Blog update:  Big week ahead for Ethan.  

CT scan today, Monday, and PET scan on Thursday.  

Please pray there would be no signs that his cancer has progressed.  No bad new is the best news we can get!  

Also, Ethan's drum recital is Saturday, December 1, at 2:30 pm at Hope Community Church, Mount Joy (hopechurchonline.org for directions).  

Ethan will be playing three songs; his group should be done around 4 pm.  Please come if you can.  It will be very loud.  (You've been warned!!)

Good news/Bad news today:  

Ethan does not have any mouth ulcers which would have delayed his admission today.  However, there are no beds available.  UGH!  Very disappointing.  

Please pray that a bed will open up for Friday, November 9, so he can complete this LAST chemo admission!!!  

More than just wanting to be finished, Ethan wants to be able to participate in his drum recital on December 1^st.  You are all invited.  

Bring earplugs!   

It takes several weeks for him to feel well after this next type of chemo so we really want him to be admitted ASAP!!!  

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement!

Hello, everyone!

It's so odd how even the least desirable things can become routine . . . I'm less prompted to update all of you, because our life has settled into such a routine.  It isn't always good, but it is certainly routine, right down to the chemo side effects that Ethan just takes in stride.  

After another week of mouth ulcers, he is feeling well again . . . a little disappointed that his platelets are too low for him to be admitted this week.  Therefore, his next admission for chemo will be Wednesday, October 31 (Happy Halloween!) and will last 5 days.  One more chemo admission after that and then they check his CT scan.  If all is clear, then all is well for the time being and he will be done with treatment!!!   Hard to believe, honestly . . . 

Ethan will have frequent monitoring and we will hold our breath for the results of every CT scan, I am sure, but I am praying that our focus will be elsewhere overall.  Ethan is applying to colleges now . . . excited about the future, as he should be.  Please pray for discernment about those college decisions and that we not let our fears overshadow the amazing things God has in store for us.  

Stay tuned for details of a huge Open House we will have to celebrate the end of his treatment phase . . . You are all invited!!!   We should have more info to you in a few weeks.

Thanks again for your faithful prayers and encouragement to our family!  Praise God for his faithfulness to us and the peace He has provided as we continue on this journey.

Karen

Tegan and Ethan are having a great time in Green Bay this weekend eagerly awaiting the NFL game on Sunday!  

Although Ethan will be unable to meet Drew Brees (his favorite quarterback), Tegan's sister had contacted the Saints and received a package for Ethan, which he opened last night.  The pictures say it all!!! 

The others in the photos are Ethan's grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousin.  What special memories they are making already!  

Watch for Tegan and Ethan field side before the game starts Sunday.  They have field passes!!

Final update on Jordan, btw:  she is recovering from Monday's car accident and doing quite fine. . . back at college . . . thank you so much for sustaining all of our family with prayer.  Quite a week!

Love,

Karen

Ethan  is one week out of his last chemo admission and, drum roll please, no mouth ulcers! 

The docs have increased the frequency of one of his "rescue"  meds every time and this seems to have worked.  How nice to have him able to eat normally and not be taking painkillers.  Other than fatigue, he is doing quite well.  

Pray that the upcoming trip for him and Tegan  would go smoothly.  They fly out September 28th to Green Bay  and go to the Saints-Packers game the following day!  

Pray for safety and a relaxing weekend for both of them.  

Thanks to all of you for your faithfulness.

We are having a much nicer Saturday than last week!  

All of us came to Delaware to celebrate Jordan's 20th birthday!  Having a great day! 

 Ethan had another transfusion on Wednesday and is finally feeling less sluggish today and the mouth ulcers went away yesterday.  

Super good news came this week with the realization that he has only four more chemo admissions and then he is done!!!!!  

Pray for his admission September 12.  That he would clear the methotrexate quickly and be discharged early!!  

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement!

Well, this is Saturday Sept. 1 and Ethan is at the hospital getting a blood transfusion.  Not a great Saturday for him, but he'll feel better in the end.  Tegan and Luke are his faithful companions today!  You know he was feeling the effects of a low hemoglobin when he agreed to let Luke push him to his room in a wheelchair because he was too tired to walk!  :)

We heard positive results yesterday from the CT scan.  Although there was a tiny area of some type of inflammation, they don't think that is anything to worry about.  Apparently, it's the type of spot that commonly shows up on even healthy peoples' CT scans if they have any type of cold or mucositis (Ethan currently has mucositis), and looks quite different that the way cancer presents when it spreads to the lungs.  That's good news . . . but it would have been a lot easier for me to just have the whole scan be clear.  My medical friends can send me affirming texts and emails, please, so I don't worry about this.  :)  Please pray that this is indeed nothing to be concerned about.  

Ethan's next admission will be Sept. 12. PLease pray that he won't need another transfusion before that (it takes a whole day of his "at home" life!) and that the mouth ulcers he has would heal quickly.  They are painful today.  Thank you all for your support and prayers!!!

Love,

Karen