Andrew was diagnosed with Erythroid (M6) Acute Myeloid Leukemia on November 4th, 2010 when he was almost 5 months old. Andrew is currently in remission from his cancer, after finishing his 5 rounds of chemotherapy. He is a healthy, happy toddler.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Sunday

We're starting to get the hang of the PICU and why they've set up the rules as they have. At first we didn't understand the rule not allowing parents in the unit from 7-8pm, or the food rules, etc, but considering the kind of patients and situations they have, it makes total sense to us now. Andrew stats-wise isn't getting better, but then again, he's not getting worse. His white count is just about the same as yesterday (the bands turned into neutrophils). The bad news is they found some fungal proteins in his blood (not necessarily indicating an infection, but evidence that he's been dealing with one), which is concerning. So far, that makes one detectable bacterial infection (Strep), one viral (Rhinovirus again), and now some fungal protein. They let us move another CT scan they wanted to do until tomorrow as well as placement of his NJ tube (they can thread a tube down his nose past his stomach to give him food, and it's less risky than an NG tube because he has less time to throw it up). They're letting us rest today.

Andrew is sleeping a lot. He seems to be unhappy when he's awake (no duh, right?), but I'm hoping and praying that things will get much better tomorrow so the docs will intervene less and Andrew can just continue to heal.


I really like our infectious disease doc. He said that a definitive diagnosis would involve a lung... he didn't even have to finish. Either a bronchial lavage or a lung biopsy would be very invasive procedures. The first one is self explanatory, but the second involves going in surgically, spreading the ribs apart, deflating the lung, then cutting out a chunk of lung. Getting back to the reason I like our infectious disease doc--he said that he really didn't care what Andrew had, just that he got rid of it on his own. He's not crazy about grabbing lung tissue, he just really wanted problems to get solved on their own as Andrew's counts go up. That was really reassuring to me because every once in a while, I've got the feeling that they just are just curious to know what it is more than being concerned for Andrew's overall welfare. I know that's not true, it's just nice to hear it.

5 comments:

  1. Im so sorry that picture breaks my heart. Getting the hang of the PICU routine can be hard and its such a different world down there. Im sorry you are a part of it right now. Andrew is continually in our prayers and I have place in my heart for that little boy. I told Skyler about him and that he is in the same place that he was for a long time and he now calls him his little buddy and asks about him all the time. Andrew is a fighter and I pray he will be able to get over this little bump in the road soon.

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  2. Me again . . . I just love little Andrew so much and I have to keep checking up on him. The picture just made me so teary looking at how sick he is. I am glad he is getting rest. Lizzie and Stew, you guys are seriously amazing. I am in awe with your control and your ability to say what you want and need to the staff and doctors. I am curious if you have the same ID doctors we have had. I loved all of them - they were always so humbly cautious about anything. A few times they mentioned the lung biopsy for Erin and I felt exactly as you did. It just didn't seem necessary and I sometimes wondered if they were just a little curious. Erin's lungs were never bad enough that I wanted them to biopsy. The most important thing is that you know what you are doing and you are close to the spirit so you know what you should do in a tough situation. We are continually amazed by your examples.

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  3. Amen Jill! You guys are amazing! I'm so glad that you dont have to have a lung biopsy! When Aubree was facing it, I was so nervious about it. I really didnt like the sound of it. The ID docs are really good, they waited over a weekend for Aubree's and her counts came back and when they went to look for the nodules they had gone away. I was so glad that they waited. I was also so happy for lizzie that you got to go to tanner's funeral. We love you and are praying for you and are always thinking about Andrew. Please let me know if you need anything. I hope that his numbers jump and her gets better quick. Love ya

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  4. Sweet little baby--thanks for keeping us posted. Hooray for the ID doctors. You are in our prayers.

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  5. You guys have been such an inspiration for me. I love little Andrew with all my heart, even though I haven't officially met him yet. That picture also broke my heart. Dallin and I are praying constantly for him and for you guys. I hope for a better day for him tomorrow. Love you guys

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