Prayers For alec

It’s been two months since the last post here on the blog. Alec has just begun round 5 of chemo. He’s going in for his operation in early December and should be home for Christmas; I can’t imagine us all celebrating Christmas in the hospital.

We’re all handling Alec’s cancer and care pretty well but it seems to be life’s great annoyances adding to the stress. All of our material comforts have been downgrading too; our good cell phone plan with AT&T has been replaced with prepaid cell phones. Some idiots in another state have been calling Tara’s new cell all the time, all around the clock and nothing we say to them even the truth of Alec having cancer and to stop calling in the early AM hours seems to stop.

We had bought new Jeeps shortly before Alec was diagnosed but after the bills started piling up I surrendered my Jeep, bought a junk truck and we’re doing our best to keep Tara’s since she needs a reliable vehicle to and from the hospitals.

I honestly don’t see the point of this blog and honestly even the Facebook group seems like a waste of time and energy. I’ve moved over to Google+ and urge more people to do the same.

We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. We’re gonna try and get Christmas cards out to everyone whom sent us a card or gift over the last few months…urging on try. We’ve kept every envelope and thank you all for continued love and support for Alec and our family.

God bless

Today marks the first month since Tara and myself found out Alec had neuroblastoma cancer and if you told me a month ago that I’d be feeling better come today I’d have told you to your face that you were lying.

Tara has already posted her end of how things unfolded, as for myself it was a bit different and I’ll be posting that to the Prayers For Alec Facebook group soon.

In this first month we’ve met some pretty amazing people, many of which we never would’ve met had Alec not been diagnosed with cancer. From the doctors, nurses, people from the cancer support groups, friends, family and YOU reading this now!

Over the past week Tara and I learned that the whole process for Alec to be cancer free is gonna take a bit longer then a year, more so like a year and a half.

Tara and I have been married since January 1st, 2000. We’ve had our ups and downs in all aspects of our marriage just like many couples out there but yet we’re still together and happy with each other(well I hope you are Tara lol!). This has been by far the longest that we’ve been apart from each other and also for Jamie and Cadence. Everything seems to be secure so far; as I said the other day the girl’s have brought home excellent five week report cards and they’re teachers can’t believe how well that they’ve adjusted with the major upset in their home lives. Good job girls! You make your Mama and I so proud of you every day but this really puts a smile on our faces.

I look out my sliding door(aka window) in my office unto our picturesque Florida yard and a cute little brown and green with a purple tail lizard catches my eye crawling around the brick on our house. I swear that he’s looking inside our house to see where Alec is and when he’ll be coming outside to play.

When Alec has been home he’s been chasing and catching those lizards! No mercy for lizards! We were in the hospital to visit with him today and in his little coloring bag that he got from the art center there was a little purple lizard. He dropped it on the floor and since it was made of rubber it wiggled a bit when it landed on the floor; he laughed, he giggled and turned his head sideways and let out a, “Bobby!”, which is what he calls me when he’s excited about something.

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It’s been ten days since the last blog post, I apologize for that but in general Alec’s life has been pretty much “back to normal” if there is a such thing as that anymore.

This past Monday, Tara, Alec and myself took a trip down to St. Petersburg where he’ll be going for the bone marrow harvesting around the fifth chemo cycle and then back again for the bone marrow transplant way at the end of this whole cancer battle.

While home these past few weeks Alec returned more to his normal routine with every day that has gone by. On Wednesday afternoon, September 21, Alec returned to Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children for round two of chemo.

On Friday September 23rd sisters Jamie, Cadence and myself went to go see Alec and Tara. They’re in a bit smaller room this time. Alec spent his first night running up and down the halls til 2am when his doctor chased him off to bed!

All of our lives have changed since Alec’s been diagnosed with cancer: Jamie, our oldest girl wrote in her journal entry at school that she wishes that she could get a job to raise money to help pay our bills. Cadence, my baby girl told Tara and I that she wishes that she had cancer because Alec is getting all of the attention. As for me, well, I hadn’t been in a church for a decade but the next day after it was official that alec had cancer I returned to church and have been attending each week with the girl’s. While Tara is in the hospital I’ve turned more into Mr Mom.

Tara is in a tough situation, she’s been having to find balance between being a full time care giver for Alec while still doing as much Mom stuff she can with the girls.

It’s amazing that with all this unwated stress in the girl’s life they’re both bringing home 100′s and straight A’s; we just received their five-week report card and it was amazing!

One thing that the doctor had stressed to Tara, that we must not stop fighting against Alec’s cancer! Neuroblastoma is very tricky and must not be left unwatched or any less attention on both the hospital and home care. We ask all of you out there to not let up on your prayers and thoughts for Alec. In these fast-paced internet days we’ve all kind of built up a tollerance to all the woes of the world since so much news is available to us now, good and bad; how many of ya’ll still remember Japan had a massive quake three months back?

We love you all

Alec came home from the hospital in the morning of Saturday September 10th, 2011. His first night home was much better then his last “first night” home in which he had to return to the hospital three hours later because of a 103F fever. We all played toys with Alec and he was eatting lots of goodies.

His big sister Jamie’s birthday was September 12th. Alec loves it when people sing; he loves the Happy Birthday song and he REALLY loves cake! He’s still not sure what to make of the whole present thing but he likes unwrapping things. It’s good to see a smile on his face and to hear his laughter again around the house. Jamie’s birthday was extra special this year because we asked for everyone that could to send a simple birthday card to her. She received over 100 cards!

Alec went to his first out-patient clinic visit this morning and Dr. Guisti said all was well and could return home with Tara even before they received the final results. So not needing a blood transfusion or to even be readmitted is very good news and he’s on his way home as I finish bloging this.

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Thank you everyone for all of your prayers and support.

I’d like to personally thank Jamie Underwood, President of Parker’s Pals of Deland, Florida(sharing your journey through childhood cancer). She was the first out-reach group to approach us and help us with their resources in our time of need. Please see the new links section above.

On Tuesday Sept 5, ’11, Alec was released from the hospital only to return less then 5 hours later because he had a fever of 103.7. We planned a most wonderful home-coming for my little guy; Morning Glories(fireworks-sparklers-legal down here ya yankees!), lined the driveway and we lit them for him to enjoy. The house and trees were decorated with ribbons. When he walked in he found a huge pack of chochlate chip cookies, cars and a balloon. We played gently with him in our room until Tara started putting him down for night-night, he felt hot, she took his temperature and called the doctor with the temp and they advised her to return to the hospital.

For 48 hours his room, #4001 was quarantined. Anyone coming in had to wear a gown and mask and sign was placed on the door about his possible infection.

It’s now Friday; I’ve been so busy this week looking for avenues of income to offset our growing pile of bills. A few local charities, Parkers’ Pal’s out in Deland, Jamie whom owns it has been amazing! Thank you. I’m not at the hospital most of the time when the other groups stop by so tara will have to write in the thank yous to all of them.

Thank you to my daughters teachers at their school for all their help and understanding.

Thank you to all our new friends at the Deltona Alliance Church.

Thank you to everyone whose been praying, sending out good thoughts, etc.

Thank you to everyone whose sent my daughter Jamie a card for her birthday(9/12).

Thank you to everyone who we don’t even know or met and has sent us a card or gift of money.

This is only the first two weeks since this has all began and we’ve met so many people that we’d most likely never have met…EVERYONE..you truly are great!

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On September 3rd jamie, Cady and I went to see Alec(and Mama). Alec was looking a little bit better, actually, the best he’s looked since just before we found out about him having cancer. It’s funny how we can draw a start date on all this. Prior to the evening of August 24th he was well, well sort of. Somewhere between when the cancer had formed and the 24th of August Alec knew he wasn’t well.

We watched TV in his room, Kermit’s Swamp Years, which was given to Tara from a not for profit group(forgot the name sorry). After a bit, and some lunch we went for a walk around his floor and even better, down to the first floor, outside and on the pirate ship!

Not too long after all this he was getting tired, so we hung out a bit more then headed home.

The doctors were saying maybe Sunday(yesterday) would be the earliest he could come home but he wasn’t eatting or drinking much. As of yesterday though he was removed from his IV and has been eatting and drinking regularly but it’s still uncertain when he’ll return home. We can be hopeful and think it’s this week coming but only God knows.

I created a video the other day from Alec’s start to current day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT_HcgZ7i0U&feature=channel_video_title

Alec was not in the best spirits today but it was dog therapy day! A kind lady brought her mixed lab in for the children to pet him for a little while. Alec pet the dog once and then just watched him in amazement from Tara’s arms while I snapped photos.

After a while we returned to Alec’s room, watched some Cars, he cuddled with Tara and then soon after he yacked all over his sheets a nurse came in and gave him Benadryl and he was soon off to nite nite time.

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