Jackson + Nuelasta= tru luv 4ever & Drive to Utah, attend a wedding, Drive home

I didn't get a chance to tell you all of my willingness to advertise for Neulasta before we took a QUICK trip to Utah for Michael's youngest sister's wedding.  I am willing to advertise---I won't even charge my usual modeling fee. 
If you remember last month (by the way I commend you if you remember what you went downstairs for  minutes ago if you can--sadly I can't remember so I am back upstairs, blogging, I think...), Jackson's counts tanked so low the week before Chemo, that he had to miss school.  His ANC last month at this time was 0.2 (or 200 depending on your mad math skills).  That made our Oncologists decide we should try giving Jackson the super spendy (super spendy shots sell seashells by the seashore) Neulasta shot in an effort to keep him safe from getting Neutropenic.  Here are his counts from April 25th, 2012 the week before his 3rd round of Chemo.

WBC normal range is: 4.5 -11.0 his count on 4/25/12: 7.3  NORMAL---did you hear me---NORMAL!!!!

HCT normal range is : 41.0-53.0 his count on 4/25/12: 37.1 low (just a little though)

RBC normal range is: 4.5 - 5.9 his count on 4/25/12: 4.19 low (barely a smidge)

ANC normal range is: 1.8 - 7.8 his count on 4/25/12: 4.3 NORMAL---am I shouting too loud---don't care--- NORMAL!!!!

Go NEULASTA go, go NEULASTA.  If I haven't explained it before under 500 = bad---no go anywhere bad.  7.3 good translates to 7300.

Now on to Utah--we left Thursday afternoon, spent the night in a rainy, hail-y, Boise and then pushed on to Utah on Friday.  Michael and I got to go the Temple with Michael's sister Mindy and her fiance, Nate Romney (and yes, Nate's Dad is related to Mitt--2nd cousins--think that might get me invited to the White House?  Hope so I've wanted to go for ever so long---hint Michael)  The kids were troopers, Jackson missed prom--the first one he could have gone to, and Sammi missed a softball game--she is sure the coaches will hit her with metal bats come Monday.  I was willing to risk it her beating by a bat, for Mindy!  I wonder if my Mother of the Year plaque got lost in the mail AGAIN?  Anyways.....

I took my new camera that I got for Christmas, unfortunately I left the special rechargeable battery at home, recharging.  I have tried to pull some photos off Beverly's facebook, if I was successful you will see wedding photos, if not....you won't.  The suspense is killing me.

19 Years of Marital Bliss--(mostly)

April 22nd, 2012 was our 19th wedding anniversary---19 years.  We now have been married more years than we lived at home with our parents.  Weird.  Not to mention we are OLD.
Here are 19 facts about the Michael and Becky Marriage:
1.  When we got married April 22nd was just our wedding day--not "Earth Day"  we are actually quite annoyed that "Earth Day" is on OUR anniversary, they should have gotten their own day and left ours alone.
2.  Our first house was over 100 years old, and has since been demolished.  I want the old front door which is just laying in the lot--Michael does not.
3.  We have moved 10 times in 19 years, but we need to either move again soon, or hire someone to clean out the closets around here, I feel at this point in my life I am too sophisticated for such menial labor!!
4.  We both see no need for pets, consequently we have owned 20 through the years---not including the various fish.
5.  We have had 15 different vehicles and have only totaled 1 poor little mini-van on Michael's 30th birthday--with 3 month old Sierra along for the wild ride, on the same day my Dad had surgery and,  my sister Holly had an emergency c-section and Tyson Wade was born.
6.   When we got married we had 6 Grandparents between us.  Nineteen years later we have 1 left standing.
7.  We have 2 sons, currently one is in Chemo for the 3rd time and one has a broken arm---boys!!
8.  We have 3 daughters, and they make me think of that sesame street song, "one of these things is not like the other, 1 of these things just doesn't belong (except she does---we couldn't make it without her).....if you know my family you will understand which 2 things are exactly like the other!
9.  We haven't counted the hours spent coaching our children but between us it has been 13 years and at the very least, 34 teams.
10.  We have gone through 6 washing machines, but I would like to point out that the first 5 were used, and not gently used, but USED.
11.  We have 20 current siblings and sibling-in-laws and on this Friday we get #21 --- and then in July #22!  (Michael can almost name them all too)
12.  We have 13 nephews, they are soooo crazy.
13.  We have 11 nieces, they are soooo cute, and soooo crazy!
14.  We come from parents who between them have been married 84 years--impressive.  Thanks for the good example folks.
15.  We are both the oldest, and occasionally get frustrated at the other one for not letting us boss him/her around.
16.  We have had, between us, about 22 church callings through the years.
17.  We have raised nearly $30,000.00 dollars for research into Jackson rare, life altering, disease. 
18.  We have never bought anything that was seen on T.V. from the T.V. I admit to one vegetable chopper bought at an "as seen on T.V." store in the mall.  I can not recommend that chopper.

19.  We have never had enough sleep in 19 years---and we have never been more in love with each other.

*Now get ready for some good old fashioned 1993 photographs.....This may not be an informative blog but I'm always good for a laugh if nothing else......

Early in the dating process.....

Newly engaged a whopping 4 1/2 months later.

And here we are almost 8 months to the day after we met---do you love the sponge painted back drop, spared no expense!!

Proof I have been in the Noftle Family longer than Mindy--she is in her Mamma's belly in this picture, and on Friday she gets married.  Time flies my friends, time flies.

Mom made the girls bridesmaid dresses (Holly and Heather got into quite the fight at JoAnns fabrics picking the fabric and pattern---I walked around the store acting like I didn't know them), Matt was soooo excited to have a brother.  Now I am concerned because he has aged quite a bit since my wedding. :)

Miss these two so much--Grandpa and Grandma Bishop.

Miss you too Grandpa Andersen.

Michael with Zachary and David Andersen and Derek, Tyson and Austin Allred.

Me with Erin, Ashlee, Andrea, Kara, and Shaina Allred, and Nikki and Whitney Andersen.

Look, no dishpan hands----yet.

Newlyweds in our first home, the only fridge I have ever been able to see the top of.

19 years

Heart of a Cougar, Bones of a boy

The boy had an accident on Thursday April 12, 2012.  It involved an after school play date, and a trampoline.  The darn trampoline grabbed Carter's good buddy and thrust his knees onto Carters arm.  Because of that trampoline, the play date was cut shockingly short.  All so Carter and his strangely bent arm could go down to the clinic in Royal City.  I was very impressed with Carter, who knew immediately that his arm was broken, he told me later his "clues' were;  "the snap sound I heard, and my hand wouldn't move, and it was bent wrong at my wrist".  He is good at noticing things.  He came into the house crying hard, me being careful to retain my amateur mother status, yelled from the pantry---"you better be hurt to be crying like that".  Luckily I believed him once I walked out and saw his sorry little bird arm.

Jana and Dr. Jose E. x-rayed Carter in Royal and sent the images to Dr. Wheaton in Moses Lake.  Both the Ulna and Radius bones below the right wrist were broken.  Dr. Wheaton said to put a half cast on him, send him home with pain meds,  and to go in at 9:30 the next morning to meet with him about setting the arm.  Jana and Dr. Jose were so good with Carter, and Carter was Mr. Please and Thank You, I tell you he made me look good, he was so polite.  As Dr. Jose was helping him turn his arm for one x-ray Carter cried out, it hurt so bad---and with tears running down his face he thanked Dr. Jose for helping him hold his broken arm.  Dr. Jose said, "Carter, your killing me man", you could see the confusion on Carter's face!  He got lots of attention at home from his siblings.  We were all fighting over bringing him whatever we could think of to bring a smile to his face.  Then cousin Avery and family brought him a chocolate bar, Grandma Louise gave him a lightsaber wii controller, and Braydon and Family a balloon and candy.  Carter told me that was the only good thing he could think of about breaking his arm!  He spent a long sleepless night in my bed. 

Dr. Wheaton gave the Cougar Man two choices.  Don't eat or drink for six hours, go to the hospital, be put under, and have us set your arm while you are asleep.  Or--- we numb your arm up with a special shot and I set it right here in my office and you will be out the door with your temp. cast in 30 minutes or less.  Brave Carter picked the 2nd choice---mainly so he could get a milkshake.  He screamed when they gave him the numbing shot, and grabbed on to me crying when they set it.  We might have both been a little teary.  I had brought a DVD player that Grandma Beve gave Jax for Chemo, but Carter said his arm hurt to bad to watch a movie.

In just a few moments though, the arm was nice and straight, and after confirming that it was straight on the inside he got his temporary plaster cast on.  And don't worry he got his milkshake, and a new DS game!

Histio part 3 Chemo round 2 day 5 otherwise known as EASTER 2012

The Easter Bunny is awesome!  He found Sammi at Grandma Louise's house, and the rest of us in Seattle!  Carter was thrilled to be the first one to wake up Easter morning, and the first one to find his hidden basket.

Jackson has to have a 5 day chemo round from now on.  His last day is a Neulasta shot that has to be given 24 hours after the last chemo.  It is supposed to be a five minute appointment.  However, when we got to the Oncology department Easter morning a monitor was going off.  One little girl getting chemo had dropped her sats and when that happens the Nurses don't start any new patients until the patient in trouble stabilizes.  This is so that they can cover the Nurse with the emergent patient, and so they can help if necessary.  So it was a 45 minute wait for the injection---and we were happy to wait.  Sincerely, because if my child was the one in trouble I would want the same reaction for him.

              Not under the bed~give the Easter Bunny some credit, he can hide baskets better than that!

Sierra is on the hunt.....

I have now clue if this relates to Easter or just a great shot of Sierra and Zoe's bed head.

Success!!

Fast forward several hours and we are back home at the Easter Egg Hunt with the Cousins.

Aftyn is looking pleased with her cute self.

Avery Mae

Adalynn~because I am so tardy with this blog I can add a cute saying from this little chicky.  I took her out to lunch and while we were eating she looking the the window at herself and said, "hey, I look cuter than I thought"!!  Cracked me up.

Maybe next year!

Cougar Man on the hunt.

Consulting with Grandma

Why the face Jackson?

Histio part 3 Chemo round 2 day 4

 On day 4 of Round 2 of Histio reruns part 3 the kids and I walked down to Pike Street Market in the A.M. to give Michael some much needed "Quiet work time".... what??? You mean four kids, and a sweeter than sweet wife in one hotel room makes it difficult to think and work--I can't wrap my brain around that.  However;  I am so glad we did it---the kids saw the famous fish throwing, and for Sierra the challenge was to get a picture of the fish in the air---she tried repeatedly!  This is yet another day I am grateful for digitial cameras, otherwise an entire roll of film would have been wasted.

Jackson and Sierra in front of the fish.

We also found an awesome bakery that sold these huge donuts---even this family of foodies had to work together to finish this baby off.

Grandma Beve and some of her friends bought Jackson a personal DVD player, I think he is going to wear out his "Royal Knights Football Highlights" movie completely out. 

 Moved to a new hotel tonight--3rd hotel in 4 days, I am wishing I packed lighter by this point.

Histio part 3 Chemo Round 2 day 3

Today was a great day for Jackson, no getting stuck on a Freeway that closed and his buddy Tanner came over to join him for this Chemo day.  Nancy brought Tanner and Seth over and we met them at Northgate Mall and had lunch at 5 Guys before heading to the hospital together.  I have some pictures from lunch and then Jax and Tanner took some pictures of themselves during the infusion when Nancy and I had gone to the pharmacy, but they are all on my computer and I couldn't get it to accept the wifi at the hotel tonight---so maybe tomorrow.  After Chemo we said goodbye to the Christensen Chemo Relief Crew and met up with Michael.  We walked to the "gum wall" and I just have one word to describe it---DISGUSTING.  The kids stuck their gum there and we purelled the heck out of their hands.  We also went to YE OLD CURIOSITY SHOPPE and discovered that Zoe, who loves the show Ghost Hunters, is afraid of Mummy's she refused to even go in the store!

                                                   Jackson and "Sylvester" the Mummy.

                                            Michael and the kids on our walk to Pike Place.

        Adding their gum to the wall---I'm really not a germ-a-phob but sheesh, this gave me the willies.

 Jackson had to take his first pain pill of this Chemo round tonight.  We did do a lot of walking though and he said the headache wasn't "too bad", plus I made him get out his biology book tonight--headache inducing stuff that biology!

Histio part 3 Chemo round 2 day 2

Today goes down in the books as the "driving day".  We spent most of our waking hours in a car and many of those hours stopped on a Freeway that was closed due to a semi-wreck that blocked all lanes southbound on I-5 at the I-90 on ramp, we were on I-5 headed for the I-90 on ramp.  Of course, you say, if you have read this blog for anytime at all you know that every Chemo trip involves a reason for me to drive on the EAST side of the state.  We spent 6 1/4 hours driving Sammi to the Easton exit to meet my Mom who took her home so she can go to softball practice tomorrow and her game on Saturday---for me it was totally not worth it, to 15 year old Sammi playing high school softball it was totally worth it.  We did good the first few hours on the road, singing, dancing in the car even getting a landscaping truck in the lane next to us to dance along and copy our moves!  Then we got bored, then hungry (we left the hospital after Chemo at 2:30 intending to eat lunch in Issaquah on our way to meet Grandma and drop off Sammi) luckily we broke into the snacks I was going to send with Sammi to her softball game. 

On a happier note, no headache for our buddy Jackson today!  Yippee!!

Sammi putting his hospital bracelets on.

 Carter in his favorite room at Children's Hospital---the siblings play room.  I'm thinking the wii has a big part to play in the favorite status.

Jackson took a picture of this car, front and back and we had fun waving at the girls driving it.  We were wishing it was different things---Jax wished it was a Gatorade car, me a diet coke car, Carter and Sierra thought it should be a sierra mist car.....alas our wishing brought us no liquid refreshment.

When I finally got the poor kiddos lunch it was 5 pm!  Then we drove to get rid of Sammi-girl and Carter threw up---he might of gorged himself because he was so hungry when he finally got to eat.  After dropping off Sammi we headed back to Seattle grabbed Michael and had dinner at 8 pm.  We are so fashionable and big city-ish!  Jackson has done good today--just a little sick to his tummy, still no headache!

Histio part 3 Chemo round 2 day 1

We are back, and the pass was bare and dry---I probably just jinxed us for the ride home, but it was so nice today!  Jackson is going to have to add a day to his schedule and stay through Sunday.  Hope the Easter Bunny can adjust!! Let's hope that Bunny-boy is on his game this year.  On Sunday, Jackson will get a Neulasta injection which has to be given 24 hours after the last Chemo, thus the Easter Sunday procedure.  This Neulasta shot is given to patients who are being given a myelosuppressive (basically White blood cell killing) chemo.  It should help him not go as low, and to come back up faster when he does go low.  We are trying to avoid Neutropenia, a dangerous low blood count condition that can be dangerous infection wise.  I learned new words today, Nadir (the low point), Myelosuppressive (WBC killer), and Neulasta (trying to save your dipping counts good guy shot).  If it works it will be worth an Easter Sunday at Children's Hospital.   Especially since he missed 2 days of school last week because of low ANC counts. 

Here are some pictures from the last week.

Thursday Sierra had a science fair and the 3rd graders got to attend, Zoe and Miyah were taking careful notes and looking cute too!

 There she is, the Queen of Cat vs Human Saliva~spoiler alert~~~Human saliva grow more bacteria.

 Today at the hospital, waiting to start the Oncology appointments.  His ANC was up to 1100 today, and his WBC was 3.4  RBC was 4.67 HCT was 39.6 and Platelets were 443.  Remember my hard to crack code--Red = not normal range--Blue=normal range.

Sierra, Zoe and Carter playing in the waiting room.  Not long after this Zoe and Carter checked into their favorite hospital room--the sibling play room.  They left 2 hours later with 4 painting,  5 drawings, and 2 prizes.

Dr. Rebecca Johnson and Jackson.  Jax had his IVIG, IV fluids, and ARA-C.  So far, so good ~ no headache yet.  Praying it stays that way.  Tonight the boys, (Michael, Jax and Carter) are at the Red Lion and the girls (Becky, Sammi, Sierra and Zoe) are at the Quality Inn and Suites.  The kids keep referring to the boys hotel, and the girls hotel---makes me feel rich!  Actually the American Cancer Society got us 1 room at the Red Lion and when we realized this chemo landed during Spring Break we called to get another room so we could all be together for these appointments.  Turns out the Quality Inn and Suites is almost $300 dollars a night cheaper with their hospital rate!  So Boys have a hotel and girls have a hotel!  I love that we are all here, we had lunch and dinner together, family prayer, this is my favorite Chemo day yet!  I am pretty sure Jackson has enjoyed it too.  Sierra and Sammi had Jackson cracking up while waiting for his appointments today~and when Jackson starts to really laugh it cracks us all up.  As long as he stays feeling well I predict a good Round 2.  Sammi is requesting that I end this post by saying "Hi to the whole world from Samantha Reine", so I did.