Since my last post from April, my Mom passed on May 27th and my daughter was born 2 weeks later. It's been a roller coaster of emotions ever since. Still sending you good vibes to your family.Damn and wow. Thank you for sharing your experiences and toughness everyone. Keep on fighting!
@Bikeworks @Mr. E Man @ebineezer @Bike N Gear
Cancer sucks all around but stories here and people we’ve met on this journey makes us feel lucky. Harrison was getting bruises all over his body. I just brushed it off. Mother took the initiative to get him checked at ped and the next morning we were told to go to the ER to confirm the blood work and stayed for 3 weeks. Other pediatric-leukemia patients were ill when they were admitted and stayed several months and several return stays and even divorces. Yikes!
Thanks again for your good wishes!
@The Kalmyk I would trade but I’d probably be a whining bitch going through it. I’m reg for 11:45!
I've been away from the forum for a long time and just now followed along your thread. I'm a 3x blood cancer survivor, been through 4 chemo protocols, a clinical trial that failed, an allo bone marrow transplant (my sister was my donor), etc, etc. When I was in the hospital during those years, I'd see the kids with their chemo pumps and IVs and it stuck in my head. It is 16 years later and every time I see a St. Jude commercial, I get emotional and tear up.Happy and healthy new year to you and your loved ones! It’s been a while and we went through some rough times to finish 2022. The boy caught RSV in Nov and the Flu in Dec so a couple hospital stays. Then I’m pretty sure he passed the Flu to me the week of Christmas.
What a HELL of a 2022. We are near one year of treatment and 2023 is starting out better. A month ago he had spinal tap #13 and finished one major chemo drug so our clinic visits are less and his mood is better. Last year, he would cry 99% of the time when we left him at daycare. But starting out this year he’s been a happy boy. Maybe he’s older and wiser or maybe he stopped feeling shitty. Probably all of the above.
Another happy story. So to date myself, this year is my 20th HS Reunion that is going to be a banger with a venue and all. Some anonymous donors pledged to match every dollar spent in Dec on seats/tickets to our family. We received a little more than $1,000! This is the msg a posted in the private group. -
“To the anonymous donors and December ticket purchasers and anyone praying for Harrison, sincerest and deepest gratitude to you. You are a Roarior 🦖 Blessings and good health to you all in this new year.
We received a healthy donation from the Class of 2003 that will help us more than just financially. Cancer will knock your family down and chew you up. It means the world to us to receive this act of kindness to help us stay positive and ‘Make Leukemia Extinct’! Medical expenses can be worked out but Harrison’s happiness is the most important to encourage his treatment and reward him for his fearlessness. Honestly, we pretty much give him anything he wants or craves. The countless McD, Target/Walmart, and ShopRite trips to feed his nuggets, croissants, and cereal cravings and to add to his to Jurassic World dinosaur collection are just some simple things that make his day brighter. He also loves arcades and rides. YOU ARE HELPING OUR LITTLE HERO BE HAPPY AND POSITIVE. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts 🧡 We are praying for other survivors as well and please message us if you know anyone that we can support through their fight! 🙏🏼”
Sorry I feel like I’m just spewing whatever but so much can happen in a couple of months plus the Holidays. Jeeez so glad that is over. I totally lost it one day. Like I went bonkers! I can’t deal with trying to host Christmas Eve dinner and help get cancer to fuck off. Mrs was frustrated at me for not cleaning up a room so between being sick, and taking care of him when TF was I going to clean up a room. So I lost it and just threw everything in that room that needed to be cleaned up outside and most notably a dollhouse on the front lawn. I banged and slammed every door and wall I could for like 20 minutes and some scars to prove it. It was some epic shit. Haha. We laugh at it now but that tantrum was needed. Fuuuuck cancer and thank you for people asking and praying for us. Big kudos to the cape less heros, docs and nurses. Well, it’s another new cycle tomorrow. Prayers please 🙏🏼
I lost my Mom to multiple myeloma almost 20 years ago. You and your wife are Rock stars. The two of you are your son's Super hero's. and your boy is very tough and brave. My kids are older and we have tons of stuff in the attic. Let me know if you need anything. Toys ,clothes whatever. and I will see if we have any dinosaurs.Happy and healthy new year to you and your loved ones! It’s been a while and we went through some rough times to finish 2022. The boy caught RSV in Nov and the Flu in Dec so a couple hospital stays. Then I’m pretty sure he passed the Flu to me the week of Christmas.
What a HELL of a 2022. We are near one year of treatment and 2023 is starting out better. A month ago he had spinal tap #13 and finished one major chemo drug so our clinic visits are less and his mood is better. Last year, he would cry 99% of the time when we left him at daycare. But starting out this year he’s been a happy boy. Maybe he’s older and wiser or maybe he stopped feeling shitty. Probably all of the above.
Another happy story. So to date myself, this year is my 20th HS Reunion that is going to be a banger with a venue and all. Some anonymous donors pledged to match every dollar spent in Dec on seats/tickets to our family. We received a little more than $1,000! This is the msg a posted in the private group. -
“To the anonymous donors and December ticket purchasers and anyone praying for Harrison, sincerest and deepest gratitude to you. You are a Roarior 🦖 Blessings and good health to you all in this new year.
We received a healthy donation from the Class of 2003 that will help us more than just financially. Cancer will knock your family down and chew you up. It means the world to us to receive this act of kindness to help us stay positive and ‘Make Leukemia Extinct’! Medical expenses can be worked out but Harrison’s happiness is the most important to encourage his treatment and reward him for his fearlessness. Honestly, we pretty much give him anything he wants or craves. The countless McD, Target/Walmart, and ShopRite trips to feed his nuggets, croissants, and cereal cravings and to add to his to Jurassic World dinosaur collection are just some simple things that make his day brighter. He also loves arcades and rides. YOU ARE HELPING OUR LITTLE HERO BE HAPPY AND POSITIVE. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts 🧡 We are praying for other survivors as well and please message us if you know anyone that we can support through their fight! 🙏🏼”
Sorry I feel like I’m just spewing whatever but so much can happen in a couple of months plus the Holidays. Jeeez so glad that is over. I totally lost it one day. Like I went bonkers! I can’t deal with trying to host Christmas Eve dinner and help get cancer to fuck off. Mrs was frustrated at me for not cleaning up a room so between being sick, and taking care of him when TF was I going to clean up a room. So I lost it and just threw everything in that room that needed to be cleaned up outside and most notably a dollhouse on the front lawn. I banged and slammed every door and wall I could for like 20 minutes and some scars to prove it. It was some epic shit. Haha. We laugh at it now but that tantrum was needed. Fuuuuck cancer and thank you for people asking and praying for us. Big kudos to the cape less heros, docs and nurses. Well, it’s another new cycle tomorrow. Prayers please 🙏🏼
Just catching up here Manny and glad to hear your little man is doing well! It seems like you're holding up well too. I couldn't imagine coming through the process without losing it multiple times too. Everyone has their breaking point, only so much you can carry after giving it all to your family.Today is Harrisons’s Anniversary! 🥂 we’ve done some fun things the past few days. Toy shopping, dinner, aquarium, more dinosaurs
Wow that staff member needs a major raise.what’s up friends. I hope everyone and survivors are doing well! Share your feelings here if you would like 👍🏼
Maintenance is like 3 weeks of medication a month, oral and IV. Needless to say every couple of weeks life is pretty overwhelming based on how Harrison does and how we hold up as a family. Definitely some bad and sad days. BUT Summer has been really fun (beach, sun, amusement rides, zoos, cousins, lots of new dinosaurs) and there was a lot of anxiety getting back to the grind. First day of Pre K today and it was a success and fortunate that he is tapering off on some drugs. A couple weeks ago we gave pedaling a try and not quite there yet. Maybe in the winter or spring. We went to field station dinosaurs in Leonia last week. He thought he was walking into Jurassic Park. He fucking loved it. Stay strong and healthy!
Edit - when we left the Dino park a staff member stopped us. She noticed our Make Leukemia Extinct shirts and asked if someone here has Leukemia. I told her about Harrison. She then said she has been in remission for7 years and she gifted Harrison a stuffed Stegasaurus. I don’t know how I kept it together but I gave her a hug and said thank you.
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