney came over to spend the day with us and Courtney only wrecked Mom's car into our car once--not bad!  And finally today included Chemo---waiting 2 hours at the drivers licensing place to discover we needed Jackson's birth certificate in order to replace his license that burned up in the blue truck (the website does not tell you that about getting a replacement license--grrrr).  Tonight Sammi and Michael joined us, I'm so glad---I like us all together.

The sauna at our hotel---and two gorgeous ladies.

Ferry boat ride---hold on to your hats because soon Carter gets overexcited and starts dancing and yelling "I love ferry boats, I love ferry boats".  It was fine, I pretended I didn't know the kids until the others quit looking at the "cute little blond boy, dancing".

                                           First attempt at a group picture......

                                                      Much better, thanks for cooperating.

                                   Love this photo---however;  does my sister Brenda love it too?

                                          Sierra took this of the Seattle skyline & space needle.

Over-excitiment is hitting him.....

                                                                      and her....

                                                              and her.

Carter wanted to feel the blood pressure cuff---the nurses at Children's are so patient and good to the patients AND the siblings.

                          The fourth of July brought a quick visit from Hadley, Kristi, Heather and Seila.

 Hadley asked for donations for Children's hospital for birthday gifts this year---she delivered them to a happy to accept them hospital worker.  Nail polish and coloring books, will make lots of kiddos happy.

Hadley, Sierra, and Zoe by the Elephants near the volunteer office.

                                                   It gets hard to amuse yourself in a hotel room.

                                             Aunt Courtney and Zoe flashing their baby blues.

                                        Wish they would study books as intently as DS games.

                                        Grandma Louise texting.....or shooting angry birds

                                               The lucky china man outside our hotel.

                              Carter found an unoccupied x-box at Children's Hospital---SCORE!!