Mikey's Journey: Mikey's Update: September 29, 2010

ALL ABOUT MIKEY

Mikey was born on February 13, 2003 at Castleview Hospital in Price. He was our third child and first boy! For the past 5 years he has led a normal child's life. He loved to play baseball, jump on the trampoline, ride his bike, go camping and 4-wheeling and most of all playing with and teasing his big sisters. He went to 2 years of preschool and started Kindergarten on August 2008. Then on October 11, 2008 Mikey started to complain of some leg pain we thought it was just growing pains and throughout that night he had cold sweats, fever and then shivering and was complaining that he couldn't walk, we took him to the local ER and they couldn't find out what was wrong and sent us home. Then we had a follow-up with his doctor and she sent us to have more blood work done and that's when they found blast cells, that will be a phone call that we will never forget those words that our son might have CANCER. She had scheduled us a appointment for the very next day at Primary Children's and she tried to assure us that this could be nothing but they just wanted to do some tests. The next day October 16, 2008 we arrived at Primary Childrens Oncology Clinic where we met Dr. Mark Fluchel and we received some terrible news. Mikey was diagnosed with Pre B Standard Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and from that day our precious sons life has been turned upside down. Mikey was admitted that day for 5 days and had several tests done not to mention he had to have surgery to have a port-a-cath put in his chest to receive his chemotherapy medicine and blood draws. Now Mikey has to take horrible medicines and chemotherapy weekly for the first 6 months and not to mention all the bone marrow testings and spinal taps throughout the duration of his treatment. Mikey has been very sensitive to all the medication he has received and during his induction stage on November 9, 2008 Mikey became paralyzed for approximately a month due to complications from the steroids. He has had to to physical therapy and still has muscle weakness and limiations when he runs. They say that he will just get better over time. Mikey has had several blood transfusions and two hospitalizations since and continues to struggle with the all the medications he has to receive. Mikey's treatment will last approximately 3 years and 3 months. If you would like to help with the medical expenses we will forever be grateful but money is not all, we also need your prayers. Mikey also has another website we have placed a link under follow Mikey's care. You can follow his progress and his day to day long road to being a cancer survivor. Our Precious Little Boy is in good spirits, however I don't think he knows how bad this nightmare is going to get before it gets better. One thing he doesn't like is how the medicine makes him feel. We hope that who ever comes to visit our page if nothing more it makes you aware of this terrible illness that strikes our children with no whys and no explanations, it just happens with no warnings. It's very sad and frustrating. We expect Mikey to be a cancer survivor and fight this battle one day at a time.
"FAITH CONSISTS IN BELIEVING WHEN IT IS BEYOND THE POWER OF REASON TO BELIEVE"

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Mikey's Update: September 29, 2010

Hello Friends & Family,

For those of you that are not aware i'm going to update starting last Monday..

Mikey called me from school telling me he had puked at school so i went and picked him up and we came home he said he was fine but didn't look so well. Within the next hour he had puked two more times so i called Primary Childrens and they told me to take him in. We went into Castleview Hospital he slept the whole time we were waiting and finally they came in and drew labs and he was sick a couple more times at the hospital so they ended up giving him some nausea medicine and then came in and gave me his labs his ANC 8000 his WBC was low and platlets were high i wasnt sure what to think but Primary Childrens said he probably has a infection and his body is trying to fight it so thats the reason for the high ANC. They ended up giving him some fluids because he was also a little dehydrated and sent us home. That night he was feeling alot better but started running a low grade fever and those of you that understand Leukemia that's something big to watch... So i kept him home the next day but the fever didn't get high enough to call in and he was fine that night.

Today... September 29, 2010

We had our clinic visit at Primary Childrens and last night Mikey went to bed real early without dinner i was wondering what was going on and he was also scheduled for a spinal so i went and bought him nuggets because i know he couldnt eat after midnight but he would not get up and eat... So this morning he stuggled getting out of bed but got up got dressed and we left for Salt Lake, he didn't really talk on the way up besides telling me he was hungry when we arrived at the hospital he got out and looked really flush and told me he was sick and felt like he was going to puke and he couldnt walk. I carried him into the hospital and he just wasnt looking good. We got into our room and he layed right down and asked for a pillow and blanket and was asleep. They came in and accessed his port and of coarse his port had a clot so they ordered some TPA and that took some time, they put the TPA in and it had to sit in the line about 30 minutes then they got his labs and the doctors came in and could tell he didn't look good and he looked like he was fevering but no fever they were not really concerned about it being Leukemia they leaned more towards infection..We received counts and his ANC 12000 WBC was low and platelets were high his sugar was 53 and he was dehidrated so they decided they were not going to do chemo or spinal tap because he was already feeling crappy they didn't want to make him feel worse. They ended up giving him fluids, sugar and antibiotics through his port and they are leaning towards this being a bacteria infection...We have to go back up next Tuesday hopefully for chemo and spinal but i'm not sure what to think about it all yes i'm definately scared and just hoping it's nothing. Thank You everyone for all your help with my other children and your support and prayers without you this journey would be impossible.

Love - The Vigil's

****SIGNS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER****

Continued, unexplained weight loss
Headaches, often with early morning vomiting
Increased swelling or persistant pain in bones, joints, back or legs
Lump or mass, especially in the abdomen, neck, chest, pelvis or armpits
Development of excessive bruising, bleeding or rash

Constant Infections
A whitish color behing the pupils
Nausea which persisty or vomiting without nausea
Constant tiredness or noticeable paleness
Eye or vision changes which occur suddenly and persist
Recurrent or persistant fevers of unknown origin

MY BEST FRIEND FOREVER

In memory of Jessenia Zavala

April 12, 2002 - March 27, 2010

MY GUARDIAN ANGEL
Dear Angel ever at my side,
how lovely you must be---
To leave your home in heaven,
to guard a child like me. ...
When I'm far away from home,
or maybe hard at play--
I know you will protect me,
from harm along the way.
Your beautiful and shining face,
I see not, though you're near.
The sweetness of your lovely voice,
I cannot really hear.
When I pray, you're praying too,
Your prayer is just for me.
But ,when I sleep you never do,
You're watching over me.