Team Stell

The trip to PA was all we had expected and more.  Once again big thanks to ECI and John Gleim, but the South Middleton Township went way out of the way to make this super exciting.  They had snacks, a fire truck cake, drinks, toys, even a road sign made that said CONNER CIRCLE.  They also provided a dump truck ride, fire truck ride, and tractor ride.  One of the guys that worked there offered us to come to his church for prayer, which we did.  Big thanks to all at S Middleton.  Conner also rode numerous pieces of big heavy equipment and met a bunch of daddy’s buddies in the office.  We went snow tubing that evening which the kids loved.

Just as we were starting to feel normal, slap back to reality.  Conner started complaining of pain on his side and back.  We noticed a few bumps and called the oncologist on call.  We were advised to keep an eye on things and if it got worse to call or come in.  Monday we headed to clinic to get labs drawn figuring he would need platelets.  We found the clinic closed due to the holiday.  Since we were already in town we called again and were advised that only 1 kid was in the ER and to go in and get labs drawn.  Conner’s oncologist came down to the ER and looked him over.  His spleen is enlarged a lot, and the liver somewhat.  He needed platelets and they decided the bumps was a case of shingles.  With being immunosuppressed they decided it was to risky to chance going home.  He was admitted to start a drug to get rid of these shingles.  He may get to come home as soon as tomorrow  as long as it stays the same or gets better.

Along with the enlarged spleen and liver, now his blood is showing numerous leukemic cells.  This is a bad sign, for the last 8 months few if any leukemic blasts have been present in the actual blood.  All leukemic blasts were in the marrow.  Meaning the marrow is flooding and they have to go somewhere.  They enter the blood stream then crowd the spleen, liver and eventually other organs.  When first diagnosed the spleen was past the belly button and it was 62% blast.  Now the spleen is maybe an inch or so from the belly button, which I will use as an estimate of 30-50% blast (not confirmed or said by anyone other than me).

His Make A Wish will be granted Feb 1 through Feb 7 at Disney World in Orlando.  How we hope that God and this disease can cooperate with these dates.  We still pray for our major miracle but a couple small ones wouldn’t hurt along the way.

Daddy

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