Journal History

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Friday, June 22, 2007 9:50 AM CDT

Whoa! It's been six months already?

Gabe is doing fantastic- his ONC check-ups have been great. He struggles with asthma/allergies still, but nothing we can't handle. Asthma is under control as long as he's off dairy. He will be seen again by ONC in April when he will have an echo to check for heart weakness (?) Does anybody know about this? We were told heart weakness is a (new) side effect of one of the chemo meds. Gabe had the double delayed intensification treatment so he got a double dose of this stuff. Too bad I can't remember which med it was...anyway- that'll happen in April and I'm trying not to freak myself out about it. Like I can control that!

Gabe celebrated his 7th birthday in February and Seth celebrated his 14th birthday last week. I can't believe they can grow up so fast- right before my eyes. That should be illegal!

I put up some pics in the album. Nothing new- they've been up before. Steve bought me a new digital camera but it's on back order so I won't have it for a couple of weeks.When I do finally get it in, I'll take gobs of pictures to share. Until then, take care and have a great summer.

Steve, Anjie, Seth & Gabe

Friday, June 22, 2007 9:50 AM CDT

Whoa! It's been six months already?

Gabe is doing fantastic- his ONC check-ups have been great. He struggles with asthma/allergies still, but nothing we can't handle. Asthma is under control as long as he's off dairy. He will be seen again by ONC in April when he will have an echo to check for heart weakness (?) Does anybody know about this? We were told heart weakness is a (new) side effect of one of the chemo meds. Gabe had the double delayed intensification treatment so he got a double dose of this stuff. Too bad I can't remember which med it was...anyway- that'll happen in April and I'm trying not to freak myself out about it. Like I can control that!

Gabe celebrated his 7th birthday in February and Seth celebrated his 14th birthday last week. I can't believe they can grow up so fast- right before my eyes. That should be illegal!

I put up some pics in the album. Nothing new- they've been up before. Steve bought me a new digital camera but it's on back order so I won't have it for a couple of weeks.When I do finally get it in, I'll take gobs of pictures to share. Until then, take care and have a great summer.

Steve, Anjie, Seth & Gabe

Tuesday, December 12, 2006 12:48 AM CST

Happy Holidays!!


The Notre Dame athletes host the Peds Hem/Onc Christmas party each year. This year the kids all received autograph books to collect the signatures of the athletes. I thought that was a really creative thing to do! The picture above is Seth, Steve (Dad), Anjie (Mom), Gabe, and Brady Quinn (Notre Dame Quarterback)....Go Irish! Brady signed the boys books and the teddy bear that Gabe is holding. The party was a lot of fun- there were games and crafts and a gift from Santa.

The boys are so ready for Christmas. We have their gifts under the tree to torture them. They shake and shake and can't figure out what's inside! Poor Boys!

Last week we went to see the Nutcracker Ballet. It was really great and the boys liked it. Gabe was a little bored of all the dancing by the second half but he liked listening to the music and watching the conductor.

The boys will have their Christmas play this Friday! Seth has a speaking part and Gabe will be singing with the choir. Hopefully I will have a chance to sit and watch the play- and snap some photos.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 7:34 AM CDT

Hello Again,

It's hard to believe it's nearly November!! I wanted to put the above picture up to share. From the time Gabe was very little he enjoyed dressing himself in nonsense stuff. I'll put a few more dress-up pics in the album from years gone by. So, a few months ago Gabe found our costume storage box and came up with this little number... Using several components from several different costumes, I think we will call him a....NinjaBuzzVampire or a VampireNinjaBuzz or even a BuzzNinjaVamp?? Well- we'll just call him "too cute!"

This year for Halloween Gabe will be going as a Pirate and Seth will be Napolean Dynomite. We went to the Hem/Onc halloween party last weekend. It was a lot of fun! There was a magician and a mime, food, costume parade and prizes. Gabe's favorite part was the mime. He was really great.

Gabe had two appointments last week. One with the Allergist and one with his Oncologist. We can't seem to get his allergies under control. Gabe is not complaining but it can't be comfortable not being able to breathe! His Doc prescribed a new med and if we can't bring him good relief we will consider a pulse of steroids. We have greatly improved his asthma by taking him off milk/dairy! He went from needing several puffs a day (albuterol) to one at bedtime- occasionally! That's a HUGE improvement!

I wonder about these asthma/allergies/food sensitivities....Have any other cancer kids developed these conditions?? I have been wondering if, because Gabe's immune system was so low for so long, he developed these conditions as a side effect of the cancer treatments?? I can't find any info on the net to say one way or the other. In an allergy scratch test, Gabe shows he's allergic to eggs. But, like I said, his asthma has improved by leaps and bounds just by taking him off dairy. He showed no reaction to dairy on the scratch test.

Things that make you go...Hmmmmmmm.

Take care all!

Friday, June 23, 2006 11:09 AM CDT

Summer Time!! The boys are doing great! They love summer and playing outside. It's been hot around here so the squirt guns have been getting a lot of use. I've got to get me one of those- I'm tired of being ambushed by the boys!!

A couple of weeks ago was the cancer survivors day at the zoo! That's our favorite day and it was a lot of fun. There was a picnic and goody bags for the kids. Then we spent time strolling at the zoo.

On the 16th, Seth celebrated his 13th birthday. He and dad went to a movie...rated PG13, of course! We had his favorite dinner, which if you have followed this journal through the years, you would know what that was! I think he was switched at birth because, to my utter dismay, he doesn't like chocolate (gasp!). And so we had a cherry cake. Or as his dad likes to tease...a Barbie cake.

I just asked Gabe if he has a message for all those who check his site.... He wants you to know that he has been feeling good and has been spending a lot of time outside. His favorite food is nachos and pizza and he'd like to try a nacho pizza one day. Oh, and his favorite ice cream is chocolate. He likes to snack on colby jack cheese and salami (Mom's note: Hmmm...even though he's off steroids, he still thinks an awful lot about food!). He likes playing the game of Life and Uno cards and his favorite story book is The Squire & the Scroll by Jennie Bishop.


Steve and I spent the last couple of nights watching The Lion in the House, a two-part documentary about childhood cancer on PBS. The show followed 5 families over six years of cancer treatments. Two of the children survived. It was tough to watch. Especially since we have lived that life. We were quickly reminded of the emotional roller coaster the last few years have been and how fortunate we are that Gabe is here with us today. My heart aches for those who have lost their children to cancer. We know it could've been Gabe.

The years Gabe was in treatment are a blur. I can't remember a whole lot- I think that's a defense mechanism. I remember the good- but watching the show brought back a lot of the bad. We were reminded of how quickly things can change. Not just from one day to the next, but from one hour to the next. I can remember Gabe feeling fine one morning but by that evening we were sitting in the ER with a fever of 104, waiting to be admitted. Thinking back on those times I am amazed we even got through them! How did we do that?? We felt nothing but pure terror and yet we somehow managed to function day to day.

And poor, sweet, little Gabe didn't have a clue. He thought everyone had cancer, like this was something that everyone endured as a child. About a month ago he asked Seth where his port was (seth's) and how old he was when he had cancer. Seth explained to Gabe that most kids don't get cancer, somehow Gabe did, but most kids don't. I think Gabe is beginning to understand what a remarkable life he's had so far.

Ah, the boys have taken up the light sabers for some sword fighting....d'ya think I should intervene? When i started this update Seth was teaching Gabe how to play chess. I guess they've had about all the peace and quiet they can handle. Boys!

Friday, February 3, 2006 11:04 AM CST

Happy Birthday to Gabe!!

...Seems like only yesterday.....

Ugh, enough of that- I feel old!

We will officially celebrate Gabe's birthday on Saturday- you still have time to send cards and gifts...or at the very least, sign his guestbook! Kidding, of course-

Gabe finally saw the allergist and it was very informative. They did allergy testing on him that day so we went home knowing exactly what he was allergic to. We had prepared ourselves for giving up our dogs but we found out that the dogs are not really the bulk of the problem and the doc sees no reason we should get rid of them.

On a scale of 1 - 4, 4 being the most allergic, Gabe scored 1 for dogs, some grass mix, and cockroaches (lovely), a 2 is more grasses, some weeds, and dust mite, there were no 3's, and 4 is ragweed. So, he will be miserable from most of spring- fall. He can take Zyrtec for that.

As for foods, he is allergic to eggs- that was a surprise! Though it makes sense that he showed improvement when we took Gabe off wheat and dairy a while back. A lot of what we removed from his diet would've contained egg. We have an entire fridge shelf devoted to eggs. We buy brown eggs from an amish market. They get them locally. We like eggs...but after Gabe's birthday we will do our best to cut eggs out of his diet for a while and see if we can re-introduce them at a later date.

Another big surprise was that he didn't react to Latex. He had broken into huge welts after a clinic visit where latex was used. We were sure he was allergic to latex. Strange- but I'm glad we don't have THAT to worry about.

We are teaching him to use an inhaler for his asthma. Soon he won't need to sit for 15-20 minutes hooked up to his nebulizer! This is fantastic news for Gabe, he hated that thing! He will continue to take singulair for his asthma plus use the inhaler as needed and for prevention.

It's funny that all this time we thought the dogs were the culprit. We kept the dogs out of the boys bedroom, all the while piling more stuffed animals onto his bed. Stuffed animals are a major dust trap! We must find a new home for his collection (and you can imagine how big this collection is- just from clinic visits!).

We are on the tail end of a virus- and have survived Gabe's first fever at home! If he'd had his port we would've needed to take him into the hospital right away- instead we gave him some motrin, put him to bed and waited (nervously). In the morning it was gone! It seemed just too strange to be sitting home- but, in fact it was very normal....that's what life is getting to be like lately. Normal.

Even though we have peaked the hill of recovery, I feel like I'm back-sliding a bit. If only I weren't so sick & tired, I'd be in the boy's room giving it a super-cleaning to remove an much of the dust collectors as possible....if only.

Well, back to veg infront of the TV to get more rest.
Thanks for checking on Gabe,
Anjie

Thursday, December 8, 2005 9:54 AM CST

We had a fantastic time at the Peds Hem/Onc Christmas party last night. It was hosted by the student athletes at Notre Dame (hence the green santa hats). They were wonderful with the kids and really put on a great time for them.

The boys ate pizza and drank green punch. They decorated cookies and cupcakes. Gabe had a snowman painted on his face and they played musical chairs (I had no idea that was such a competitive sport).

Of course the highlight was when Santa arrived. Gabe was absolutely amazed that Santa called him by name! ...notice his name tag in the picture above?...

The boys each took home a teddy bear and a stocking filled with goodies and we all had such a great time!

Happy Holidays and thank you for your continued thought and prayers.
The Reisinger Family

Thursday, September 22, 2005 9:17 AM CDT

Whoopsie!!

My goodness, how time flies....many times I've thought about how I need to update this page but then end up getting side tracked. I can tell you though, being busy is better than having a lot of time to sit and worry! We still do plenty of that but it is nice to have other things to do.

One of those things to do happened yesterday. Gabe was a model in a style show benefitting the Secret Sisters Society. They provide mamograms and further treatment for women who cannot afford them. Isn't that a wonderful organization! Gabe modeled clothes for a local childrens store called Buttons and Bows. His picture is above- doesn't he look so handsome. That's Seth with him...also quite handsome, if I may say- and I'm not a bit swayed by the fact that they are MY kids!

The show was a great success and I am so proud of Gabe for walking down that runway! There were over 1200 people there, the runway was hugely long(Hugely...I think that's a word you can only find in MY dictionary...)and the lights were bright! He did so great and had fun too!

There was one other little girl from Gabe's clinic who also participated. She was adorable and looked like a little princess.

HA! Hugely is in the Websters Dictionary...it's an adverb that means "extraordinarily large in bulk, quantity, or area"...and that's your english lesson for today.

Speaking of lessons, I have set up a family Blog mostly relating to home schooling. I'm going to have to get back with the address another time as I can't remember it and am being too lazy to look it up.

Our vacation was incredibly fun! My sweet neice, Tayleigh, is adorably cute and such an angel. I miss her and her mamma and daddy a bunch! I will pull up some pics to put in the album.

Hope you are all enjoying this Fall season. It is my favorite time of year.

Until next time,
Anjie

Tuesday, June 21, 2005 10:55 AM CDT

Hello again,

Just a real quick update. Gabe is doing great! We are so thankful there is nothing really to report on his health. His counts from his clinic visit last week were: AGC 2720, wtc 5.85, hgb 14(!!), and plt 413. See, I told you he is doing great!

He does have some big news...the tooth fairy has come to see him twice already! My baby's lost his two lower front teeth! He pulled them out himself with-in a couple days of finding they were loose. He is really bothered by unstable teeth, he doesn't complain- just wiggles the heck out of them until they're gone. This is a huge difference between my boys. Seth wouldn't let anyone near him if his tooth was loose. He would request mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs or even ice cream for all meals and he could keep those teeth in for weeks! Thank goodness Seth doesn't have any more baby teeth to lose.Oh, and for those who are wondering....the tooth fairy has given about $4 for those two teeth! And to think, I used to get a quarter.

We celebrated Seth's 12th birthday last weekend. What fun...

We are also getting ready for our trip to see my sister and her family. We are so excited to meet my little neice!! We will be leaving in a couple weeks and will be ther for a week or so and then hope to visit Niagra Falls on our way home.

Well, hope you are all enjoying your summer. Thanks for checking on Gabe and I'll update again after his next visit in one month. Plus, I should have some pictures to post from our trip.

Anjie

Thursday, May 19, 2005 9:50 AM CDT

Hello again,

Hope you all are doing well. I have a few moments to update Gabe's page then I'm off to enjoy time with the boys.

Gabe had a clinic visit last Friday. He is doing fantastic and his numbers are looking great! The boys got their summer buzz cuts and some new summer clothes that they desperately needed! I must say, I have never known a little boy to be so excited about getting new clothes. After we came home from Kohls, he had to try on all of his clothes. There really weren't that many but a lot he could mix and match- so he did. And for a while he would change his clothes (even his underwear) two or three times a day. It seemed like every time I turned around he was in a different outfit. Too funny! Until our washing machine broke....

Turns out it would cost nearly as much to repair the old washer then to buy a new one. I love this new washer! It has way more options then we would ever use but it is so quiet. I do a lot of laundry so after several days of not having a washing machine to do laundry- we were all having a difficult time finding something to wear. I put a load in the washer yesterday and we all sat there watching it. Even this morning Gabe and Seth sat infront of the washer while it worked it's magic. We rarely watch TV during the day so I guess this was their source of entertainment. I should probably mention the washer is front loading with a window. It really is mesmerizing- sort of.

We are so easily amused.

The puppies have been keeping us busy- they are such a joy and we find them slightly more entertaining than the washing machine. Dash is the male, he is 3 1/2 lbs. and Rosie is a female and weighs 4 1/2 bls. They look almost identical except Dash has black spots on his front paws. They have just grown into their collars so we can tell them apart a little easier. Now maybe they will be able to learn their names. They've heard too much "is this Dash or Rosie?" while flipping them over to check. It's been a lot of fun having them around and both boys have been such great helpers caring for them.

Not too much else going on here. Thanks for checking on Gabe and signing his guest book!

Have a great May (whats left of it).
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Friday, April 8, 2005 7:55 PM CDT

Hello again,

Spring has sprung and we couldn't be happier! We put the trampoline back together last weekend and the boys have been out bouncing around every day since. They love it.

Gabe has been feeling much better. He finally has some relief from his allergies. I don't think his allergies are environmental- I am thinking they are more from food sensitivities. It's taken a lot of experimenting but we think we've hit the right chord. Gabe has occasional Albuterol treatments and also a nasal steroid spray- also used very occasionally. But the biggest help seems to have come from cutting dairy out of his diet. He still can't be tested to see what his allergies are from (not until October) but at least he can breath at night. When he accidentally has dairy- he's much worse and gets all stuffy and wheezy. He does like soy milk, especially chocolate, and Nana brought him some soy ice cream- he was really excited about that! So, until we can have him tested to be sure, we'll just keep on doing what we're doing.

Next Saturday we will be picking up our new pup. It is a MinPin (miniature pinscher) We have a few names picked and we'll wait to see what his personality is before we decide. Steve and Marie drove all over northern Indiana looking for a lap dog for me because I miss our Sophie so much. They just couldn't find one so they gave up and came home. Well, they got about a mile from the house and there was a sign on the road for MinPins. Too funny! He stopped and checked them out and knew I'd love the them. They are a small breed with lots of personality. In fact, they are so precious that Marie is getting one also! So we will have two pups in the house. It will be a lot of work but I'm looking forward to having a pup on my lap again! Now that my boys are too big to sit there.

We are planning a trip to see my sister this summer. Her and her husband live in Massachusetts. We try to see each other every year but weren't able to last summer. In January they had a gorgeous little girl. So we are now Auntie Anjie and Uncle Steve!! That sounds so great, doesn't it?!

Well, there's not too much else happening here. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods...I wonder where that saying came from?? Oh well.

I forgot to mention that as of today Gabe is totally off ALL his medicines relating to his cancer! He no longer takes Septra- tho we've replaced those meds with allergy/asthma meds. But we're not complaining!

Take care,
Anjie

Thursday, January 27, 2005 6:26 AM CST

Hello again,

It's been a long time since Gabe's last update...I'm thrilled to say that he is feeling fantastic! He's up and running around like none of the last three years ever happened at all! Truth be told- I feel like it's been years since we've had to think about blood counts, fevers and chemo, steroids, blood pressure (that would be mine!), who's sick, VERY frequent doctor visits, the list goes on and on.....

Gabe has been seen once a month for a CBC and exam. My biggest worry..well, other than relapse...has been not having the port to draw blood from. I couldn't imagine how Gabe would react to pokes in the arm. Turns out he takes it just like he took everything else- he's such a little man! I'd never wish cancer on any child (or adult!) but I'm so thankful it was Gabe who this happened to and not Seth! Seth screams (yes, screams!) when he needs to have a sliver removed. Gabe just sort of takes things as they come...I guess he's learned there's not much he can do about it anyway.

As far as adjusting to life without chemo...For the first couple weeks, the boys had ice cream before bed- that was a 'no-no' while he was taking 6-MP. Gabe would also complain of headache and say he needed tylenol or benedryl. I think he had taken medicine for so long that to suddenly stop just didn't 'feel' right to him. He's come a long way and we are learning things about him as well. We've learned he has a very strong will! He was so compliant with his meds so I've been taken aback many times when he exercises his right to say "NO!" If he doesn't want to do something- he's not going to do it! And he gives us some very compelling reasons why he's not going to do what we ask. And Darn-it, his reasons make sense...such a turkey!

On a sad note, we lost one of our dogs. She was a rat terrier and developed a very strange disease. Her vet couldn't determine what it was, she was on antibiotics since the end of October, had a round of steroids but she never improved and continually got worse. Blood tests showed nothing remarkable- we treated it like a tick disease but when antibiotics didn't help her the vet thought it may be an auto-immune disease or leukemia...now what are the odds of that? Makes me wonder what's in the water around here. I guess it's hard to accept the diagnosis of leukemia but when no one can say why some kids get it but most don't, it just doesn't make sense! So we told the boys that we needed to let Sophie die. Seth cried and Gabe got angry. He said we just needed to keep giving her medicine like we did with him (that broke my heart). We were careful not to mention the words 'leukemia' or 'put to sleep'. He's just too smart. Could he really have known how sick HE was?? How many times we worried that HE could have taken a turn for the worse?? Hmmm....

Since coming off his monthly pulse of steroids, Gabe's allergies have hit him hard! We pulled up the carpet and installed wood floors, we use hepa-everything and have air filters/purifiers in almost every room. It has helped some. We have two other dogs at home. I suspect that's where the allergies are coming from but they are just as much a part of our family as any one of us. I'd hate for Gabe to learn we got rid of our four-legged family members because of his allergies. He wouldn't want that.

Well, I hadn't intended on writing a book! Hope all is well with you!

Thanks for checking on us. Take care.
Anjie

Monday, October 18, 2004 9:14 AM CDT

WOW!! It's finally finished! Gabe had his port out last Friday and his last dose of oral chemo that night! He is thrilled to not have any medicine to take and so are we! Though it is still slowly sinking in. Last night I had a split second panic when I realized I hadn't given him his chemo the night before...I was surprised how long it took me to remember that he's done!! He has been taking something nearly every night for the last 3 years, I think it's going to take us a while to adjust.

So, Gabe's surgery was scheduled for Friday with a check-in time of 9am. We thought that was fine as we'd leave the house just before 5am. Thursday Steve and Seth went to wash the car and shortly after I realized how long they had been gone, Steve called to say their battery was totally dead and though someone was kind enough to jump them- the battery needed to be replaced. ** I won't say how long I've been telling Steve that the battery sounded like it was going to die...to which he would always reply, "Oh, it's fine.")** Later that day the hospital called and asked us to be there at 6am instead of 9am! Well- that changes things for us as it is a 4 hour drive to Indianapolis and we didn't want to leave the house at 2am! We decided to leave that night and stay in a hotel. No being familiar with the area, we got lost two times trying to find our hotel, we finally checked in just after 11pm. The next morning we were lost again- luckily the interstate circles the city and after a good half hour of extra drive-time we checked into Riley- a little frazzled but excited all the same (we were also on time!). Gabe's surgery was much quicker than we'd expected. After they released him, we headed upstairs to Hem/Onc for his off treatment exam-- they sang him a song and gave him a medal and a certificate for being off treatment. I bawled, as I'm sure you can all imagine. And that was it, we left. I put some pictures of that day in the album.

So now we decompress....which is much easier said than done.

We can not thank you all enough for your continued prayers and support these last few years! Words can not describe how much we appreciate each of you for your part in Gabe's healing.

Love to you all,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 7:09 AM CDT

Well- we're almost there...

Gabe will have his port out on Friday. I'm not sure of the time, so If you all will whisper a prayer every hour- I'm sure he'll be covered. After his surgery, he will have his last bit of oral chemo, 6-MP and MTX. Then-- we flush the rest!! Can't wait for that~

I put a couple new pictures in the album. We were blessed by a visit from Papa and Boo (Steve's dad and step-mom, as a baby, Seth couldn't say "Sue", so we have always called her "Boo") Anyway, we had a really great time with them and were sorry to see them go. They live in Oregon and drove all this way to Indiana when Gabe was first diagnosed- it was only appropriate they were here at the end of his treatment as well! And what a difference in Gabe- he is no longer sick, as he was when they saw him last! We were able to go out- and showed them some things the boys like to do. We visited the pumpkin farm, where pumpkins are painted into themes (this year they were painted and dressed up as cartoon characters). Then we had pumpkin ice cream and took a couple of pumpkins home. Papa carved one and Seth carved the other- it was Seth's first pumpkin that he's carved on his own. Gabe painted his...he used every color of paint we own- so his pumpkin turned out black. Another day Boo took us to Mennohof, an amish/mennonite learning center, and then she asked the boys where she could get the best ice cream....naturally, Seth knew of the perfect place and we ate our ice cream at the park in town. They took us miniature golfing where we discovered that Gabe is a regular 'Happy Gilmore!' We had such a great time visiting with them!


I'll be sure to post after Gabe's surgery, so keep checking on him...

Thanks, in advance, for all the prayers on Friday!
Love,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Monday, August 16, 2004 7:59 AM CDT

ACK!! Shame on me....

Well, no news is good news, right?? Gabe has been feeling great lately. Not too much to report leukemia-wise. (Is that a word?) Except his LAST SPINAL will be on September 3!! WAHOO!! He will then have his MTX in his spinal fluid, his Vincristine and start his pulse of steroid. After that- he will be seen Oct. 1st for VCR/DEX and his port will come out around the 15th. WOW!! I can't even believe it is this close. I think I'm most nervous about after the port comes out. They use his port for everything- when it's gone they will need to draw blood from his arm! I don't think he's gonna go for that!

I am going to be uploading some more pics of the boys- be sure to look in the album.

Well, I don't want to spend too much time here- it's a great day and I'd like to be out in it....thanks for checking on us!

Take Care,
Anjie

Wednesday, June 16, 2004 6:20 AM CDT

Happy Birthday to Seth!! He's 11 years old today!!

Hello All,

Things are going great for Gabe. His last day of steroid was yesterday so in a few more days he'll be feeling even better. We spent yesterday afternoon in bed- he just didn't want to get up, felt a little icky. He didn't sleep too great last night, he was up 4 times to use the bathroom!

Gabe's appointment was last Friday. His AGC is 1700(!), hemoglobin and platelets are WNL. Before his spinal Steve was saying something to the effect of Dr. Maher doing the best spinals around! He must've jinxed it because Dr. Maher had to poke Gabe twice- that's never happened before! I do like that Dr. Maher uses a heavier sedation for spinals. Gabe was really gorphy afterwards but didn't remember anything. The strange thing is- when he came out of his stupor, he wanted JELLO! My kids hate jello and all of a sudden Gabe won't eat anything BUT jello! Our nurse had to seek some out (which isn't too difficult in a hospital) so Gabe could have his jello. I'll tell you- our nurses will do anything for these kids! They are truly special people. So, we stopped at Sam's club on our way home and picked up a BIG BOX of JELLO...he's eaten maybe 2 and a half little containers of it...the little stinker!

So- on with the countdown....Oct. 5 will be Gabe's last day on chemo and since I am counting spinals.....(drum roll)....1 spinal to go!! And 4 more pulses of steroid! Of course, he will still take his nightly chemo and weekly dose of Methotrexate- I won't start a countdown on those, yet...it'd be interesting to figure it out though....Next month we will be in Indy for Gabe's treatment. It's a Vincristine push so it should be pretty quick. We are making a weekend out of it- we'll visit the Children's Museum and the Indy Zoo. But my kids will like the hotel best- why is that? We're looking forward to it.

Well, my coffee cup is half empty (and I'm not saying that to be pessimistic - I need a refill...) Thanks for checking on us! I'm just thrilled things are going so well and the end of treatment is in sight! Take care,

Anjie

Friday, May 14, 2004 2:56 PM CDT

Hello All,

I can't believe it's May already! And boy have we had our fill of May Showers. I think we just might float away....

Gabe saw Dr. Maher today for his Vincristine, which means he will start his steroid as well. He did great- he hasn't wanted Emla cream for the last few visits but felt the poke today as our nurse accessed his port. I think he'll ask for the Emla next visit. His counts are good- AGC is 1030, HGB is 10.9, PLT 285 and his neutrophils are 58.9. After his appointment we went to Wendy's for a frosty- Gabe's first. We had hoped to go to the zoo or the park but it was a bit rainy. We did stop at the green house for some herbs and by the time we were done shopping it was pouring rain- Gabe thought it was too funny that we were so soaked- and he just LOVES puddle jumping!

Mother's Day was nice. Steve and Marie were in Chicago for the weekend- but got back Sunday afternoon. They brought me some nice girly things for Mothers day and made a wonderful dinner.

Gabe is scheduled for a spinal/Methotrexate on June 10th. We are having it done in South Bend instead of driving to Indy. Indy trips are so hard for Gabe when he is getting a spinal- he can't eat, it's such a long drive and he's not on their schedule until 10. Then the drive home is no fun for any of us. So we will be going to Indy in July when it is just a quick visit. Don't know why we didn't think of doing that before...

We went to the zoo a couple of weeks ago. Gabe had a great time and the clinic had a picnic ready for us at noon. It was really cold that day- sunny but cold. I'll put a picture of Gabe in the album- the sandwich they served was as big as his head! They also gave the kids animal print goody bags and a safari hat. Gabe really enjoyed himself that day. We all did.

i am going to have to start a count down 'til the end of treatment...let's see...he is done in October, so he has 2 more spinals left!! WOW- It's hard to believe we've come this far. When he was first diagnosed I couldn't see past the tip of my nose. Talk about taking it one day at a time....I'm so glad I have this journal to read back on. It's a reminder of how blessed we are!

Thanks for checking on Gabe.
Take care,
Anjie

Monday, April 19, 2004 8:25 AM CDT

Hi All,

Gabe's doing great. He had a very nice Easter. This is the first year he can "get" the concept of the Easter Bunny. He was so funny trying to keep things cleaned up after the egg hunt and keeping his easter basket organized. He said if the Easter Bunny comes back he'll see he keeps his stuff neat and clean! Is this MY child?? We parents need to come up with a "Room Fairy" or something, and maybe their room will stay clean?! Or maybe not...

Gabe had his clinic visit on Friday. His counts were 2000 and he's feeling good. We are so proud of our nurses! One of Gabe's nurses submitted an essay to a national nursing magazine about the best place to work. They won!! On Friday some people from the magazine were at the clinic for a presentation and to take pictures of the staff. Gabe was in a few of them. The issue is out in May.

Friday evening we threw a surprise party for Nana. The boys loved that! And Nana was so surprised!

The clinic is having a ZooDay in a couple of weeks. Gabe is really excited about that. He loves animals and I think the last time we were at a zoo was when I was pregnant with Gabe. My goodness- how time flies! I still can't believe he's four years old!

I'm going to change the photos in the album- be sure to check them out!
Take care,
Anjie

Tuesday, March 30, 2004 10:47 AM CST

Hello again,

Gabe's appointment went fine. His AGC was just over 2000 so they increased both his 6-MP and his steroid. He is now slightly higher then 100% on his 6-MP...the last time they increased his meds it dropped his AGC and he was off all meds for a couple weeks to let him recover. Hopefully he won't bottom out again. He has a CBC on Friday the 2nd to check.

I still have lots of papers to go through from Gabe's wish trip. Once we got home the same virus that Gabe had was passed along to each of us. We are feeling better, though I still feel like I'm running in slow motion. Or is it that Gabe is moving at high speed??

Well, thanks for checking on us. I'll write again after Gabe's CBC. Keep your fingers crossed for good counts!!

Take care,
Anjie

Wednesday, March 10, 2004 10:33 AM CST

We're back and what an incredible trip! It was hard to leave after being spoiled at Give Kids the World Village! We all had so much fun and have so many incredible memories of our trip! And now....the details.......

We left Indy on the morning of Feb. 28. This was gabe's first plane ride and he was excited! He couldn't understand why we needed to wait to board our plane- he saw lots of planes and couldn't understand why he couldn't just get on one. After take off, Gabe looked out the window and yelled, "I see Disney World!"...really it was just Indianapolis. When we finally landed in Orlando and got the rental car we headed for the Village. After checking into our villa we headed for the ice cream parlor, of course! If you don't know about the Village Ice Cream parlor, Friendly's provides all the ice cream kids can eat from 7:30am-9:30pm. We wandered around the village in awe with all that is there. The theatre, train station and game room, ice cream, Castle of Miracles and Gabe's favorite- the carousel. Breakfasts and dinners are served in the Ginger Bread House. Perkins supplies the food and it is truly a place for kids! French fries and hot dogs galore! The tables are even a child's height and decorated with peppermint candies. The Village mascot is a giant bunny named Mayor Clayton. That night was a birthday party for him. So while Steve went to a parent orientation, me and the boys partied the night away!

Sunday morning came very early for me...and it was to the ice cream parlor again! Then on to breakfast. We headed to Universal Studios that day. Gabe did a few rides but since many of them are partially in the dark- he wasn't interested! Gabe did love the Jimmy Neutron ride- very fun! After a full day at Universal we went back to the village for more ice cream, games and rides on the carousel with Mayor Clayton.

After breakfast on Monday Micky, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy and Belle were at the village- we got lots of pictures. They rode the carousel a few times and then we headed to Seaworld. This was probably Gabe's favorite park. He really loved the dolphins and watching their show. We fed the sharks, rays and dolphins and walked through the shark tunnel- WOW!! Back to the village for a nap and on to...yep, more ice cream and miniature golf. We hung out at the Castle and carousel that night.

The Village offers a parents night out during your week there. We didn't want to leave the kids so they offered us an alternative. It was a dinner and show at Midevil Times. The show didn't start until 8:30 that evening so we chose to go to Epcot and make it a short day. The Midevil Times show was another highlight for the boys!! They loved the jousting and sword fighting, they loved the horses and they especially loved being told to eat with their hands!! There is no silverware...after the show the Knights signed the boys' shields and had some pictures taken with them. Gabe was really upset that he wasn't able to go for a ride on one of the horses.

Big surprise the next morning...a local stable brought some horses to the village for the kids to ride!! Their timing couldn't be more perfect! Gabe rode a pony named Candy and Seth rode a horse names Star. Both boys got certificates and are now members of the Sadle Club. Gabe was so proud of his certificate and showed it to Ragedy Ann who came to visit us at breakfast. We went to Animal Kingdom this day. The boys got a ton of autographs in their autograph books. After a few rides and lunch it was just too hot to walk around all day and Seth wasn't feeling very well. So we headed back to the Village and hung out in the pool. This was also Gabe's first time in a pool and I was glad to see that he loved it. He really took to the water fast! We spent the evening playing miniature golf, riding on the train and carousel and playing games at the village.

Every day there is something going on at the Village. Thursday night was Christmas. Santa was going to be at the village and sleigh rides and a snow machine! Gabe was really excited about Santa!! We saved Magic Kingdom for our last day because I thought Gabe would like it best! We got there early and made it down Main Street and around the corner to Adventure Land. Steve and Seth went on Splash Mountain and by the time they were finished riding- Gabe was not doing very well. We took him to the first aid station to have his temp taken- it was too high and we ended up in the ER! Luckily Gabe's AGC was about 5000 so he wasn't admitted. They gave him fluids and antibiotic through his port and let us go back to the Village. Sadly, we missed Santa but when we got to our villa the boys found a bag of gifts that Santa had brought to them! I'm telling you...there is nothing a child wants while they are at the Village! Everything is thought of for them before they even have a chance to think of it themselves! It's incredible!

Gabe continued to run a high temp through out the night. He was unable to keep tylenol or motrin down but we were flying home on this day. It wasn't until we left the Village that his diarrhea started. We must've changed his clothes 4 times before we even got on the plane- poor thing! It's only a 2 hour flight and Gabe still had a fever so he slept all the way home. He was able to keep tylenol down by this time but it barely helped his temp. He also slept almost all the way to our house- that's about 4 hours! He needed the sleep and continued to have problems with diarrhea and dehydration through the weekend. The clinic told us to pack a bag and Monday we took him to Dr. Maher. He already had the papers to admit Gabe filled out and ready. After checking him over and watching him for 1/2 the day he decided to let us come home because Gabe was able to keep down a can of 7-up. He had turned the corner and continues to feel better every day.

Illness and all, our trip was amazing! Everyday the Village left a gift for each of the boys in our villa and with the souvineer money the Indiana Childrens Wish Fund gave us, plus lots of other stuff that was given to the kids- we needed 3 duffel bags to get it all home! Unbelievable!

Well- this is long...I'll leave it up a while. Gabe's next appt. is the 19th so I'll update then. I will continue to rotate picture in the album. We have a ton of them!

take care,
Anjie

Friday, February 27, 2004 12:17 AM CST

Well, We're off!! Disney World...Here we come!!!

We are all so excited. Our flight leaves from Indy Airport at 8am tomorrow. Indy Wish has arranged a dinner and a night at a hotel for tonight...which happens to be mine and Steve's 12 year anniversary! Then we will head to the airport and on to Give Kids the World Village in Florida. We should get there around lunch time and then later that day there is going to be a pool party with the characters from Sea World! Gabe and Seth are just as excited about the hotel tonight as they are about the whole trip!

I will be sure to update as soon as we come back with pictures and lots of details....I've got to finish packing a few more things.

Take care,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 7:54 AM CST

Gabriel is 4 years old now!! I can't hardly believe it. Thankyou for the birthday wishes in the guestbook! Gabe had a great birthday- lots of fun and cake. In our house the birthday boy chooses the meal and Gabe chose fried chicken, tater tots and corn on a stick (cob). He wanted a pink cake with pink frosting and we had a cowboy theme party. Lots of fun!

Only 3 more weeks 'til Disney World!! We will be leaving on the 28th and the boys can't hardly wait! I have some maps of the parks and they use their little fingers to trace the path they want to go through Magic Kingdom. After asking "how long until we go" several times a day, we made a paper chain and the boys can tear off a link each day. Gabe lost intrest in the project and has about a week of links left to tear- but we'll cross that brige when we get there. I might have to add some links after he goes to bed at night.

Gabe is over his bug that he had and his energy has far surpassed my expectation!!

Not too much else is going on here. We're just waiting and waiting and waiting for the 28th.

Thanks for checking on us,
Anjie

Friday, January 16, 2004 7:23 AM CST

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. My emotions are typically on a very fast moving roller coaster this time of year. I celebrate that Gabe is doing well and continues to be with us. But I am also fearful- so many kids have relapsed. Even kids who, like Gabe, have the "best" kind of childhood cancer.

Well, as careful as we are.....Gabe did get sick! His immune system is so weak that it just takes one tiny exposure to anything and it overgrows in his little system. He developed a cough and such horrible congestion that he could barely sleep for more than an hour at a time. He developed a fever that got up to 100.3- Steve was packed and waiting to bring him to the ER (this was at 3 am). Then his temp dropped a bit and he was able to make it through the night at home. The next morning, Steve took him in to clinic, they gave him an antibiotic and some fluid through his port and drew blood to culture. This is routine to check for infection from his port. His AGC was over 4000!! Yikes! That's very high for a child on chemo. He was definatley fighting something.

He needed to have a tiny suction tube stuck down his nose into his throat- this was to check to see if he had THAT flu. The respiratory therapist came along with 2 other nurses and was explaining to Steve how they were going to need to hold Gabe very still and how kids Gabe's age scream the other nurses were going to hold his arms and legs still while Steve held his head....Do you know, Gabe just laid there, he gagged a bit on the tube but didn't make a peep!! The therapist was just blown away! Even the nurses, who know how remarkable Gabe is, were surpised! He is truly and amazing little boy! The test came back negative and Gabe was able to come home! He slept much better- about 2 hours before waking up choking on his mucus. YUCK!

It's been over a week and Gabe is still getting better. He still wakes up several times a night in a coughing fit. He has bursts of energy followed by periods of rest. He doesn't have much of an appetite but he's not losing weight and will start his steroid again on the 23rd of this month.

So, all in all, things are going good-Thanks for checking on Gabe and keeping him close in your heart.
Anjie

Wednesday, December 17, 2003 7:42 AM CST

Hi there,

I need to apoligize for not updating sooner- things have been going so well, it makes me want to forget the reason for this page.

Let's see...I last left off at the beginning of November.

Gabe had his monthly Vincristine appointment the day before Thanksgiving. It was pretty tough for him.He felt pretty crappy on Thanksgiving and spent much of the day laying in Nana's bed watching cartoons, I don't even think he ate but a few bites of dinner. Just breaks my heart- and yet, I have so much to be thankful for!!

The next day we woke up to a couple inches of snow! Gabe and Seth had a blast playing outside for a short time- it was very cold that day! But, true to Indiana, the snow was barely there by the next day. Bummer! Steve was able to snap a picture- it's in the album.

Probably Gabe's highlight of December-so far- was when he was able to see Santa Clause! And what did he ask for? "Everything!" Hmmmm...I think we're short by just a few packages! Do you think he'll notice? Seth knows about "Santa" and is going above and beyond brotherly duty by keeping it a secret. Sometimes it's so obvious!

For the last couple months, Gabe has been having such a tough time on his meds. They are really making him feel icky! He wakes up cold and clammy, and feeling nasty. I'll give him a Zofran for nausea and a few minutes later Gabe says, "Mommy, I need another pill- I'm still so sick," He usually falls back to sleep far a couple hours. One morning he woke up so sick but he asked for some toast. I popped some in the taoster and then I heard him call out in his weak, sickly voice, "And cut the crust off." Yep, he's got me wrapped around his little finger. And it's just where I want to be.

Well, it's flu season!! Yikes! We've decided there's no reason to be out. There is simply no reason to risk being exposed! This flu is nasty and is going around our area. We are in an area largely populated by Amish. Most choose not to immunize against any diseases- let alone a flu bug. I can only protect my own family. And I don't care how over-protective that sounds. This is not to say Gabe is cooped up indoors- he loves to go out and spread seed to the Cardinals and Blue Jays, it's part of his morning routine.

Thanks so much for continually thinking of us and checking on Gabe. It means a lot to me, to know we aren't going through this alone. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and happy New Year!

Peace to you and your family,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 9:33 AM CST

Hi All,

We are all doing good here. Gabe had a terrific Halloween- even though we didn't make it to the clinic's party! And he decided he didn't want to be Buzz Lightyear- he wanted to be Scooby-Doo. So naturally, being the over-indulgent parents that we are, we bought him the Scooby costume! He was adorable! Check the photo album...The boys got lots of candy and neither of them have a real sweet tooth- lucky for me, I guess!

We have wonderful news- we are in the process of being approved for Gabe's wish trip! Disney World, of course!

Gabe is on his last day of the steroid pulse. This was a much better week for him. He did complain of sick tummy- I tried to give him zantac but he can't handle it's taste and there is NO way to hide it! He tolerates his "sick tummy" and usually just tries to sleep through it. Last night he went to bed at 6:30 and he slept until 7 this morning! He needs his sleep. Because of the steroid, he wakes up at least 3 times during the night to pee! Then he can't get back to sleep because he feels so itchy all over - this is a very annoying side effect for him! I usually put a movie on for him to watch so he can focus on something other then his skin and he falls back to sleep after a while.

There is not too much else is happening here we are just so glad Gabe is feeling good! Thanks for checking on us- Take care!
Anjie

Monday, October 6, 2003 10:03 PM CDT

AAHHH!!!

I think I'm going out of my mind! This is day 3 of Gabe's steroid and it's got him wound up tighter then EVER! His mood swings are incredible- in a few short minutes he's gone from cuddly to pushing and pinching to tears! He cried watching Spongebob yesterday. Now, I've been known to cry at long distance commercials- but Spongebob?? This afternoon Seth was sitting at the kitchen table trying to write a letter. Gabe was in the background crying about something and pretty soon Seth starts crying- He just wants Gabe to be happy. Two more days...

Gabe's appointment at Riley went great. They say he looks beautiful! His counts are right where they should be, AGC is about 1100, and his spinal fluid is nice and clear. Steve always holds him in his lap while he has his spinal tap and Gabe does really well. He is pretty gorphy during the procedure but he is aware. One little "ouch" was all that he said. He had a nasty headache afterward. We nearly stopped to stay in a hotel- I couldn't see making him sit up in his car seat for 4 hours when he'd feel so much better laying down. We stopped for some food- Gabe had a few Lucky Charms and some OJ after his spinal so he was hungry. That seemed to make him feel a bit better and we made it home- Gabe slept much of the way. It was a long day. It was also the celebration of Riley Hospital's birthday and there were clowns everywhere! Mind you, Gabe is afraid of clowns so naturally Seth had his face painted like a clown, the kids got balloons, activity packets, pictures, the list goes on and on.

The clinic has a Halloween party on the 26th. Seth will be going as a vampire and Gabe will be Buzz Lightyear, so far. I'll be sure to update the photos soon- you'll have to check back.

Well, I've stared at this computer screen too long. I need to get to bed so I will be well rested and able to handle poor Gabe!
Thanks for checking on us. Take care,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Thursday, September 11, 2003 10:59 AM CDT

Hi again,

Gabe is having a great month, so far. He's just off his pulse of steroid and is having a blast driving dad and me totally nuts! Between the boys and the dogs, the noise level in our house must be off the charts. It's a good thing we live in a rural neighborhood-

Dr. Maher upped Gabe's 6-MP to 100%. It is a simple 1 pill per night. We will go in next Friday to check his counts and make sure he is handling the increase.

On a sad note- we lost the baby. I miscarried last Friday- that was tough! I saw my OB Dr. today for a follow-up. In a couple weeks she wants me to have some blood work done to see if my immune system is the reason for my miscarriages. In other words- my immune system doesn't recognize the baby as "friend", instead it thinks baby is "foe" and attacks. There is treatment- it can be as simple as aspirin therapy, or steroids (I can't imagine both me and Gabe on steroids), or heparin shots. She is also re-checking my thyroid as it has been slightly hyper in the past.

So, all in all, things are all right. I am feeling like myself again and now that Gabe is coming off his steroid, he is feeling like himself too.
Thanks for checking on us. Take care,
Anjie

Thursday, August 21, 2003 9:39 AM CDT

Hello,

Gabe is doing great! I really have no update other then- Gabe is doing great! He looks good, feels good, runs, plays, eats, and sleeps good. I never thought life would ever seem "normal" after he was diagnosed, but it does. And it feels great!

And I have more great news!! I have been feeling aweful lately- thats part of the reason it has taken me so long to update the page, The good news, of course, is not that I'm feeling aweful but that I'm pregnant!! I am due the middle of March- seems so far away! I am starting to feel better now- good thing, I didn't know how much more I could take! BLAH! I haven't had the greatest luck finding an OBGYN. I went to the clinic where Gabe was delivered- It is the only group of docs who deliver at our hospital. I wasn't too thrilled about being there again as I think I could've had better care elsewhere. Always trust you instincts! I was having some problems earlier on and had a couple tests done to check on baby but on the last test the nurse didn't label my blood- so the lab wouldn't test it! (thankfully)Labeling blood is so very basic!! Even I know that! But I kind of get the feeling that we cancer moms know just as much as some nurses out there! I did get another appt with another OBGYN. She delivers in Elkhart- a littel farther then the Goshen hospital. But I think I'll like her much better. I am not having the same problems I had been having so I am pretty confident everything is all right. I have a history of miscarriage and both Seth and Gabe were c-sections so this baby will be as well. And don't ask me if I want a boy or girl (girl). I am not (girl) the kind of mom who would ever choose (girl, girl) between blessings (girl). Got it? (PLEASE, LET IT BE A GIRL!!!)

More on that later....

Hope you are all enjoying the last of summer. Seth has a three week break before we start his school year. I am using this time to re-organize the classroom and map out the school year.

Thanks for checking on us- Take care!!
Anjie

Wednesday, July 9, 2003 9:27 AM CDT

I can't believe it's been so long since our last update! All is going well here. We've been busy doing all kinds of great stuff. And I have some great pictures of the boys that I'll post- so be sure to check out the album.

The Cancer Survivor's Day baseball game was a lot of fun. Gabe was scared of Swoop, the mascot, and spent most of his time trying to keep his eye on him. There were clowns and a picnic also. It poured rain so the game was a little delayed. But once we were totally soaked the sun came out and it turned into a really nice afternoon.

Gabe's counts were good at his last visit so we decided that if we were going to take a vacation, now was the time. We packed up and left to visit my sister Tonya, and her husband, Chris. We spent a week with them and had such a great time. They are the perfect Aunt and Uncle and will make awesome parents when that time comes! They live on the Cape so we spent plenty of time on the beach---and the food....I love seafood! You can't find really good seafood in Indiana- at least, not in our area (it's Amish).

The boys had such a great time. Seth loved the beach and swimming in the ocean, Gabe wasn't crazy about the feel of the sand and water on his bare feet- but he loved digging in it. If we weren't at the beach, we were relaxing back at the house. Tonya makes the best Margaritas!

We will be in Indy this Friday for Gabe's spinal. Hopefully this trip didn't wipe him out and his counts are still up so we won't need to drop his meds.

Hope you all had a safe and happy Fourth. Take care,
Anjie

Thursday, May 29, 2003 12:50 AM CDT

Hi again,

Time for another update and I'm happy to report that Gabe is feeling great. His next appointment will be June 6th. Can you believe we were able to wait a month between doctor visits! I sure miss the ladies at Gabe's clinic. And I'm not the only one, anytime I put my shoes on Gabe asks if we are going to Dr. Maher's.

Some of you know this already but I will share it again. Last time we were at clinic I was asked if I would mind if our name/number were given to a couple who have commited to participate in a triathalon to raise money for Leukemia research. Many of you know about the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and the Team in Training program. Charlie and his wife have commited to raising well over $3000 for the Leukemia Society. And in August he will be running, swimming, and biking for a cure. This is his first triathalon- In his words "Gabe's energy is an inspiration to me and will keep me going through some of the rather long training sessions." It just amazes me how people we've never met can give so much of themselves and expect nothing in return (except for some very sore muscles). Thank you, Charlie. You are an inspiration to us!

We've been out almost every day for the last couple weeks. If it's not raining- you'll find us outside reading or riding bikes. Gabe loves it outside. Plus, a piece of our Dish Satellite broke and with no TV to stare at, we're finding all sorts of stuff to do. We had considered not fixing it- but I love the History and Discovery channels. And what's not to love about Cartoon Network? Anyway, we are loving the outdoors right now- while it's not too humid.

Gabe is growing like you wouldn't believe! He is wearing 4T clothes, and even they are stretched to their max during steroid week. He is turning out to be a real rough and tumble kid. He runs everywhere and it freaks me out- I'm always worried about his platelets- I really try not to be too over protective.

June 8th we are going to a baseball game. It is the South Bend Silverhawks-vs-Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. It's also National Cancer Survivors Day. This year the pediatric cancer survivors will be featured. There will be a picnic. Then all the peds hem/onc kids will walk the bases before the game and Dr. Maher will throw out the first pitch. Sounds like fun! I'll remember my camera this time- I promise.

Well- It's time to go back outside and enjoy the sunshine. Hope you are all doing well and staying healthy.

Take care,
Anjie

Monday, May 12, 2003 8:27 AM CDT

Hello Again,

All is well here. Gabe has been feeling great, his AGC is up and he has tons of energy. He had his monthly chemo appointment last Friday. His AGC was about 1600! The steroid has taken effect and last night he woke me up to get him some turkey to snack on. So far this morning, he's eaten Cheerios, Cookie Crisp, Ramen noodles, more Cookie Crisp and some turkey. And it's only 9 a.m. It's a good thing we went grocery shopping yesterday. Although we were $150 over our budget! How does that happen??

The beginning of this month we went to the anual Mayfest celebration in Shipshewana. There was a parade- mostly fire trucks and tractors- two of Gabe's favorite things! He had such fun anticipating the sound of the sirens. After the parade, we watched a puppet show, ate "fair food", and went to look at the grandfather clocks at Riegsecker's. They must have nearly two hundred clocks in there. They are so beautiful and if you're there at the right time (we were a little late) it can be very, very noisy. The boys had a great time.

Shame on me...I forgot my camera that day!! I do have some pictures from Easter. I'll work on getting those posted in the photo album.

Gabe is officially a "big boy". Yes, he is potty trained and it was surprisingly easy! His little tush is so tiny now without the extra padding of a diaper. He is getting so big!

We are counting down to Seth's birthday. It is the 16th of June. He already has his wishlist posted on the fridge and , with a month left to go, it just keeps growing and growing. He's going to be 10!

The nurses at the clinic have got me thinking about Gabe's wish trip. We've pretty much decides on Disney World. I think Gabe would LOVE to see the Wiggles perform live and he loves watching animals so I think he'd have a blast at Animal Kingdom. We haven't talked to the social worker about it yet so I don't know all of the details of the wish program. But what a wonderful thing to do for these kids and their family!

We had a wonderful Mothers Day yesterday. The guys made me and Nana the best dinner! Smoked salmon mousse on warm crusty bread, crab and shrimp stuffed mushrooms, poached perch in garlic sauce, steamed asparagus and a very tasty salad with avacado and mandarin oranges. For desert they made chocolate dipped strawberries and kiwi. I couldn't have gone anywhere to get a better meal! And Steve made it all from scratch! Amazing- I always knew he was a good catch! I'm up three pounds today- but we won't talk about that- it was worth it! How did the boys like it? Well, Seth dined on hot dogs and french fries and Gabe mostly ate ketchup.

Well- someone is hungry...AGAIN. Take care and thanks for checking on us!
Anjie

Saturday, April 5, 2003 12:13 AM CST

Hello All,

Did I say I was ready for spring? It's snowing here in Indiana- such strange weather. I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer before we can play outside.

Gabe had a CBC last Friday- his AGC was just above 500 so Dr. Maher took Gabe off all his meds to allow his counts to recover. We had another CBC yesterday, hoping a week was enough of a break but his AGC only came up by 150. So he is still off chemo. It's so great to see him with so much energy. He has been riding his tricycle around the house, jumping on beds, climbing over couches and under tables, wiggling with the Wiggles. Whew!

All of his other counts are good- he just doesn't have enough neutrophils. His next Riley appt. isn't count dependant so we are still going to Indianapolis this Friday. At Gabe's last Riley visit he talked almost non-stop about going to Cracker Barrell for "cakes and bake" (pancakes and bacon). He'd had a spinal and was given morphine and versed for management. He usually tolerates these meds pretty well and has only once had a terrible headache from the spinal tap- this time though...
We decided to go to Cracker Barrell because it's a 4 hour drive home and he hadn't had anything to eat since the night before. But just as our food was served he threw up everywhere! We're talking projectile vommiting at it's finest! In trying to shield the man at the table next to us, I turned myself to face Gabe. Then it was all over me- I hadn't once thought of the long drive home in my wool sweater. YUCK! The people at the restaurant were great- and Gabe still talks about Cracker Barrell and how he "frowed up aw over".

Oh, the memories.....

Well, hope you all have a great week.

Take care,
Anjie

Sunday, March 23, 2003 9:42 AM CST

Hi All,

Hope you are all doing well. Gabe has been feeling great. His AGC and other blood counts have been good and his chemo is being upped little by little as his counts allow. His next appointment will be on Friday. He will have a CBC. Then on April 11th we will be at Riley for his spinal/Methotrexate and VCR.

We are ready for spring- ready to spend some time outdoors. We are very close to Pokagon State Park and I'm looking forward to exploring more of it this year. Gabe loves going outside and once it warms up we will be able to take lots of walks.

Things have been quiet here. We have been keeping busy with Seth's home schooling. He is learning so much- so quickly. He is learing to play the recorder and catching on very fast. He sounds so cute when he practices. We are switching to a four day school week, although learning takes place all the time, this will leave Friday open for Gabe's appointments, library and other trips. Plus it will give me a chance to plan for the following school week. We are having fun! And that's a good thing-

Thanks for checking on us. Hope you all have a nice week.

Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Saturday, February 15, 2003 12:43 AM CST

Hello Again,

Gabe had a wonderful birthday. Thank you to all who sent cards and well wishes! He has been feeling good and we are so happy about that!

Gabe had his chemo appt. yesterday. His AGC is 1400!! WA-HOO!! He is back on all of his meds, including his steroid, which he started today....

Not too much else is going on in the Reisinger home. So I will close for now. I'll work on updating the photo album so you can all see how much hair Gabe has now! He really needs to have it trimmed but it's so hard to see it go.

Hope you all have a great week.

Take care,
Anjie

Monday, January 27, 2003 at 10:30 AM (CST)

Hello again,

We haven't dropped off the face of the earth- even though it's been so long since the last update. Gabe is feeling good. He had an appointment last Friday, the 17th, in Indy. His AGC was still lower than before so he was taken off all his meds and given a test to see how his body metabolizes the 6-MP. The following Friday we had a CBC in South Bend and his AGC had come all the way up to 1988! The results of the test were normal however, it is believed that Gabe is missing an enzyme and that causes the 6-MP to stay in his system longer than most. This means we will not concern ourselves with the fact that he has been on 50% meds for so long. Because his body holds onto his meds longer- 50% may be his 100%. Reading back over that- did it make any sense at all? Sorry- it's so clear in my head but not as easily explained.

Anyway, things here have been good. Steve went back to work today. We have been spoiled by having him here. He's been cooking our dinner and making me latte's. He entertained Gabe so Seth and I could actually complete his studies on the same day we started them.

Seth is practicing his handwriting, and that has given me a few minutes to update this page. Gabe's birthday is coming up on Feb. 2nd, he will be three years old! Hard to believe... Hope you have a great week. Take care,

Anjie

Saturday, January 11, 2003 at 07:40 AM (CST)

Hello and Happy New Year!

We had a wonderful Christmas- very relaxing. Steve kept a fire in the fireplace from Christmas Eve until Christmas night. It was so warm and cozy in the house. We were shocked to wake up to several inches of snow that morning- everything looked so fresh.

Gabe had his CBC on the 6th. He is STILL neutropenic with an AGC of 877. He will stay on half dose chemo until his AGC comes up a little higher. We will be going to Riley Hospital on the 17th for Vincristine and a spinal/methotrexate. He has been playing good but hasn't been eating all that great. He takes just a couple bites and then is finished. Gabe's nurse thinks it may be a "toddler thing". Hearing her say that reminded me that he IS a toddler- DUH?! I'm so scared of a relapse that I am always trying to conect his behavior and actions to the leukemia or side effects of the chemo. I forgot that he is still growing and will go through lots of "toddler things" and it is very normal. That's a good thing!!

Steve had surgery on his knee last Thursday. He is feeling fine and will go back to work on the 21st. Unless his employer can find him some sit down work to do. Steve works in the floor department for Coachmen, Ind. He is up and down on his knees all day long, so I think it's better that he's off to allow his knee to heal properly. The lump they removed from his knee was sent to pathology- it didn't look like anything we needed to be concerned with- but it didn't look like what the surgeon had expected to pull out of there. We will know the results on the 20th.

Gabe will turn 3 on Feb. 2 (Groundhog Day). Wow- that means that in March- I will turn 30! Oops- did I say that?

Thanks for checking on Gabe. New pics aren't up yet, but I'll post some soon. Have a great week.
Love,
Anjie

Many of you have heard me speak of my friend, Janet and her son, Ryley. He has t-cell ALL and is about Gabe's age. I found out that he relapsed in December and is awaiting a bone marrow transplant. So, Please keep Ryley and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sunday, December 22, 2002 at 08:24 PM (CST)

Hello All,

Well, so far so good. Gabe is feeling fine. His appointment last Friday went well. He had some soreness from the Vincristine for a couple days but nothing major. The steroid has kicked in and he is eating almost everything and is VERY WIRED! I didn't think he was ever going to fall asleep last night. I gave him some Benedryl tonight so he could wind down. He is sleeping peacefully.

Gabe's AGC is 1190 and hemoglobin and platelets are great. He is really getting excited about the Christmas presents under the tree. He calls them birthday presents and sings the happy birthday song.

Well we had two Christmas parties to go to and didn't make it to either one. I forgot the Hem/Onc party and then we had an ice storm one night and Steve needed to 4x4 to get to work so we weren't able to make the homeschool party. Seth doesn't seem to mind too much. He is such an easy going kid- just sort of goes with the flow. I think he understands there are some things that we can't control. He is wise beyond his years. It is definately NOT FAIR!! Not to Gabe, or Seth, or me, or Steve or any of you who so faithfully check this page for updates. But, I believe there is a bigger picture. That all of this will some how, in some way, touch another person. Or maybe Gabriel will be the doctor who finds a cure for cancer?!

Our next appointment will be Jan. 6th. I will update again after that time. Until then, Have a safe, happy and healthy Christmas.

Peace and Love to you all,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Monday, December 16, 2002 at 06:30 AM (CST)

Hello All,

Gabe is feeling good this week. His appt. last Friday went well and his AGC is 1500. He is still on half dose chemo and will go in again this Friday for his Vincristine and start his steroid again. I just realized his last day of his steroid will be on Christmas!! Hmmmm.....

We are finished shopping AND wrapping! I am so pleased about that- now we can just sit back and enjoy the holiday. Papa and Boo sent a package for Christmas. I set the wrapped gifts under the tree but have caught Gabe, on several occasions, hiding in a corner holding his present in his hands. Just holding it...

We missed the Ped/Onc Christmas party! I totally forgot about it- I was so bummed! They have such great parties for the kids. I don't know where my mind was? They did save a gift for Gabe- they are all so thoughtful at Gabe's clinic.

We had a great time at the Boys and Girls Club party last Wednesday. More great people taking care of our boys! There was a man who is deaf in one ear and his sister is totally deaf, so he signs. He performed three songs in sign language and it was so neat! Gabe enjoyed watching him and so did Seth. I'd like to see if he will teach Seth some signs. I think he'd really like to learn. This Wednesday is the home school group Christmas party...and more holiday treats!!!

I'm *almost* glad Dr. Maher didn't put Gabe on his full dose of meds. I don't think his counts will drop much lower, unless unless he is fighting something. We can at least go out and visit people and go to parties. We are still really careful- I think that goes without saying.

OK, Alaskans- there is a marathon coming up in June. It is the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon. This benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help find a cure. You can check www.teamintraining.org for information on what you can do. If you can't run/walk- there is still lots to do as those who can run/walk will need water passed to them!!

Hope you all have a great week. Take care and be safe!

Love,
The Reisinger Family

Saturday, November 30, 2002 at 04:38 PM (CST)

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We did. I posted a couple new pictures in the album. Gabe was feeling good and had a great appetite.

Gabe's AGC is finally where it should be to go back on his meds. He started at half dose last Tuesday. His AGC was up to 2300! It will go back down but hopefully it won't bottom out when they get him back on his full dose. His last dose of steroid was interesting. He was very emotional this time. And hungry- one night for dinner he ate 9 chicken legs! We finally distracted him enough to get him away from the table because he really would've eaten more. I don't know how... his tummy was so big and hard and round. I told him if he ate any more chicken he would lay an egg. He is such a smart little boy- I could see him trying to figure out how that could happen.

Seth is doing good as well. We decorated our Christmas tree yesterday and he has been wound up ever since! He is so excited for Christmas-just a few more weeks to go! He has lost another tooth. It is his upper 1st molar. I can see it's gone when he smiles and it is a constant reminder that he is getting older. Well, that and the fact that we have the same size feet and I can wear his shoes.

Well, I hope you are all finding creative ways to eat your left over turkey. We have had turkey for every meal for the last couple days now. Turkey is great, but I think it's time for a change. So, it's pasta tonight and then back to turkey soup tomorrow. Enjoy-

Thanks for checking on us. Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Anjie

Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 05:03 AM (CST)

Hello Again,

Well, Gabe had his clinic visit yesterday. His AGC is still too low to go back on his nightly chemo. He did get Vincristine and he also started his steroid. We will go back in for a CBC next Tuesday and hopefully be able to start his meds again. BTW, his AGC was 752, hemoglobin was 11.1 (good) and his plateletes were 378 (very good). He has been eating and sleeping good and has been playing a lot. And best of all- NO Fevers!!

Sorry this is such a short update- No news is Good news, right? We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love to you and your family,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Tuesday, November 05, 2002 at 03:21 PM (CST)

Hello All,

My, how quickly things change. We completely missed Halloween this year. We spent that night in the ER with Gabe. He had a fever and his AGC was only 300 something. Gabe was only in for a few days, we came home on Sunday. His AGC was 780 when we left the hospital and he hadn't had any chemo since Oct. 30. Dr. Maher wanted to see Gabe today for a CBC and if it was over 1000 he would put him back on his chemo. Well- it went down again- it's back to 360. So, we will re-check in one week and in the mean time, he doesn't get any chemo.

He seems to be feeling better. He is eating and drinking again, but still just wants to lay in bed or be held. I hope he can get the rest he needs to start making those white blood cells. And I hope he doesn't develop another fever. All of the blood cultures they took from his hospital stay came back negative. So, it is probably a virus that is knocking him down.

Steve bought the boys the new Scooby-Doo movie and Gabe loves it! He watches it over and over and mimics the voices of some of the characters. It is so funny! He is growing up so fast- and is actually starting to look more like his age. I can't believe he is 2 1/2! Without hair, he looks so young. Now his hair is thickening and getting longer- he can even wake up with "bed head" now! He hasn't had that for over a year.

Well, Please keep Gabe in your thoughts and prayers. He needs to get his AGC above 1000 to get back on his chemo. Though I'm sure this is a nice break for him- I don't like it one bit. We will always be terrified of a relapse-

Take care,
Anjie

Sunday, October 27, 2002 at 12:41 PM (CST)

Friday, September 27, 2002 at 08:13 AM (CDT)

Hello Again,

I know you are all anxiously awaiting an update- it's been a while since the last one. Sorry about that!

Gabe is doing very good. He had an appointment at clinic yesterday. His AGC is 1488 and his platelets and hemoglobin are in the low end of "normal". He has been keeping us busy- very busy- but it's so good to see him with so much energy.

The last couple weeks have been great. We had Seth's Homeschool field trip to Camp Fort Hill. We all had so much fun- until Seth developed a headache and then a tummy ache. He was not feeling well- possibly the heat? We left early but still had a great time. Parents participated in the physical challenges as well. Though I must say the kids had more energy and stamina the the grown-ups. I'll try to get a picture up in the photo album.

The firestation had a BBQ for the peds Hem/Onc- that was a lot of fun! They have done this for the last 10 years, I believe. They had all their fire trucks on display and they let the kids spray the hose and try to put out a "fire" at snoopy's house. Of Course they taught the kids about fire safety and how to implement a plan for escape if fire should happen at home.

Next week we are going on another field trip to Sauder Village in Ohio. I understand it is a "living History" village. I love history so I'm sure this will be facinating! The following weekend we will be going to Missouri to visit some friends from Alaska. I am really looking forward to seeing them again and spending a few days with them. They are grandparents and take that role very seriously! Seth and Gabe will be thoroughly spoiled. I'm sure of it!

You know, any diagnosis of cancer in the family is devestating. It's amazing to me, how our family pulled together and how we continue to function. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends in our lives. And the people we have met since diagnosis are incredible. So helpful and always listening- even though they have probably heard everything ten thousand times! Thankyou!!

Take care,
Anjie

Monday, September 09, 2002 at 08:58 AM (CDT)

Another week has passed, Gabe is doing very good. He still sounds a little conjested in his chest but he no longer is wheezing and making all kinds of noise when he breathes. He hasn't needed any albuterol since last week! His counts from his last appointment were great. His AGC is 1481 and his hemoglobin and platelets are great. He sure is an amazing kid!

Our homeschool meeting was a lot of fun. Gabe hugged me tight while there were a lot of other kids around- but when they all left for their class he relaxed a bit. I know, espesially homeschoolers, would never intentionally bring an infectious child to the group- but I asked that they let me know if one of the kids is sick. No problem- what a great group! I'm really looking forward to homeschooling Seth this year!

Gabe has his favorite toy at clinic and each appointment is was getting harder and harder to get him to leave. His favorite toy is a big red car. Well, we bought him one for home and you should've seen him when Steve put it together- he was so exited! I have posted a couple pictures of him and his big red car. He's such a cutie!

Thanks for checking on Gabe this week. I hope you all clicked on the link above for your free gold ribbon! Of course you can purchase these as well and a portion af sales goes toward finding a cure for childhood cancer!

Take Care,
Anjie

Saturday, August 31, 2002 at 11:38 AM (CDT)

Hello,

Can you believe tomorrow starts September? Where does the time go?

Last week we kept pretty busy around here. I had a homeschool planning meeting for a co-op group we will be involved with this year. We also met another great family for dinner. They have a little boy, about Gabe's age, who has ALL. It was really nice to sit and talk with them about "stuff." Hopefully we can get together again before too long. They live a ways from here but pretty close to Indy- so maybe on our October Riley visit we can visit again.

Earlier this week we needed to take Gabe in because he was wheezing and breathing hard. Asthma runs in the family so we weren't too surprised when we were told he needed to have albuterol. The medical supply co. brought out a nebulizer and Gabe sits up on the couch with the mask and for a few minutes, several times a day, he breathes the vapor. I'll say it again...Gabe does so good with his meds- I am still amazed by this!

Yesterday we had a clinic visit. Gabe had Vincristine and it hasn't slowed him down- He has, in the past, gotten sore legs and jaw but Thankfully has never had a problem with constipation. Vincristine is nasty stuff! His AGC was 922, platelets and hemoglobin are good. We will be keeping his dosages the same and we will go back in 1 week for a CBC. He started the steroid again today and will take it for 5 days. I am looking forward to it helping his allergies/asthma.

Next weekend is Steve's company picnic. Then the weekend after the homeschool co-op has a field trip planned at a challenge course. Seth will have a great time there. We will be leaving Gabe home that day because- well, we are paranoid- that's all! Then the Peds Hem/Onc has a BBQ with the fire dept. That should be a lot of fun as well.

Now that we have had Gabe out a little bit we've discovered that he is scared of other kids! I don't know how that happened except that he has never been around anyone smaller than Seth. He cried when we met our friends for dinner, he wouldn't even look at them. He cried when some kids came to the door for a fund-raiser and he screamed when another little cancer patient came say "hi" to Gabe. He just couldn't get away fast enough! Strange! I don't know how the HS co-op is going to go. Hopefully Gabe won't be too terrified. Though- he may frighten everyone else- our first meeting is the last day Gabe is on his steroid!

Well, this is getting long. I'll post after next week- Thanks for checking on us. Hope you have a happy and safe extended weekend!

Take care,

Anjie

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 at 08:46 AM (CDT)

Hello, I am not so great at updating when we don't have weekly clinic visits as a reminder.

Gabe is doing great on Maintenance. He is tolerating his meds very well. His Last dose of the Dexamethosone was last Wednesday. And, Boy was I glad to see that day! Gabe was incredibly aggressive! I don't think I've ever seen him quite like that! So, all you cancer parents- can I expect the same kind of behavior with each pulse of steroid? He usually is starving- we loaded the house with his usual goodies and snacks but, maybe because of all the new meds he is getting used to, he didn't have quite the appetite as usual. He still ate plenty but didn't wake up to eat during the night as he has in the past. So- mainly he was very aggressive and had loads of energy. One evening he just ran. And ran and ran and ran!! Then he would take a break to terrorize the dogs before starting in again- and he ran and ran and ran! It was truly amazing and oddly entertaining. He will be back on Dexamethosone the first week of September. His other meds need to be timed right. He needs his 6-MP 2 hours after his last meal (when exactly is his last meal while he's on his steroid?) and given before bed. That is when it metabolizes best in their system. We are getting used to this new schedule. Though it sometimes means staying up later then usual and waking up Gabe to give the meds on an empty tummy. Thank goodness gabe doesn't fight us to much with his meds. He takes them crushed and mixed with Squirt. He is "into" showing how well he helps squirting his med in his mouth with the syringe. If there is someone around he can show this to- he does very well.

Well, summer is coming to an end- though it doesn't feel that way temperature-wise. Enjoy the last few weeks of this season.

I posted some new pics in the album.

Thanks for checking on us! Take care,
Anjie

Saturday, August 03, 2002 at 04:18 PM (CDT)

Thursday, July 25, 2002 at 12:37 PM (CDT)

My Goodness, I didn't realize how long it has been since my last update.

Gabe has been feeling pretty good. We were supposed to begin his maintenence therapy tomorrow but the CBC he had today showed his AGC is only 44! Way too low... His hemoglobin and platelets were good. We are going in next Thursday for another CBC and if his AGC is above 1000 we will be going to Indy on Friday. I have no idea why his AGC is so low- but I was assured that it's not uncommon. So, though it's not GOOD, it's OK.

Well, there is some sibling rivalry happening in the family room.... I'd better go mediate. I'll update again next week and I'll try to get some new pics up- Gabe's hair is growing back- a little darker then before.

Take care,
Anjie

Tuesday, July 09, 2002 at 12:25 PM (CDT)

Hi there,

Well, Gabe somehow managed to stay out of the hospital last week!! He started his ARA-C last Monday and that night, as expected, he developed a fever. Tuesday, it went to 101 and Steve took him into the clinic. He called to let me know they were admitting Gabe but, to everone's surprise, Gabe's CBC showed his AGC went from 524 on Monday to nearly 1500 on Tuesday!! So, after a dose of antibiotics, Gabe was able to come home. His fever continued through Saturday but he was able to be home over the holiday!

We had a nice 4th of July. That morning, Steve and I went to the flea market while the boys stayed home with Nana. If you haven't heard- the Shipshewana Flea Market is the largest outdoor flea market in the midwest. Anyway- WOW was it ever hot!! It was nice to get out though. Because of the heat, the fireworks in our area were cancelled. We wouldn't have taken Gabe to them but Seth and Nana were planning to go. We ended up staying home- we had some fire crackers and sparklers- plus, a lot of families on the lake had some great firework displays. Gabe did not like them this year! He had fun last year but wasn't into the big noises this time. He stayed in the house, watched out the window while sitting on Nana's lap. It must be nice to feel that kind of comfort and saftey. We all need a lap to curl up in once in a while!

Steve went back to work Monday- and so did Seth, we are home schooling him through the summer because of missed time these past few months.

Gabe had a CBC yesterday. His AGC is 410, his WBC is 880 (normal is 4,000-17,000) his hemoglobin is 8 (normal is 10.5-14) and his platelets are 80,000 (normal is 130,000-470,000). We will go in on Thursday for another CBC- they'll give him a transfusion if he needs it.

Well, thanks for checking on us. Hope you all had a nice holiday.
Take care,
Anjie

Monday, July 01, 2002 at 01:39 PM (CDT)

Hello,

I can't believe July is here!! It is 89 degrees with a heat index of 105 degrees here in Indiana! You can bet we're just hanging out at home in the A/C!

Gabe had an interesting week last week. We started the ARA-C and it caused Gabe to run some pretty high fevers. We took him in for a CBC Wednesday and his AGC was nearly 4000 so Dr. Maher gave him a dose of antibiotics and let us come home. His Fevers finally went away by Saturday. Today we went in for a CBC and to start 4 more doses of ARA-C. We fully expect high fevers again but this time Gabes AGC is only 530, so he will be admitted. We will probably be spending the 4th of July in the hospital. We may have a great view of the fireworks in South Bend- it won't be so bad. Gabe loves the fireworks- he's scared of a firefly- but he loves the big boom of fire works. Go figure?

Gabe got his Caps for Kids hat today. It is Scooby-Doo and it's autographed by Scott Innes, the voice of Scooby! It is so great and looks so cute on him.

Well, hope you all have a happy and safe 4th of July.

Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 08:53 AM (CDT)

Hi All,

What a long day for my guys yesterday. Steve took both boys for Gabe's appt. which started at 8am and they finally left the hospital just before 7pm. Gabe did really well for his treatment. He had a spinal with Methotrexate and Cyclophosphamide through his port. He was given Kitral for nausea but it wore off just as Steve headed home and he threw up all over inside the car. Poor guy- Gabe too. The home health nurse will be coming out this afternoon to bring Gabe's ARA-C. I will give him three doses over three days through his port along with Zofran. And the last med he is on is 6-TG which he takes each night for a couple weeks. Of course, the antibiotic on the weekend is a constant. All of these meds have the same nasty side effects as usual so keep Gabe in your thoughts and prayers. We go back to clinic July 1st. for a CBC and to start another round of ARA-C. Hopefully he will start maintenence the last week of July.

By the way- his AGC was 1400+.

Steve has a short week at work- I think he has Thurs and Fri off. Plus all of next week. It'll be so nice to have him home. And he'll be happy to know that I don't even have a "honey-do" list for him. Well, not yet-- but that reminds me....

Well, Thanks for checking on us and for your prayers. Hope you have a nice week.

Take care.

Anjie

Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 07:28 AM (CDT)

Hello,
Gabe found out the best news today. "The Wiggles" comes on every day at 7am!! He was really excited as he watched them this morning. He was clapping and hopping all over the place! He just loves those guys.

We went to the clinic yesterday for a CBC and found Gabe's counts are still too low. They are about the same as last week, AGC is 854 but his hemoglobin came up to 10.2. We are giving him another week to get his his AGC up to at least 1000. Hopefully we can have his treatment done next Monday.

Seth had a great birthday on Sunday. He got a swing set and a lot of Star Wars action figures, the Harry Potter movie and some books. He wanted a vanilla cake with strawberry icing and Nana's fried chicken and potato salad. He thinks his Nana should open a fried chicken and potato salad restaurant- it's so good!

Well, we've had an uneventful week, which is great! I wouldn't want it any other way. Take care.
Anjie

Thursday, June 13, 2002 at 06:19 PM (CDT)

Hello,

Well, Steve and the boys went to Gabe's appointment today. His AGC is up to 861. Not quite high enough for his treatment but a lot higher then where it was last week. I was hoping he would make it so we could have his treatment in South Bend but Dr. Maher is going to be out of the office next week. So- we will try again on Monday with a CBC in South Bend and if his counts are at least 1000 we will be going to Riley Childrens Hospital in Indy on Tuesday, which means we will be leaving at 4 am on that morning. The Ronald McDonald house fills up so fast that we didn't even try for a room there. He seems to be feeling all right. He still complains of a sore throat at times but he is able to eat and drink fine. It might actually be jaw pain from the Vincristine?? When he doesn't talk- I sometimes can't figure it out then it becomes a guessing game.

We will celebrate Seth's birthday and Fathers day on the same day this year. I know I've said it before- but I can't believe he's going to be 9!! I'll get some pictures this weekend and post them here probably on Tuesday- that's when I'll update you all on Gabe's next appointment.

Well, have a great weekend!
Anjie


**Thankyou, Papa and Boo, for the package. We got it yesterday and Seth just loves all the books you sent. He can't wait to open the wrapped gift- he can't figure out what's in it. Gabe took the bear to bed with him last night- he's never taken anything to bed with him. It was too cute! Thanks again!**

Friday, June 07, 2002 at 09:03 PM (CDT)

Hi All,

Gabe had his appointment today at the clinic. His AGC has dropped from 1255 last week to 271 this week! He wasn't able to get his chemo because it would drop his counts even more and he already has no ability to fight infection. So, we will try again on Thursday. Because his AGC is below 500, if he developes a fever it will be an automatic hospital admission. Let's just pray that doesn't happen. He's already complaining of a sore throat.
Other then low counts Gabe is doing pretty good- he's been in quite a mood and still wanting to eat constantly (I lost the four pounds I gained last week)- the steroid should be on it's way out of his little system. YAY!!
Seth is doing good- getting pounded on by his baby brother (Gabe has been a bit aggressive). Seth is the best and most understanding kid ever, I'm sure of it! He cares so much for Gabe. Last week we had some pretty loud thunder storms move through our area. Gabe was afraid and climbed right up on Seth's lap. I could tell he was comforted by his big brother. Its so great to see that and it made Seth feel really good that Gabe would come to him for comfort. I wish he would go to Seth when he needed a diaper change also, but I guess I can't have it all.
Well, hope you all have a nice week. Take care,
Anjie

Saturday, June 01, 2002 at 06:34 AM (CDT)

Happy June everyone!

Can you believe the year is half over? Seth's birthday is in a couple weeks, on the 16th. He will be 9- hard to believe!

Gabe had a CBC yesterday. His AGC is up to 1255! We celebrated by taking him out to the store. Hey, it's exciting for him! He doesn't get out much at all and he loves it so much. Gabe's hemoglobin is 9.9 and plateletes are 364K. Unless things drop considerably, his next treatment is Friday. He will be at his clinic the whole day and will have a spinal tap and four types of chemo. But- no steroid!! Thank goodness!! This last week was.... well- it's over- and I'm glad for that. Gabe gets so trembly and has problems with his blood sugar. So, on top of wanting to eat constantly, at times he would be shaking so bad that he couldn't get the food in his mouth. He was up one or two times during the night- eating. But nothing he ate was what he wanted and frequently I would eat his rejects. Needless to say, I don't know how much weight Gabe gained last week- but I gained four pounds!!

What little hair has grown back is falling out again. It was blonde and even had a little red in it. The sore in his mouth is almost gone and he seems to be feeling much better this morning then last week.

Well, we have some friends to visit today- while Gabe's AGC is over 1000! Hope you all have a nice week. Thanks for checking in on us.
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Friday, May 24, 2002 at 04:59 PM (CDT)

Well, another nice day for Gabe at the clinic. I wish his AGC were higher- it's 246. We will just enjoy a quiet, peaceful holiday weekend here at home. Oh, I forgot-Gabe started the steroid again today, maybe it won't be so peaceful after all?! Gabe's hemoglobin is a little low. The "normal" range is 10.5-14 and Gabe's is at 9.8 which, I'm told, is still good for a hem/onc patient. He is looking a little pale but his energy is high! Real high! When Gabe was first diagnosed his hemoglobin level was at 2, he looked like he could glow in the dark- he was way beyond pale!Plus he was taking 2 or 3 naps a day. Oh, the memories....
In other news... we had an unexpected visitor yesterday. I put the dogs in my bedroom because they were in attack mode. Well- when I opened the door to let them out of the room I noticed a little piece of black plastic on the floor. I couldn't figure out what it was until I looked around the room and saw my bed was covered with more tiny pieces of plastic and 1/2 of the tv remote. Ah Ha! Our mastiff puppy, LC, had eaten the remote control. Thankfully, the batteries were still intact! What a crazy dog! Obviously she didn't like being closed in my room with a stranger in the house. She's a good watchdog with a big bark yet very gentle. Seth is waiting for her to hiccup and change the channel.
There's not much else going on here. Thanks for checking on us and keeping us close to your heart. Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
Take care,
Steve and Anjie

Saturday, May 18, 2002 at 07:33 PM (CDT)

Wow! I thought we were going to float away last week- there was SO MUCH RAIN!!! We have dried out and I no longer feel like I have webbed feet. It was beautiful here today, a good day for a walk. I'm going to have to start calling Gabe the Energizer Bunny- He just keeps going and going and going.....and walking and walking and walking.....
Gabe had an appt. last Friday. It went really well, his AGC was up to 3800 and he breezed throught his chemo just fine. He was given a gift at clinic- a Chirpy-Chi. If you don't know what that is, it's a robotic chirping bird that "sings" more then 40 songs. It was so cute-- at first-- but after a few chirpy minutes- it got kind of annoying (even Seth thought so)!! And after an additional 45 minutes of listening to it "sing"- I was ready to throw it out the car window!! Thanks guys!!
Well, Gabe's next appointment will be this Friday. So, I'll write again then. Oh, If you haven't already checked out Gabe's Smile Quilt- you should! There is a link at the top of the page. It's just awesome. You can even add a quilt square. I also put a new picture of the boys in the album.
Thanks for checking on us.
Take care,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Saturday, May 11, 2002 at 01:51 PM (CDT)

Hello All,

We are back from Indianapolis and Gabe's treatment went great. He recieved Vincristine, Doxorubicin and had a spinal tap with Methotrexate. He also started one week of Decadron (a steroid). Which meant an early morning trip to the super market to stock the pantry with anything he might want to eat. In case you don't remember the last time Gabe was on Decadron he would wake up in the middle of the night, climb out of bed and scream until Dad got up to make him something to eat. Usually that was either ramen noodles or steak. It's going to be a long week. We love steroids!! One great thing about them is they really clear up Gabe's allergies, so for a couple weeks he will finally be able to breathe. Today,he has complained about his leg hurting- a side effect of the vincristine. But other then that, he seems to be doing good.
If he thinks his legs hurt now- wait until Monday, he goes in for a shot in each leg. Poor kid!
So, keep us in your thoughts this week!!
Thankyou,
Anjie

Thursday, April 25, 2002 at 04:09 PM (CDT)

Hello All,

Gabe had an appointment today and everything went great. He was able to have both the Vincristine and Methotrexate. His AGC was 1850 but it won't be there for long- the Methotrexate really drops the counts. He will go in for a CBC next Thursday to check his hemoglobin and plateletes, but other then that his next chemo appointment won't be until May 10th in Indianapolis.

I posted a couple of new pictures of the boys at the park. Gabe LOVES the slide- I would've picked him to be a "swing" kind of kid. Ya know, something less daring. But, sometimes I forget that even though he is sick- he's still all boy. Thank God!!!

Enjoy your week, thanks for checking in on us!
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 10:08 AM (CDT)

Hi All,

*Check out the photo album, I posted some pictures of yesterday's clinic visit.*

Gabe is feeling pretty good today. Yesterday he had chemo and a spinal tap. His AGC is around 930 and his hemoglobin and platelets are in the normal range. He has another appointment in 10 days for more chemo. His cough went away but he is still really conjested- he most likely has some allergies- 'tis the season!

It has been beautiful here! We broke out the shorts yesterday when our temperature reached 86 degrees. It will be equally as warm today and I'm looking forward to it. Seth put some bird seed out for the birds. He loaded my window box with seed hoping they would come right to the window. We haven't seen any birds there but we did catch a squirrel sitting in the box eating the seed. I tried to grab the camera but the dogs caught on to us and scared him away. Oh well.

Hope you all have a great day. thanks for checking in on us- keep in touch.

Anjie

Wednesday, April 10, 2002 at 09:53 AM (CDT)

Hi All,

Just a quick update, Gabe is doing well- still getting over the virus but is improving a little each day.

In my last message I asked you to say a prayer for Ryley and his remission and I thought you would all like to know that he had his bone marrow aspiration on Monday and it came back CLEAR!! He has finally achieved REMISSION!! I am so happy for Ryley and his family! And I know you are as well. There are just too many families watching their sick child suffer. I am just so thankful Gabe is doing well.

Just wanted to brighten your day- it really brightened mine!!
Love,
Anjie

Friday, April 05, 2002 at 02:00 PM (CST)

Hello,
What strange weather we have been having! Yesterday the sun was shining bright but it was snowing!!
Well, we have all been sick AGAIN!! It's another virus. But thankfully, Gabe has had no fever! He had a clinic visit yesterday for Chemo. His AGC was 549 so he was only able to recieve one of the two meds. He has been so conjested in his head and chest. They took and x-ray that showed a lot of mucus but no pneumonia. Then a respiratory therapist gave him a breathing treatment and he seems to be doing a little better today. He is still running around, playing as usual, except we are chasing after him with a kleenex- trying to wipe his nose! He has another appointment in ten days for his Chemo, as long as he stays fever free.
Well, all of your prayers for Gabe have been so appreciated. On Monday, while you are praying for Gabe, remeber to pray for a little boy named Ryley. He is a couple months younger then Gabe and he has T-cell Leukemia. He has an appt. Monday for a spinal tap and a bone marrow aspiration. We are praying that he is in remission! Thankyou!!
Hope you all have a great week!
Love and Thanks,
Anjie

Tuesday, March 26, 2002 at 10:09 AM (CST)

Well, Spring is apparently around the next corner because it is snowing like crazy here. Not "Alaska" crazy, I hear. But for the end of March, in Indiana??
Gabe's appointment went real good. His AGC is 2300 so he was able to recieve his treatment. He is tolerating it pretty well so far. He was feeling sick during the night but woke up with an appetite this morning. He has been eating everything in sight (it seems) and he isn't even on the steroid. He is gaining some weight, which I like to see- his little legs have been so skinny!
Gabe's next appointment will be april 4th. Thanks for checking on him!
Take care,
Anjie

Saturday, March 16, 2002 at 09:20 AM (CST)

Things went really well for Gabriel yesterday at Riley Children's Hospital. Gabriel had 2 chemos (vincristine and methotrexate) and he had a spinal tap with methotrexate in his spinal fluid. As usual, he was an excellent patient and his oncologist said he puts some of their teenage patients to shame. We have truly been blessed with two wonderful boys!!

Gabe just started his second Interim Maintenece phase. He will be seen in South Bend every 10 days for Vincristine and Methotrexate in his port. He will also have another spinal tap in a month or so. This phase will last a couple of months.

Hope you are ready for spring ~ it's just around the corner.

Take care,
Anjie

Tuesday, March 12, 2002 at 10:22 AM (CST)

Boy, that was close!! You know Gabe came home from the hospital Thursday. We ended up BACK in the ER Sunday with fever, vomiting, really bad muscle pains and diarhea. They did another blood culture, a CBC, gave him fluids, something for his vomiting and an antibiotic. His CBC showed his AGC was at 5000!! WOW, was I surprised. Because they covered him with an antibiotic and his AGC was good, they sent us home. Gabe had an appt. with Dr. Maher yesterday (Monday) and they took a stool sample and confirmed Gabe has another virus. They gave him more fluids and another dose of antibiotic and his AGC was 5900. He was able to keep some of his 7-up down with the help of Zofran so we were again able to come home. It was a close one though- Dr. Maher told me that out of all his patients yesterday- Gabe was one of the only kids he didn't admit. These viruses are nasty and they are spreading like a wildfire!! This morning, Gabe is doing so much better- He hasn't vomited since yesterday evening and he has had no more fevers! So things are looking better here.
Gabe has an appt. Friday in Indianapolis to continue his treatments. He has missed over a month due to low counts and illness so we are eager to get him back on track. He will have 2 chemos and a spinal. Then he will be seen for chemo every 10 days for a couple months.
Hope you are all doing good- Thanks for keeping in touch and keeping Gabe close to your hearts.
Love,
Anjie

Friday, March 08, 2002 at 01:19 PM (CST)

Finally, Gabe came home yesterday (Thursday, 3/7). He seems to be feeling good, still has a cough and runny nose/sneezing but is happy to be home!! We are all glad to have him here as well- I hadn't seen him in nearly one week. He looked much more fragile when he first came home but now looks just as rough and tumble as any other bald, skinny 2 year old!
We are all feeling better and getting a little more energy back each day to the next. Hope you are all doing well!
I'll write more after Gabe's next appointment which will be on Monday 3/11. he will have a CBC and then I'll know more of what's coming up next.
Love to you and your families,
Anjie

Tuesday, March 05, 2002 at 09:43 AM (CST)

Well, Gabe is still hospitalized. His AGC is on it's way to zero. I think it's around 60. Steve finally feels good enough to be at the hospital with him- giving Marie a much needed break! She has been so great through this! There really isn't too much to say- Gabe is still fighting this nasty virus. I think his temp.is finally under control but he isn't eating much. He has developed a sore in his mouth that hurts him to eat. He has been sleeping a lot- healing time for his body! Steve took him his favorite pillow case and a few of his favorite toys to cheer him up. I hope he feels better soon. Keep him in your prayers!
Thankyou,
Anjie

Saturday, March 02, 2002 at 03:43 AM (CST)

"If we can all stay healthy..."

That is what I wrote in my last message- and within a couple hours, Gabe developed a nasty cough. An hour later he had a temp of 101.7. I took him to the E.R. in South Bend and they were really great about keeping us out of the waiting room because Gabe is neutropenic. His temp went up to 103.6 before if finally started coming down. He was given an IV antibiotic and some fluids and he felt better right away. We were able to go home that night and throughout the night Gabe's Fever was up, down, up, down. He was burning up, shivering, coughing, crying, sneezing and aching all night long. With Tylenol we could keep his temp down to 100.9. The next morning, Gabe's DR. wanted us to come in for another CBC and an antibiotic. He checked him over and is fairly certian he has a flu. His AGC had dropped from 736 to 633 so he admitted Gabe to the pediatric ward in South Bend.

I had mentioned in my last message that Steve was sick. Well, while sitting in the E.R. I started coughing. And I haven't stopped since. Seth is sick now too, except he has been throwing up- no doubt because he is worried about his little brother! He had a temp this morning and is coughing and conjested as well. Marie (Steve's Mom) stayed with Gabe last night. I sure appreciate her- although I'm sure I don't tell her enough!! She is the only healthy person here and I'm glad she is with Gabe and will stay with him as long as we need her to. I don't know how long Gabe will be in the hospital. I think they will keep him there until his AGC goes up. Gabe feels all right for a while, then gets tired. His fever is down- because of the fluids, and he looks so much better. I am hoping to see him today with a bright and shining face.
Keep him in your thoughts and prayers! And us too!!
I will write more as I can.
Take care,
Anjie

Thursday, February 28, 2002 at 10:46 AM (CST)

Hello,
Just a quick update-
Gabe has been off treatment for the last 1 & 1/2 weeks to allow his counts to recover. He had a CBC this morning and they are still too low. His AGC needs to be 1000 to continue treatment and it is 736. A week should be enough time to get it back up there. If we can all stay healthy....
Steve came home with a cold yesterday so he will be sleeping in Seth's room and the boys will be sleeping in my room. I hope we can keep it away from him!
Steve and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary yesterday! It hardly seems like 10 years- I can't believe it. What's more is that we have known eachother for 14 years- that's half my life! It just keeps getting better and better! Although, we could've done without this whole Leukemia thing!
I posted a new picture of the boys in the photo album. Seth had just gotten his new glasses that night- isn't he handsome?!!
Well, I'll post next week after I know what Gabe's ACG is, and if we will be going to Indianapolis for his next treatment.
Thanks for checking on us!
Love, Anjie

Friday February 15, 2002 9:16 PM CST

Hi All,
Gabe's appointment went very well today. His AGC is 641 and his platelets are on the low side but not critical. His hemoglobin is also very low but so far, he doesn't need any transfusions. He is off chemo for a couple weeks so his counts have a chance to recover before we start again. He will be seen at Riley Childrens Hospital on March 1st if his counts are good. He had a rough couple days last week- with nausea and vomiting but seems to be feeling fine now. He sure is a joy to be around! He is practicing his jumping and, let me tell you, it is SO funny to watch! He concentrates so hard but can get only one leg off the ground. The thing is, he really thinks he's jumping high! He is also perfecting his "wink". Daddy taught him. It is really more of a scrunched up blink but is adorable! I wish you could all see him in person- he is such an awesome little man! Well, this is going to be a short entry- I want to get back to my family. Wishing you the best this week. Thankyou for thinking of us!
Love,
Anjie

Monday February 4, 2002 7:16 AM CST

Hello Again,
Well, finally Gabe was able to have his chemo! Steve took him in to the clinic last Friday (2/1/02), Seth and I stayed home due to illness. Gabe's AGC was not quite 1000 but was close enough. The nurses then surprised him with a mini- birthday party! That was so nice of them. They really know how to make kids feel special! I wish I could have been there and I know Seth was bummed that we weren't able to go- but we are feeling a bit better and have another appt. this friday for a CBC. Gabe has a bunch of new meds he is taking- he is still taking the blood pressure med and the antibiotic. Plus we give him a chemo through his port for 4 days and he has a nightly chemo he takes orally as well. Seth showed him how he takes his medicine and now Gabe takes his pills with a glass of water! AMAZING!! I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a cooperative patient! He is such a blessing!
There is a picture posted in the photo album. It was taken on Gabe's birthday. His favorite new toy is a mini-vacuum cleaner. It is just like mine but it doesn't really work. Too bad- Gabe has been "vacuuming" non-stop for almost 2 days now! I wish I enjoyed vacuuming as much as he does....
Well, I have to get ready for Seth's school. Have a great week!
Love,
Anjie

Tuesday January 29, 2002 7:40 AM CST

Hello,
Hope everyone is avoiding this nasty virus that's going around! Steve brought it home to us last week and we have been passing it around.It's a nasty one! So far Seth and Gabe are doing all right. Gabe woke up stuffy but no fever! Gabe's AGC dropped to 182 so he was unable to get his chemo yesterday. We are heading into week three with no treatments. We will try again on Friday. We were again re-assured that this is not uncommon. Thankyou for your continued support through prayer.
He still has lots of energy and continually entertains us with his new sounds and smiles. He can now say owl and "hoo-hoo" as well as "moo". It's really cute.
Well, I hope you are all feeling fine- stay healthy so you can come visit us sometime!
Love to you and your family,
Steve and Anjie

Tuesday January 22, 2002 8:03 AM CST

Hello All,
Well, after two more tries, Gabe's AGC is still too low to recieve his next treatment. We will try again on Monday. He seems to be feeling good and has a lot more energy then I would've expected with such a low AGC. Great, eh?
Not much has been going on around here. Steve and I attended my Dad's wedding last weekend. The ceremony and reception was really nice and it was fun to have a couple days away from home.
Well, that's all for now- Hope you all are having a nice week.
Take care,
Anjie

Sunday, January 13, 2002 at 12:10 AM (CST)

Hi there,
Just a real quick update- Gabe had his appt. Friday but his AGC was too low to recieve any treatments. As I said before, this is not uncommon and we will try again next Thursday. Gabe seems to be feeling great! He has had a lot of energy and is sleeping through the night. YAY!! He is eating good and even saying a couple new words. They are, WOW and OW (wonder why he would learn that?) His vocabulary also includes MAMA, HI and he can shake his head for NO and nod his head for YES. I can't believe he is going to be a 2yo next month! Gabe shares his birthday with groundhog day- You wouldn't believe the comments Steve got at work when Gabe was born- everything from "Did you name him Phil?" to "Did he see his shadow and go back in?" Yeah, believe it! Poor kid.
Seth is doing good as well. He had an appt with his pediatrician and is in good health- he does need an eye exam and will probably need glasses.
There is not much else going on around here- I am just waiting for next Thursday- I can't imagine his counts coming up that fast (they need to be 1000 and they are now 281) We will see. I am just thankful he isn't hurting like he was last week!
Have a great week!
Love, Anjie

Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 08:53 AM (CST)

Hello All,
I posted a new picture- check out Gabe's "new do". He lost his hair last Thursday. He pulled much of it out himself. His appointment last Friday went great. His AGC was at 782 and his blood sugar and pancreas checked out fine. The steroid had given him tremors and severe muscle pain. After a painful and sleepless night Dr. Maher prescribed Tylenol with Codiene and he felt so much better!! His next appointment is Friday.
His appetite for different food is increasing. For almost two weeks he has wanted ramen and tenderloin for just about every meal and snack. His menu now includes mac-n-cheese, turkey dogs, sausage and PB&J sandwiches. *Thankyou, PAPA and BOO (Steve and Sue) for the home made Jam- it is a BIG hit in our house!* It was a hard adjustment for me to let Gabe eat whatever he wanted. But we have been told countless times to let him eat what he wants- some kids just don't- so I'm glad he is eating something! Even if it isn't a well balanced meal. I figure there is plenty of time to re-develop healthy eating habits when he is better.
Well, there isn't much else going on here. Hope you are all doing well.
Love,
Anjie

Tuesday, January 01, 2002 at 05:27 AM (CST)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Boy, do I feel old! I tuckered out at 10:00 last night- I don't even go to bed by 10:00 any other night. It must have been reverse psychology- I kept telling myself I had to stay up until midnight- next year, I'll tell myself I want to go to bed early. It should work, in theory.
Gabe had his appt. last Friday. Steve went with us and was able to see how awesome Gabe does! It truly amazes me to see this little guy endure so much and to just sit back and take it like a trooper- I know, I say that every time!
His lab results showed he has severe neutropenia (very low AGC- about 532 and dropping). The Dr. advised us not to accept visitors or take Gabe out as he has zero immunity. His platelettes and hemoglobin were a little on the low side so we will go in on Friday for a CBC. If he needs a transfusion he can have one at that time. His next Chemo is Jan. 11. His AGC needs to be at least 1000 and platelettes at least 100,000. I was told it is not uncommon to have to wait until the counts come back up. Right now- Gabe seems to be all right, he is a little low on energy but, who wouldn't be? His hair is thinning, again, but I still don't think it will fall out- Dr. Maher calls him Samson (after the bible story Samson and Delilah- Samson's hair was his strength). Except Gabe will be strong even if he loses his hair, right?
Well, Thanks for checking in. I hope you have a happy and healthy new year!
Love to you all,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 at 01:57 PM (CST)

Happy Holidays!!
Finally I posted a couple pics! Such cute kids we have.
Our Christmas was beautiful and white (Yes, snow)!! I could not believe the kindness in people this season. We had more gifts under our tree then we could've ever imagined. It seemed the gifts kept coming and soon our 4' tree was burried behind packages. In fact, Santa never came to our house. "Santa" was reflected in the goodness of others. I know it took more then an hour to open everything and our boys couldn't have been more excited!
Steve is off work until Jan. 2, o2. I love when he's home, he is such an awesome husband and dad!
Gabe has an appt. on Friday. He will have his chemo and he also starts back on the steroid for a week. The Dr.'s tried to plan his treatment so he would feel all right over Christmas- I'm glad they did that, you will see how great a smile he has when you check the photos. He really felt good that day, exhausted but good!
I hope everyone had a great holiday and I will be thinking of you as we head into the new year. We have a lot to be thankful for, as you know. We are not only thankful for Gabe's improved (and improving) health, we are also very thankful for our family and friends. Thankyou for your love and support and prayers!
We love you,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Sunday, December 16, 2001 at 08:52 AM (CST)

Hello All,
Well, finally snow fell in Indiana! It was nice while it lasted- it's gone now. Gabe had a nice week, last week. He felt really well until the afternoon of the Christmas party. He woke up from his nap very conjested with red puffy eyes. I gave him Benedryl but that makes him sleepy. We decided against going to the party but the nurses were nice enough to save the boys a party sack with all sorts of goodies! We went to his appt. in South Bend on Thursday for some labwork. His AGC was 1982 and his platlettes were 450,000! (To recieve his treatments his AGC needs to be 1000 and platlettes need to be 100,000). While at the clinic we met 2 wonderful families, the Mariens' and the Augers'. They have gone out of their way to see that the boys have a special Christmas bringing Seth and Gabe 3 huge bags of gifts! There is even a gift for Steve and I. It still makes me teary to think of how selfless and giving these families are. It reminds me of another family we know and love (Cartwrights)!
That afternoon, when we got home, our living room looked like it had been hit by a tornado! The tree was laying on the couch and the lights were pulled off the window and laying accross the floor. There were decorations and ornaments and candy canes all over the place! Seems I have forgotten that our Mastiff puppy, L.C., isn't used to being left alone and I left her out of her kennel that morning. I re-decorated our tree that afternoon.
Friday we went to Indy. Gabe had 2 Chemos through his port and a spinal tap with chemo in his spinal fluid. He is back on the Dexamethasone, a steroid, for a week. It makes him VERY moody and VERY hungry. He ate non-stop yesterday morning! He just keeps going back to the refrigerator and pulling on the door. His favorite so far is cheese, but anything salty will do. Thank-goodness he is on medication to lower his blood pressure!
Monday we go to clinic for a shot in his leg. It is a chemo drug. Then we go back on Friday for 2 chemos through his port. He will continue to go back every Friday until January 11. Then more drugs will be added. His oncologist in Indy was surprised he is handling things so well. I know I say that everytime but we are amazed also! He is surprised he still has his hair and may keep it! Gabe isn't showing any signs of nausea since his treatment.
Well, I hope this isn't too long. It's so easy for me to go on and on about my kids because they are so great! But, you all know that already!
Hope you all have a nice week- Oh, Auntie Rana, I CAN do with out the cold! Thanks for reminding me!!
Love,
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Thursday, December 06, 2001 at 01:21 PM (CST)

Hello,
My how time flies- I can't believe it's December! We have no snow here in Indiana! Infact, we hit a high of 70 degrees yesterday. It's hard to get into the Christmas spirit when there's no snow. Not that I'm complaining-
Gabe is doing very well. He was pretty sick for the first few days after his last treatment but now seems like himself again. His mood also improved as he felt better, I was glad to see his temper go. He hasn't been eating much, he takes a couple bites and throws (yes, throws!) his plate to the floor. He looks so innocent afterward- like "how did that happen?" We pretty much let him eat whatever and whenever he feels like it. He will point to something he wants to eat and I will make it- then.... he doesn't want it, he won't even look at it. Poor kid- that Chemo is nasty stuff- it changes the way things smell and taste.
We have been invited to a Christmas party on Dec. 11. It is for the patients and families of the South Bend Clinic and hosted by the Student Advisory Council and Varsity teams from Notre Dame. It should be a lot of fun.
Well, Gabe just woke up from his nap so I'd better close for now. Hope you are able to enjoy snow where you are!
Take care,
Anjie

Monday, November 26, 2001 at 01:53 PM (CST)

Hello,
I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. We stayed home this year and it was really relaxing, tasty too!! Gabe wasn't into it much. He turned down the turkey but did eat 3 popcicles.
Gabe had his appt. today. His AGC is 2123 (up from 2037). He is still taking his blood pressure medicine and an antibiotic on the weekends to prevent pneumonia. He had his usual chemo through his port and seems to be tolerating the side effects. He was given an anti-ematic to help his tummy (also lets him sleep!). His mood has been interesting! Since Thursday he has been VERY irritable and impatient! I want to be sympathetic but it is so out of character for him that I just have to laugh at times! I hope that doesn't sound mean- but I have never seen him throw himself down to the floor, screaming before.Hopefully this is temporary- I'll let you know.
Gabe will have no more treatments until December 15 when we go to Riley Childrens Hospital in Indy. It is count dependant, so we'll make a trip to South Bend for some lab work to make sure his AGC is high enough to get his next treatment. That way we won't have to drive 4 hours to Indy if we don't have to!
I haven't forgotten about the pictures. I was distracted by Thanksgiving, not to mention the day after Thanksgiving. Yes, Steve and I ventured out on "that" day. I didn't think it was so bad but Steve would disagree!
Well, I hope you have a great week! Thanks to everyone who sent cards to Seth- He was so surprised.
Take care,
Anjie

Friday, November 16, 2001 at 05:56 AM (CST)

Hi!
Just wanted you all to know Gabe's appointment went great yesterday. I was very concerned we would have to delay treatment because of low AGC. But, Gabe's AGC actually went UP from 1285 to 2037!! He had a lumbar puncture and his spinal fluid was clear. He also had his regular 2 chemos in his port and a chemo in his spinal fluid. Gabe, thankfully, does not have leukemia in his central nervous system- but cells have been known to "hide" there causing a relapse. One of the reasons the cure rate of leukemia has improved is because doctors routinely treat the CNS instead of risking a relapse later. His next appointment is November 26th.
Thankyou all for your support and prayers. Many of you have signed the guestbook with such kind words! Truly, you are a huge part of how we can live our lives. Somedays I'd rather curl up in a ball and let life happen around me, but who does that help? You keep my spirits up and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Love to you all,
Anjie

Friday, November 09, 2001 at 07:56 AM (CST)

Hello All,
Gabe continues to amaze us with his strength! He did very well all week- feeling a little icky off and on the last couple days. I gave him Zofran for his nausea and that took care of it. He has been feeling the effects of the Vincristine (chemo), his arms and legs have been hurting him but, thankfully, not enough to slow him down.
It's funny how this diagnosis has changed my outlook on my kids' bahavior. Before, I might have confused Gabe's strength and determination as being stubborn, and to be thankful he is racing around the house barely clearing table tops and counters as he slip-slides across the kitchen floor is really something of a wonder. Poor Seth, he grew up under my "old" outlook and I had plenty of strength when it came to slowing him down.
Speaking of Seth- he says "hi". I am going to work on a web page for him also. We are still homeschooling and enjoy the time together. He especially likes it when our studies are put on hold because of doctor appointments. Seth has gone to almost all of Gabe's treatments. I think it helps him feel a part of something he has no control over. He has had a rough time since Mom died- we all miss her a bunch. *(P.S. He'd love a card or an E-mail to remind him that he is special to! It's easy to feel left out or unimportant when so much attention is spent with "the sick one". Thanks!!)*
Well, thats all for now. We will be posting some pictures of the boys and I'll let you know when we get Seth's site up and running.
Take care this week!
Steve, Anjie, Seth and Gabe

Tuesday, November 06, 2001 at 12:37 PM (CST)

Hello family and friends,
Since I just started this web page I will update you on Gabriel and our family.
As you may know, in August Gabriel was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Luekemia (ALL). This came as quite a shock to our family. Especially because in April '98, before Gabe was born, we moved from Alaska to Indiana to be closer to my Mother whose breast cancer had metastasized to her bone. She passed away January 12, 2001 when Gabe was 11 months old. Just six months later Gabe developed a high fever. After three days on Tylenol our doctor sent us to the hospital for lab work. He was quickly diagnosed with leukemia and taken by ambulance to Riley Hospital For Children where he remained for through the week. Gabe had a port placed in his chest so it would be easier for him to recieve his chemo which was started right after we arrived. At the end of the week we were thrilled to be able to come home but were again taken back to Riley by ambulance after Gabe's fever returned. We had been home just one day. We were at Riley for two more weeks while Gabe had three different antibiotics running through his port. When the doctors were confident Gabe's fever was from the cancer-not an infection-we were able to come home again. We have been home, and feeling fine, since September 6th.
Gabriel's treatments are every 10 days, he gets two different chemo drugs through his port. This will continue until December 14th as long as Gabe remains "healthy". Because Leukemia is a cancer involving the white blood cells, his immune system is supressed making him very susceptible to illness. The ability to fight infection is referred to as "AGC". Gabe's AGC is 1285 and falling. If it gets around 1000 (it's headed in that direction) call before you visit. I'm sure you understand if we aren't accepting visitors as we all want what is best for Gabe! We know we have a long road ahead of us, we are in the third of five phases which will last another three years. Steve and I would like to thank all our family and friends for your continued support and prayers. Without you our journey would be far more difficult. And a special thanks to the staff at Riley and Memorial hospitals. Without your caring and endless support we would not be as confident and optimistic about Gabe's recovery. You all have a special place in our hearts!

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