Work-ups for Stem Cell

We got home a little over a week ago now. Nothing too exciting there, except for the fact that they released us from the hospital with an ANC=90 (VERY VERY VERY low). We were shocked but happy to finally go home. It was our shortest stay yet and the most tiresome to date. Go figure!

We had our Pre-stem cell meeting with Kathrine and Dr. Haute. It was fairly simple and complex all at the same time. They went over exactly what will happen during our 4-6 week stay (please pray for my sanity). They told us what to expect and OF COARSE like always they turn morose and have to tell you ALL the bad things that could go wrong, my least favorite part. Nothing too too freaky. We left the hospital the same day we had this meeting so Kathrine said she would give us a call in regards to all the pre-transplant testing we had to have.

During the week mom and I started to bake. The Highway 60 Yard Sale was Saturday October 2nd and my cousin helped us get a Karing for Keegan booth at her church. Many friends helped bake items and make candies to sell at our sale, and even though I don't know some of you-THANK YOU! We also sold our T-shirts (which are still available for $15), bracelets (still available for $2, and our car decals ($3) and managed to make over $500! I think that is pretty darn successful!

On Sunday Ry and I made our way to Indy. Testing was to start EARLY on Monday morning so we wanted to make sure we were fully rested. Monday's tests consisted of a GFR (Kidney Function screen)-the inject his with a certain chemical then he has to have a blood draw 1 hr after its injected and then 2 hours after that. We also had more blood drawn for a CBC and pre transplant blood testing.We then went to X-Ray and had an chest x-ray done to make sure he didn't have pneumonia. We then had an Echo and EKG. We got out earlier than expected. We had time to go back to the hotel, relax and nap. During the afternoon we went over to Greenwood and enjoyed a late lunch or early dinner at The Cheesecake Factory . We then went to Barnes and Nobel. Ryan is in the middle of reading a series of books and needed the second one. While we were there I got talked up by a sales guy to buy a Nook. Not know what a Nook is.....go here.....you may just fall in LOVE! After our HUGE dinner/lunch and shopping at Barnes and Nobel. We headed back to the hotel to relax for our packed Tuesday full of tests and heading home.

On Tuesday we had to arrive by 8 am for our Kidney/Abdominal ultrasound.  After that we headed upstairs to get our blood drawn for more stem cell work up labs. After that we headed to the dentist to grab paperwork to fill out prior to our 12 o'clock appointment and then quickly headed down to radiology to squeeze in a CT of Keegan's sinuses (make sure he doesn't have a sinus infection). Then it was off to his hearing test, which had the exact same results as a couple of weeks ago. After this we headed upstairs to the dentist where Dr. O just looked at his four teeth and said "okay." Really kinda pointless but I guess they needed a baseline. After this was one more test, his developmental testing. Dr. Katzenstein played with Keegan while she asked us what he could and could not do. We also had to do a small test on him. All in all he did better than I thought. He is about in the 8-10 month range of what he can do. I was thinking 6 months so I was very pleased. This goes along with the thinking of my mom who has the thought that he was "reborn" the day the tumor was taken out.

All in all these 2 days of testing were not too bad. They went by quickly but we do have more to come. My mom and I are headed back to Indy Thursday night for an MRI on Friday of his head and spine. This scared the crap out of me, I HATE MRI's. Then my sister and I are headed back to Indy Sunday night for a Spinal Tap and blood work on Monday. Then we should be done.

Round 6 of chemo starts on October 18th, I will go into more detail about that in another post but that is when we move to Indy for 2 months or so.

Keegan is generally feeling better, he vomits every now and then but we can tell he is on the up and up. He is a little more active than he was and it LOVING his new formula that we get to add instant pudding to! We had him weighted and measured on Monday. He is a whopping 24 lbs 4 oz and 29 1/2 inches long. Well that is about all for now....Just wanted to update everyone, THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!

We LOVE you!