Gabey D. and His Leukemia: 2008

Friday, November 7, 2008

Bills are a bit overwhelming.

We used so many credit cards, and stuff for last year, being with Gabey in the hospital, and stuff. Those haven't been kind.

Also, the medical bills from Fairview and Cleveland Clinic have just kept building, and a lot of them are in collections now.

I know I haven't asked recently, but if anyone wants to donate to our paypal... at the donation button on the side, we would be so grateful.

God is good, and we will plug away.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Counts Are Where they should be

We've had a few extra appointments the past few months. Gabey's counts were too high, and they had to raise the level of his chemo. For the study, it's important to keep his counts between 1000-1500. Yesterday, his counts were just under that, so we're ok for now. We have another appointment in 2 weeks for his OR appointment.

Giddy had fun walking around the clinic, and Gabey and him had fun with the wagon.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

little tyrant

gabey's having a hard time going back to regular life after Disney and GKTW. he's been just a bear all week, eeek. temper tantrums, and whining, and just being ornery to everyone, even the dog.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Make a Wish Trip to Disney World!!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Started a Caring Bridge Site

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gabrieldippong

I should have started a Caring Bridge site last year, but this blog was fine. I'm not sure if you can subscribe to updates on here though, and since I'm updating less often, I thought it would be helpful for you to be able to subscribe to the caring bridge updates. I will still be updating on here, and posting pics, but that will be like the announcement page, lol.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Make a Wish

We're going to Disney World!!!
I'll write about it more later, I just got done typing that huge update, LOL.

It's been a Year

We're past our year anniversary. Gabey was diagnosed with ALL on May 1st. We're still here, kicking! Praise the Lord.
Today, we went to the Clinic for his monthly Vincristine chemo, and also his Lumbar puncture to get his Methotrexate chemo. It went so smoothly, they got us in by 10am, which is really rare, plus, we didn't have to run to the m20 desk to register, we were able to get right in. Woohoo. Gabey did really well.
I wanted to write this as a walkthrough, so let me back up, lol.

Since this was a day for his LP, he had to be NPO (no food or drink for 12 hours). Poor Gabey woke up in a great mood, but it just spiraled when he found out what today was. We had to hold him down to put his Emla cream on, that's the numbing cream, so the needle doesn't hurt going into his port. He calmed down a bit, and we started our drive downtown.
We got to the Clinic at 9:30am, we played our game in the garage where we spotted "Tomato" cars (VW bugs), and Pt Cruiser friends, and Hummers! We got a good spot on the 3rd floor, and headed to the elevators. From the window of the elevators, we get to see the construction vehicles working on the CC buildings all around. We went down to the tunnel... Gabey can mimic the "lady's voice" that says... "Level T"
The tunnel is a favorite spot of Gabey's, because there are colored lights all down the tunnel, and he's sort of let free to run it. He also loves the electric car that runs up and down the tunnel.

We made our way to the s20 room, where we get our outpatient chemos, and exams. Gabey plays in the lobby, and looks at the fish. Plus, there are lots of toys, and a magnet table. We always enjoy chatting with the cool receptionists, and I love showing off Gideon, and his fun hair. LOL.

Sheila, our first nurse, brings us back, and takes Gabey's vitals. Gabey knows the routine perfectly, even what color blood pressure cuff to use.
Then, our least favorite part comes, and I am actually able to escape with Gideon out to the hall. Jeff holds Gabey, while the second nurse, usually Linda or Jenn, "access" his port. He hates it, with good reason, but usually he's good, and stands still for them. Sometimes, he's in a really bad mood, and fights a lot, jumping, and crying. He hates the smell of the cleaner pressure. We try to have a nice smelling candle for him to hold, and he always has bunny. He doesn't like when they have to press to get the needle in. His skin is numb, but he can still feel the pressure, and he hates that. But... after that, the day always goes pretty well.

We went down to the "train table" in the main waiting area. We always head there, to get his Vincristine, and play with the trains, and watch videos. There is also a little table, and we can do crafts from the drawer. Jeff and I have a ritual of going to the little kitchen area and getting coffees from the machine. I make my own concoction of hot chocolate, and cafe mocha. Gabey likes the saltines and graham crackers, and juice, but today we were NPO, so no snacks. He was pretty cranky about that, and kept asking for drinks. Poor Guy.

The OR was ready for us really early, and we got to go right in. We went into the prep room, we usually get, room 4, it just works that way. We answered their questions, and Gabey watched Thomas the Tank while we waited. He was quiet and good, probably worn out. We put his gown on, and put a hat on bunny too. They gave him his "happy juice" which is their name for the sedative. It helps so much, Gabey gets a little woozy, and a little loopy, and isn't stressed going back to the OR. I went back with him in my hat and gown. It went really quickly, they just give him his ansthesia, and he's out. I went back to the room, and Jeff ran down to get McDonalds. It's our tradition to get him chicken nuggets for when he wakes up. That went really quickly, and they wheeled him back in after just a bit. They let him take his time waking up, and just moniter him, and have oxygen kind of blowing on him for a little bit.

Today was a really cute wakeup. I looked over at Gabey sleeping, and he just started Chewing!! He sat up, half asleep, still chewing, and then woke up, and said..."Chicken nuggets?" So Cute!! He ate, and we got ready to go back up to get his second chemo. He got to be wheeled in a wheelchair to the S20, and got a present of a sweet white stuffed bunny.

At the train table room, we got to talk to Tom, the child life specialist, and also Linda, our social worker. Tom gave us an invitation for the Tea Party they were having later in the afternoon, and Linda talked to us about Make a Wish. We decided we wanted to stay for the Tea Party, so that was going to be cool. Gabey played and watched TV, and got his VCR. Dan, the nurse, gave him his treatment, and then took his needle out, which he did extremely well for this time. Woohoo.

At 3:30, we were able to go to the party, and had a great time! Gabey got his picture taken with Alice, and we went and sat at the table. There were girls dressed in card costumes, and one was the Mad Hatter, and there was the Cheshire cat, and The Queen of Hearts was there too. They had cupcakes and cookies, and little bottles that said "Drink Me". It was such a cute little party. We decorated black top hats, and the girls kept coming by, giving Gabey stickers, and little playing cards, and even matchbox cars! After a little bit, Alice came up, and did a reading of the Alice in Wonderland story, she was fun. As a surprise at the end, they passed out a copy of the book to everyone! Gabey, and even Gideon got a copy.

Soooo, that was our day. It was a necessary evil, but it had a ton of great little moments in it. God is good. Gabey's counts are being maintained, and he is doing just fine.

Friday, March 14, 2008

love this kind of update :):)

our monthly appointments have been going just great!
gabey's counts have been just where they want them, and we have no restrictions!! PTL!!

yesterday's appointment went just great. we got to fill out our Make a Wish form!!
we'll hear from them in a few months, and they'll come to the house to talk to gabey, and help him make a WISH!!! wOOHOOOOOOO!!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Got the Sickies

gabey's sick. he's got a sinus thing going on, and yesterday he had a fever, so we had to take him into the doctor's....

praise the Lord, his counts were high enough that he didn't have to be admitted. it's the rule for fevers that if their counts are below 1000, they get admitted for 2 days automatically. phew, his counts were wonderful. so they just gave him an antibiotic, and we were able to go home. they did a culture with his blood, and will let us know if we need to bring him in again for a different antibiotic.

he is just really under the weather poor thing. draining and runny nose like crazy (clear though, thankfully) and he's coughing from all the draining. his lymph nodes are swollen, and he's got fluid in his ears.
i've been giving him benedryl, and tylonol, and he has been sleeping really well. we have the humidifier fish tank next to him here in the living room, and we have him sleeping in our chez, so he can be elevated.

this is the new fish tank humidifier we just got him. it was a great price at Walmart, and it has bubbles and lights with little fish floating around in the front. it's adorable.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Medicine KING!

Medicine is old hat now. I'm so thankful!
Gabey actually takes his own medicine. He either sucks it from a little straw in a medicine cup, or pushes the medicine syringe into his own mouth!!
It's been a long road, hasn't it? I'm glad this turn in the bend is here.