Histio Round 3 Chemo Round 7 Days 1 & 2

I wanted to post this after our back to school theme post, and our first day of school post, but blogger hates me and is only loading 1 picture per half a day.  At this rate I should have those posts up when I post the pictures of my Grandkids.   Jackson's chemo round started on the first day of school this time.  I was so upset---I don't like to miss chemo, I always think its nice to take your son to his cancer treatments---I also don't like to miss the first day of school for my kids---rock / hard place / me (name that t.v. show).  Michael arranged to take Jackson to chemo this round and it is a good thing we have unlimited text and cell calls!!  I'm not trying to be annoying but its a little hard for me this week.  Anyway I've gotten a few calls from people wondering how it was going (which thank you all for remembering him!!) so I decided I better at least get this post up no matter how blogger was treating me.  Jackson is doing well his ANC was 3.7 on Wednesday so he was easily a go for chemo.  That Neulasta shot seems to be heaven sent to us.  He has felt fine/tired but good overall.  Chemo & IVIG the first day.  Chemo day 2 and then again today.  After chemo today Michael and Jackson are going to drive to Cascade and meet us at the first Royal Knight Football game of the season.  I've been wondering how that will be for Jackson.  Last year in uniform, this year not.  He has secured a promise from us that we will drive to every game after Friday chemo and then drive back to finish Saturday and Sunday chemo.  Can't wait to hug him tonight!

Farewell Summer Break 2012---we'll miss you

Sammi learned to use a bar-b-que grill in August....

she was quietly humble about her new skills--NOT!

Matt and I traded kids, he took my baby boy camping and I took his baby girl, and had to fight Sierra and Zoe for a chance to hold Anistynn, she is very popular with our family

Jackson had a final merit badge to finish in order to FINALLY finish his eagle packet.  A 20 mile hike in one day.  It was gently suggested that he could get a simpler accommodation for this badge since his balance is that of a drunken geriatric patient (no offense to all you drunken geriatric patients who read this blog) and he is currently going through Chemo.  He not so gently said I don't need any accommodations thanks anyway (except he forgot the thanks anyway).  So he picked the hottest Saturday (I'm not exaggerating that--over a 100 degrees for one of the few times this summer) we've had in Royal this summer and with family at all times, and usually some friends we started out....

 g

Here are some of the people who supported his 20 miler, Carter, Grandma Louise, Tanner, Sierra, Aunt Courtney, Krista Smith, Sammi, Seila, Kayla, Adalynn, Avery, and Louden.  Spencer Fielding also helped Jax finish off the last grueling 4 miles.  Michael was the only one to walk all 20 miles with him.  I made 15 miles, and I cried to think how amazing he was to keep going, I felt like my legs were jello.  But he kept going--part miracle, part Jackson's core athlete at it's best.

Jackson even jogged the last little bit of the 20th mile.  I wish my camera could have captured the exhaustion on his face.  I might have been able to zoom and focus better if my trigger finger hadn't cramped up during my 15 miles.  If not for the finger I could've done the 20 miles easy.  It took Jackson 6 hours and 4 minutes to do the 20 miles.

Aftyn showing Jackson how proud she is ---- this is actually a big deal.  Jackson tries to get Aftyn on his good side but she is usually all "talk to the hand" with him!

Next up the Relief Society Mother / Daughter activity.  It is a back to school fashion show that the little girls all love but they get too shy to be 1st---so a big girl (aka Sammi) had to show them "waz up".  Shy isn't a word I would use to describe Sammi.

My Zoe wearing JEANS.  JEANS people, do you know jeans have a button and Zoe has successfully evaded button wearing for going on 9 years--but this year JEANS.  Did I mention Zoe agreed to JEANS this year?

Sierra getting her sticker award from big sis.  Sierra is starting Middle School--pause for gasps.

3 Generations---some of us have been back to school shopping for over 1/2 a century (don't worry I won't name any names, Mom).

Carter is my party planner.  He decided he needed a play date with his buddies and their little brothers.  So that meant he needed a little brother, luckily our new neighbor Jerry was willing.  PHEW!

Sierra was making comments while I took the picture above, they retaliated after I clicked.  I think they are telling her to kindly keep your comments to yourself next time.

 At the hospital today Carter and I did laundry, and met some Navy officers who are in town for Seafair.  They came to the Children's hospital playroom today, and walked around visiting children.  Jackson watched "shipping wars" and got infused with Chemo and fluids.

Carter also choose the worlds messiest ice-cream flavor, I was afraid he was stained for life---but since he is never getting married, EVER, it shouldn't matter.

They boys also played a little Ninjago.  I am ready to see my other family members--Home tomorrow!!

Histio 3 Round 6 Day 3

Found these lovely ladies at Whale 4 greeters desk today.

I discovered they were looking for a cute 17 year old boy, from a small, supportive town, who also happens to have known them from infancy.

So they came, they watched, and then they decreed we should head to a mall.  A mall is something our small supportive town does not have.  I gave these girls a hard job.  Take my credit card and pick out a school outfit each for my two shop-a-phobic sons.  This way I neatly got rid of all my children, and all the children in Shelli's charge which left us free to enjoy ourselves.  Sometimes I'm brilliant like that.

Thanks Shelli, Hailey, Morgan, Charisty, Becca, and Seila!! 

p.s. I would have had the boys put their outfits on for a blog photo, but they refused to try on clothes for me-- teenage girls, yes.  Me the woman who suffered through agonizing pain to bring them into the world--no.

Histio 3, Round 6, Day 2

 Chemo went well--then it was oil change in Green car and dinner then on to the piece de resistance...

Swimming, because even if its August, Carter can't get enough swimming.

He was instructing me to take pictures of him jumping in the pool---after each jump he would come view his picture and then adjust his jump and give suggestions to the photographer (me).

He wanted to be looking at the camera in the air over the water---harder than it sounds.

                                            Close, but no cigar--I mean close but no head.

We may have done it.

Some Carterisms of the day for your enjoyment:

I took him to do school clothes shopping and was telling him that a shirt he was trying on was a v-necked shirt, and he said;

"I look really skinny and good in V-necks" then as he was trying on a $2.99 avengers tee-shirt he said;

" the thing about second grade is you start to like different things so you want to wear different clothes".  What???  He also had been complaining before going shopping that he didn't want new school clothes, after we started shopping he declared; "this is funner than I thought about it".  This kid keeps us smiling, and running! 

Not to be ignored, Jackson wanted me to take a picture of his "trick" he calls this feat of strength "slightly leaning in a hot tub".  Wow

Only in Seattle would you see a Doggie fun town, complete with indoor pool for dogs.

Histio Round 3, Chemo round 6, Day 1

Chemo week included a brief stop off for scout camp on Monday and Tuesday--during which Jackson got to go on an "awesome zip line and walk about a billion miles".  Exaggerate much son?

 Wednesday brought us back to Seattle Children's Hospital.  This month represents the 1/2 way mark for this year of Chemo.  As usual the 1st day is a looonnnggg day, labs, Doctor exam, IVIG, fluids and Chemo.  The day flew by as if an angel in summer clothes had dropped by, oh wait she did!

Don't worry--Brinley's Mom gave Jax the order to kiss her on the check--he was happy to obey.  Maybe if I doled out more assignments like this he would obey me too!!  Jackson and Tanner met Brinley LAST year at EFY in Utah.  They have texted, and skyped with her and some others off and on all year.  Brinley's family ended up in Gig Harbor on vacation while Jax had a chemo week.  Her family drove in to Seattle, took her to the Hospital and waited in the car while Brinley and her Mom came in and visited with us for 30 minutes.  So kind--and such a lift for Jackson's day.  He had a headache tonight, probably from being overtired from Scout camp and from the IVIG, but he kept saying "my head is killing me, but then I remember Brinley dropped by and I forget all about it"!!  So fun that they did this for him--Thank you Brinley and her Family.

Jackson's 17th birthday bash

17 years 5 months ago the ultrasound tech told us "it's a boy", immediately through my mind came the thought "oh no, cub scouts---and someday he'll have to go on a mission and my heart will break".  We survived cub scouts--he has completed his Eagle project and just needs to do the paperwork, so the end of boy scouts is in sight also.  Seventeen years, and 24 months of Chemo, and at least 6 more to go I now realize that I want more than anything for Jackson to be ABLE to serve a mission, it would be such a blessing.  He has had to jump the learning curve on some pretty hard life lessons with his Cancer.  But it has made him who he is, and we love and are grateful daily for who he is.  I don't know why Jackson has to fight so hard for his quality of life, but he does it without complaint, truly without complaint.  I may never know in this life why, but I do know it helps us as a family and as parents get good bone jarring "reality checks" as to what matters.  We love our boy and want to help his dreams come true whenever we can----this birthday gift was a dream come true for him.  However, we debated doing it because we were afraid of setting a precedent we can't continue for the other children.  You see Michaels' moisture monitoring business is growing by leaps and bounds--that's good.  He has one pickup truck and needs too---that's bad.  All Jackson wants in this world is a truck to drive, so we discussed things with Sammi and told her we had to get a truck in order to have two people, installing and downloading the moisture monitoring equipment, and if we bought one now it could be "Jackson's birthday gift" that we would borrow as needed!  I wasn't sure what she would say, but she said, "I think it's a good idea that we help Jackson's dreams come true whenever we can".  Now she hadn't been in on the dreams come true debate Michael and I were having---pretty cool.  Happy birthday Buddy, we hope MANY more of your dreams get to come true.

A scavenger hunt that began at home.  The first clue led him to the..... 

 Lee family.  Here he is getting a birthday hug from Becca.  At each "spot" he had to complete a chore to get his next clue in the scavenger hunt, this chore was....

Scooping "droppings"!

Miyah has a horse, Jax cleaned up after it! This gave him the next clue which took him too....

Uncle Matt and Aunt Courtneys house.

Here he had to fold towels, and here I learned I need to teach my 17 year old son how to fold towels!!  Luckily the kids jumped in to rescue him.  The clue from Cat and Mourtneys led him to....

 The Jenks family, where he had the delicious job of frosting cookies which they gave to him!!  I want chores at there house please.  That clue led him to....

The Smith's where Kayla felt like hugging the birthday boy too.

They really tested him by making him water grass!!  That clue led him....

home to his truck which the Jenks had hidden in our garage while we were out chasing down clues!!

Dad is receiving a hug from a happy, tearful boy.

Happy birthday Jackson!!  Your age makes me feel old, people might stop believing I'm 28 since that would mean I had you at 11.

Keep fighting the good fight--we need you in our family, who else would torment your sisters?