One More Day!!!!!

He was treated earlier today (10:30 instead of 1:00), and really liked having the earlier time. He bought a couple more Frisbee golf discs the other day, and of course had to go use them today.

We heard from another brain tumor patient who confirmed that you tend to feel pretty good during treatment, and then really tired for a few weeks after the steroids are taken away.

He washed his car on Sunday. One of the things we had noticed over the last year is that he didn't keep his car clean like he used to...maybe that is getting back to normal.

Tomorrow is his last day of radiation and chemo.

He is itching to ride

He slept soundly from midnight to 9AM last night. This compares to the restless 6 hours of sleep he was having earlier in the treatments.

He had a normal treatment today with no ill effects. His grandparents brought down his bicycle because the doctor told him he can ride it the day after his final treatment. He plans to be on it Thursday morning.

Two more treatments to go.

A quiet snowy day

Not much to report today. It sleeted and snowed, so he stayed in and watched TV quite a bit. He caught a lacrosse game that went into 7 overtimes (or innings or periods or whatever it is called in lacrosse).

He got outside early today

He played Frisbee golf at Bella Vista this morning (instead of Fayetteville in the afternoon), and just made it back in time to grab lunch before his treatment appointment. The Bella Vista course is much longer than Fayetteville's. He feels fine after treatment, so I guess all the rushing around before didn't hurt.

He is playing games on-line again, and may be quite a bit this weekend since they expect to be snowed in.

If you are inclined to pray, you could ask that he not feel too fatigued once we start ramping him down off of his steroid medication after his last radiation treatment. Only 3 more to go.

A busy afternoon

After treatment he did his usual Frisbee golf, went to hang out with his roommate, and then met some friends somewhere else. It was a cold day, so he wore his Feed Me sock hat instead of a baseball cap.

Only 4 treatments to go.

Info from the doctor today

We found out today that once the radiation is over, we need to be ready for him to get really tired. Apparently the steroids that control swelling also keep him amped up. Once radiation stops, they will back off on the steroids, and the doctor wouldn't be surprised if he slept 16-18 hours a day for the next month or so.

He doesn't think he will get tired...but we will see. He did go play Frisbee golf today.

We also thought we might leave him on his own for a few weeks after treatment, but the doctor did not encourage that. It might be boring, but it is still important to have someone there. So I guess one of us will be in Arkansas for at least another 5 weeks.

The treatments have changed a bit

He said the last seven treatments are different. They are focused smaller (just the tumor area plus a little bit) and there are more separate shots.

He still feels fine. Tonight he went to the youth devotional and was playing Call of Duty when I called.

6 treatments to go!!

Still going well

His Mom and I think the treatments are causing some fatigue because he is going to bed earlier and sleeping longer. However; he did go to play Frisbee golf today, so it can't be too bad. He watched TV last night and was playing Call of Duty today.

Taking it easy today

Today, he took it easy and was watching a movie when I called. Yesterday (or today...however you look at it) he was up until 4AM with the birthday party and subsequent cleanup. He may not admit it, but he is a bit tired...who wouldn't be? He had an awful lot of fun though.

Only 8 treatments left to go!!!!!!!

He is having a blast today

He is having a blast at a birthday party for three of his friends. His Mom can't stand to watch him shoot and rebound a basketball, but he seems to be taking it easy and isn't getting involved in the games...just around-the-world, HORSE, etc.

The doctor said he will stop taking the chemo medicine once the radiation is done (the last treatment is April 1). At the end of April, there will be a CAT scan and MRI. After that, it will be decided what chemo is needed from there on. It could be nothing, or it could be up to a year more.

He is supposed to be taking a multi-vitamin full of B vitamins, but he hasn't because they have bothered his stomach. He is going to try some pure B12 since that is supposed to help combat fatigue.

Thanks for your support!

Some fatigue has started

He says he feels a little fatigued, but he still went to play Frisbee golf on a cool breezy day. He says he feels better when he gets out to do something. He is going to bed earlier to help combat the fatigue, but he may need to do more.

He is a little tired

He is feeling a little tired and starting to go to bed earlier and wake up later. The combination of continued radiation treatments, and lots of outdoor activity (the weather has been glorious) may be a bit too much. He was having some dryness in his throat for a couple of days, but that is gone now. It was probably related to some seafood he had those two days.

He has signed up for a correspondence course, so that should give him something to study for awhile.

He is feeling goooood!

He can laugh out loud now without it hurting his head. He says he feels better than he has since the headaches started last March.

Good news from the doctor

Besides his treatment, he saw the doctor today also. The doctor expects his hair to grow back quickly once the radiation stops. He also doesn't expect much skin peeling afterwards because of his age (being young has its advantages). But the doctor did ask him to wear a hat outside so he won't get a sunburn on his newly-bald head.

He left to play Frisbee golf on windless and sunny 65 degree day.

Tomorrow, he will sign up for a correspondence course through the university. Completing it will allow him to take a course he needs to take in the Fall.

He had a fun weekend

He enjoyed a fun weekend hanging out with his roommate and their friends, then drove back to Fayetteville for evening worship. He is still feeling fine.

I haven't asked in awhile, but please pray (1) that this treatment will take care of the tumor completely and (2) to thank God for taking such good care of him so far.

Not much new

He drove to Tulsa today for some time with his roommate and roommate's family. Not much to say. Just same old stuff.

He is doing well

He worked out this morning on a stationary bike. I don't think the weather was good for Frisbee golf.

Again, he was not tired after his Friday treatment. He has started going to bed earlier on Thursday nights and eating before Friday treatments, and that seems to prevent his getting tired. The other weekly treatments haven't caused any tiredness yet.

Even though he is not enrolled this semester, he has been invited to play with the Arkansas University flute choir in their April 1st concert. The school has been very good at keeping him involved in the program.

Nothing new

Treatments purr along as normal, and he still feels fine. He has started signing up for his dorm room for the Fall semester.

He's bald now

He lost enough hair in enough places (and unevenly) so we shaved it all off today. He got tired of shedding every time he turned around.

He had his treatment as normal, played Frisbee golf, and went to the Tuesday devotional.

More of the same

He had his treatment today as usual with no tiredness or other side effects. He has driven off to join a friend in a round of Frisbee golf.

He woke up with a bigger patch of missing hair. I guess he will lose a bit every day for awhile.

He has found out, through a friend, of another 20 year old with a brain tumor. I think the two plan to start corresponding.

He lost some hair this weekend

Saturday, he lost a patch of hair. The patch is a bit bigger today; a little bigger than a couple of postage stamps one above the other. The doctor had said to expect this 2-3 weeks into the treatments, and we are at 2.5 weeks. Each day's treatment is composed of 5 different radiation shoots (shoots probably isn't the technical term), and 3 of the shoots are pointed at the spot now losing hair.

We think he is disappointed that he is losing hair, but he says it doesn't bother him when we ask. He has taken to wearing his hat to minimize the questions and stares.

He had a fun weekend. We were out of internet contact (at his grandparents) but he got to play frisbee, catch, basketball, and other stuff with some of his cousins. Nothing with contact, but a little bit of running (to catch bad throws) and plenty of time outside.

He still feels good today!

After last Friday's treatment, he was tired for a few hours. He feels fine after this Friday's treatment. Two things were different...he went to sleep earlier last night, and he ate lunch before the treatment this time. We may have a plan to keep him from getting tired.

He is off to visit a couple of friends; probably at Shake's.

A very windy day

Today was the first day of reduced medication dosage, and there are no side-effects so far. He worked out at the gym today because it was waaaay too windy to play frisbee golf. We cleaned house to be ready for his Mom and sister to visit.

Good news today

Because Tony is doing so well, the doctor cut his steroid medication in half starting today instead of next week as planned. So long as he has no problems with the reduction, it will stay this way.

He still has all his hair, and apparently there would normally have been some lost by now. He attended a college baseball game the other day, and won something...of all things...a free haircut. He won't need it for quite awhile.

He played frisbee golf again today, helped cook supper, and went to worship and bible class tonight. Tomorrow he plans to practice his flute again for about an hour.

A busy day

Again, no ill effects after treatment today. After treatment, he played a round of frisbee golf. He also practiced his flute for about an hour this morning at the school. He still spends lots of time on-line gaming or playing guitar hero. Tonight he plans on going to the RFC devotional.

An easy day

He had his 8th of 30 treatments today, and had no side effects from it afterward. He played games on-line most of the day, helped cook lunch, and watched Heroes with some friends at their house.

If the weather will cooperate, he plans to play frisbee golf tomorrow.

Tomorrow treatments restart

We went to evening worship tonight. It was the quarterly kids night where the songs and lesson are chosen to hold the interest of 1st - 5th graders. It was really cool. Tony led the closing prayer.

After a weekend off, tomorrow starts another 5 days of treatments. He got tired after the last treatement last week...we will see about this week.

A cold morning

We went to church in the snow this morning (actually, the roads were clear and dry, but several churches in town cancelled), then ate at Charlie's Chicken, and resupplied at Wal-Mart. He met a couple of band members that play flute, and visited with them there. He worked on re-loading his music on his computer, and is now playing Call of Duty again.

It was 18 degrees this morning, but the sun has already melted most everything that isn't shaded.