Less Than 1 Day!!

Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow is the big day!!! The cells arrived today and are being tested to make sure that it's perfect for Charlie. There is no set time for the transplant, so we will be anxiously waiting for a phone call. Charlie is doing good. He has so many mixed emotions, but is so happy that he is getting his transplant tomorrow. I don't have much to write today, but will have a lot to write about tomorrow. I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween. Little Charlie had so much fun being superman and loved trick or treating yesterday. I will post some pictures when I get a chance. Please pray for Charlie and that his body accepts the new cells. Charlie's new birthday will be tomorrow! We love you all and thank you for the continuos prayers and support!

The Countdown

Hi Everyone!

Charlie is three days away from getting his transplant! We are so excited. Charlie finished his last dose of chemo yesterday and will never have to get it again. Wohoo! Right now he is beat, but much better than yesterday. He still doesn't have an appetite, but ate some skittles earlier. We are now waiting for the Eagles game to come on. Go Eagles! Charlie got some strength and walked around today. Every time he leaves the room he has to wear a blue mask and stay on the 6th floor. There is a nice sky lobby where he can hang out if he wants to. This hospital is so much nicer! Charlie is hanging in there and seems to be getting a little better every day. He is definitely a trooper!! He got to see little Charlie today from the window, which was a nice treat. He can't wait to hold him again. Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers! I'll update more when I can. Hope you all have a safe Halloween! Boo! :)

The First Week

                                  Hi Everyone! Here is a new pic of Charlie :) He looks great!!

 Charlie began his hospital stay on Monday and started his radiation treatment as well. I got to see him for the first time yesterday at the hospital. I had to wash my hands along with wearing gloves and a mask while I was in the room. The mask is so hot to wear, but we will get use to it. I was so happy to see Charlie. I saw him on Monday but it felt like I hadn't seen him in weeks. He is hanging in there and is trying to adjust to the new enviroment along with his new treatment. His room is very nice and much better than what he is use to. Charlie has been going to radiation three times a day and is a lot more tough than he anticipated. He stands the whole time during the radiation process and lasts for about 15 min each time.  He has been feeling sick from the radiation, but was feeling much better yesterday. Please pray for Charlie and for comfort during this time. I hope to see Charlie more this week. We are about an hour away from him. Its unfortunate that during the next thirty days that Charlie will not be able to see Little Charlie. We will skype as much as possible, but it just isn't the same. We love the encouragement that comes our way and especaily love the prayers from you all! Have a great Thursdsay and I will update later!

California!

Hi Everyone!!

  Wow. It's been such a long time since I wrote. I have lots of news! I am not sure if anyone reads the blog anymore, but I will write anyways. We arrived to California on the 12th and have been here for a week. We are finally here for Charlies bone marrow transplant. YAY!! We stayed at his grandma dory's house for a week in Lake Forest and I am now up here in Camarillo at my grandmas house. We will be switching back and forth between the two grandmas houses' during our stay here. Charlie had his first appointment at the City of Hope on the 19th. He got to meet with his new doctor and got to meet some of his transplant team. The COH is amazing! It is such a nice facility and the staff is so nice! Theres a huge difference from Kaiser Moanalua and this facility. Charlie will be in good hands. We are so pleased with everything so far. Charlie got his PICC line in this week and is getting ready for his radiation treatment on Monday. I am so excited for this to happen, but also feel scared and nervous. I know everything will go smoothly and that he is going to be surrounded by a great medical team. Please keep Charlie in your prayers and pray for comfort during this time. I will keep writing as much as possible these next couple of months. Hope you all have a great weekend!!

Day 109

Hi Everyone,

       Its' been a while since my last post, so I wanted to give an update about what has been going on. So much has happened that I don't know where to begin. I'll start with a little about what I have been up to. I quit my job last week and am now a "stay at home mommy". Its a big adjustment from working,  but I love it. This past week I got hit with a double whammy of sickness. I got a cold and a stomach bug that little Charlie had. I give all the mothers out there that watch their children while being sick so much credit! Im feeling much better, but still not 100 percent. I am feeling down because I haven't been able to see Charlie for almost a week now. I miss him! He will be coming home on Friday and I should be all better by then. Thats whats been going on with me, so why don't I move right along with how Charlie is doing.
          Charlie has been having a difficult time this round. This is by far the hardest round and most draining of them all. He has been the most sick during this round, and got the same rash as the 2nd round of chemo. He also developed an infection in his PICC line and had to be put on a 14 day antibiotic. Having that infection set him back a little, but not too bad. Right now the plan is for him to go to the City of Hope in October to have his bone marrow transplant. There is no specific date set yet, but there is a time frame that we are looking at. We believe that it will be in the next three to four weeks. Charlie still has to go under several testes to be cleared for this procedure. We have all been looking forward to day to come, but at the same time we are all very anxious and nervous. Charlie is seriously fighting for his life. Char is such a strong person and seriously amazes me with his strength. Please pray for Charlie and our family during this time. We pray that all our travel arrangements will fall into place, and that our hearts and minds will be eased with comfort during this anxious period. We are looking forward for Charlies recovery and for the next chapter in this crazy journey to start. We really appreciate all the love, support, and prayers that you have all given us these past months. I will try and write again soon! Have a great Monday :)

Day 92

Hi Everyone!

I'm back to writing the blog. Charlie was home for a nice two week stay and is now back in the hospital. He was admitted today for one last round of chemo here. We were sad that he had to come back, but are so happy knowing he is getting a transplant right after. There is no date set yet, but the doctors will be having a conference with the city og hope doctors on Monday. We will know a lot more then. Charlie is doing good. He just celebrated his 31st birthday yesterday. It was a nice night and he loved all of his gifts. Charlie is expected to go to Californis very soon. He will be getting all of his tests fore clearance while he is here this round. We truly thank you all for the prayers and encouragement. God is good and we are so thankful that he got a match. I will definitely write more these next weeks and promise to keep you all updated. Have a great weekend!

Day 84

Today is the day!!! Great news!!! Charlie has a bone marrow match. We are soooo thrilled and happy that they found him a match. We think things will be moving quickly and will be in California soon. I want to Thank you all for the prayers and love during these past three months. We couldn't do it without you guys. The fundraising money is going to help us out so much! I will write more this week, but wanted to announce the great news! :) Charlie has a doctors appointment tomorrow and will know more about future plans after that. We love you all!!

Day 80

Hi Everyone,

I have been slacking on the blog! I wish I could keep up a little more, but things have been busy. Charlie has been home from the hospital since Thursday and has been doing ok. He has a cough that won't go away and can't catch any relief. Charlie has been very frustrated and would like just one day of relief. He is such a strong person and hanging in there. We are hoping that the City of Hope will call soon. Charlie does not want to go back for another round. This time they left Charlies PICC line in and has to flush it every 8 hours. It's pretty cool how the line works. Not too many updates at the time. We are just praying for that call and the perfect match. Please pray for Charlie and encouragement for him at this time. I will try to write more than I have been. Have a great Monday!

Day 74

Hi Everyone,

I am so sorry for not writing, but these past days have been so hectic. I'm sure some of you have been worried. Charlie is doing good. He is now done with this round of chemo and is waiting now for his counts to go up. He is expected to be in here for another week. He has gotten updates about the possible bone marrow donors and could know if one is a match with in the next two weeks. Charlie is hanging in there and is doing the best he can. This is a short post, but will write more later. Good night

Day 70

Hi Everyone,

It's day 70 and it's almost the weekend. Tomorrow is little Charlies 1st birthday! I still can't believe he is going to be 1. Where has the time gone?? I have tomorrow off and will hopefully be bringing little Charlie to the hospital. We will see if Charlie is feeling ok and up to visit. Charlie is doing a little better today. He did have several vomiting episodes, but had an appetite tonight. He enjoyed some chicken long rice and lau lau for dinner and finished it with some chocolate ice cream. Hopefully his stomach agrees and can keep it down. Today Charlie had his interthecal procedure done and was the last one for this round. Charlie has one week left of chemo, and then one week of recovery. Right now we are praying for a perfect match to be found and hoping that a transplant is near. Charlie has been hanging in there and would really like the chemo process to be over. Please keep praying for him and for God to lay his healing hands upon him. We have faith and hope that his transplant will be soon. Thank you for the encouragement and uplifting words, we love you all!!

Day 69

Hi Everyone,

We are half way through the week and it marks week one for Charlie. Today is also his baby brothers birthday. Happy Birthday Jeff! We went to dinner tonight at a Mexican place in Koolina and had a good chocolate haupia pie at home. It sucked not having Charlie with us, but he will be home soon. He has two weeks left on the hospital. He is feeling much better today, but still feels sick and blah. His PICC line got unblocked and is working well now. He is hanging in there and is doing the best he can. This is just a short update, but will write more tomorrow. Have a great night!

Day 68

Hi Everyone,


If there is one thing that I've learned in life, it's that life is not fair. Charlie is fighting the biggest battle of his life right now and it breaks my heart. I hate seeing someone I love so much in discomfort. I wish I could take away all of this pain and sickness. I have to say that I'm feeling sad today. I just have these moments where I feel the reality of it all and know that Charlie is very sick. Charlie is having a hard time with this round of chemo. These past two days Charlie has been very sick and umcomfortable. He hasn't been able to eat all day today and has had stomach discomfort for a couple days now. He still has fluid in his lungs which means he is not getting fluids through his PiCC line. He has been trying to drink water but feels very nauseated once he drinks. His PICC line is not cooperating right now as well. His line is blocked and is in the process of it getting unblocked as i speak.Please keep Charlie in your prayers. We are praying that the City of Hope calls soon and has a donor ready for Charlie. Please pray that he feels comfort and encouragement during these rough days. We love you all and thank you for the support!!

Day 66 and 67

Hi Everyone,

It's Monday and the beginning of another week. Charlie had a lousy day today. He woke up feeling very bloated and just a general blah feeling. He has a little cough and is still congested. This morning the doctor had him get a chest x ray done to check for possible pneumonia. The results came back with some fluid and was given some medicine to extract the fluid from his body. They arn't too concerned at this moment, but will keep an eye on it. Right now Charlie doesn't need pneumonia, he needs to be as healthy as possible. We are praying that the fluid and his cold will go away soon. Charlie was feeling really sick earlier. He threw up a couple times and didnt have much to eat today. Today just wasn't the greatest. They stopped his fluids right now until he gets his next dose of chemo tonight. Since his body is getting rid of all his fluids, he has been peeing like crazy. He has also been having pain in his kidneys and is taking morphine to control the pain. Please keep Charlie in your prayers and pray for Gods healing touch to be placed upon him. There are times that are discouraging, and today is one of them. We are trying to keep the faith and stay strong. We love you all. Have a great night!

Day 65

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend so far. Today me and little Charlie went to a friends house and had a play date. He really enjoyed it and played well with the two girls. He is growing up way too fast!! Charlie is doing good today. He got a good nights rest last night and got some much needed sleep. He has been taking this round very well and will hopefully stay that way. He will start getting his Neuprogen shots on Thursday and will continue to get spinal taps every Friday. Right now we are playing a waiting game. We are hoping and praying this will be the last round of chemo for Charlie. He is hanging in there, but definitely wants to stop the chemo rounds. Not too many updates at this time. I want to thank everyone that reads the blog and prays for us. We really love and appreciate you all! Have a great Sunday :)

Day 64

Hi Everyone,

It's Aloha Friday, no more work till Monday! Its finally the weekend. Charlie is doing good today. He didn't sleep much last night so he is feeling tired and ready for some rest. It's so hard to get rest at the hospital. There are constant interruptions and always seem to come in right when he falls asleep. Hopefully tonight he can catch a break. Charlie had his interthecal chemo done today and it went well. So far he is handling the chemo very well. We are still praying for a match for him. I was mistaken and said we would know in about 6 weeks. Charlie said there was no amount of time given. We are praying for good news and could come at any time. Right now Charlie is just hanging in there. He has good and bad days. All of this can be so scary and discouraging, but he is fighting this leukemia the best he can. Charlie is missing little Charlie, but will see him this weekend. I still need to post some new pictures. I promise I will when I get the chance. I hope you all have a great weekend! :)

Day 63

Hi Everyone,

 Charlie is underway with his third round of chemo. He started it this morning and will continue to get it twice a day for 2 weeks straight. Charlie was very tired today. While he was home he didn't sleep that well. His body is just exhausted. We are really praying that his body tolerates this round well. He seems to have a feeling that he will be sick this time. Charlie is experiencing a sore throat at this time. He woke up last night feeling congested. I hope he is not getting a cold. That is the last thing he needs right now. Things are still the the same at this point. The doctors don't have much to say. We are playing a waiting game for the perfect match. Charlie is in good spirits but still doesn't like being in the hospital. Hospitals are no fun. Please keep Char in your prayers and for encouragement to conquer leukemia. Have a happy aloha Friday!

Day 62

Hi Everyone,

Today was check in day for Charlie. He is now situated for his three week stay. Charlie was sad to go back today and didn't want to say bye to little Charlie. I hope these next few weeks go by fast! The nurses had some trouble getting his PICC line in, but finally got it. Charlie is in good spirits but is sad to be back in the hospital. The doctors didn't have much to say today. We will know more about the possible donors in the next six weeks. Please pray for good news! This is a short little post because my phone is going to die. I will write more tomorrow when I see Charlie. Good night!

Day 61

Hi Everyone,

Today was Charlie's last day of freedom. He will be checking in at the hospital tomorrow for his three week stay. He will have two weeks of straight chemo, and one week to recover. Today Charlie got a nice massage by a massage therapist that specializes in cancer care. He said it was relaxing and relieved some stress. His neck has been bothering him lately along with a daily headache. We are hoping that his body tolerates this round well and that he will be a little more comfortable. Please continue to pray for him. We are praying for a perfect match to be found soon. To our knowledge they are doing further testing on 4 possible candidates. Due to Charlie's cancer and his rare Philadelphia 22 chromosome, he must have a transplant. Our hopes are to have this be the last round of chemo for him. All we can do is pray! I will keep the updated coming and will post some pictures soon. Until tomorrow, good night

Day 60

Hi Everyone,

It's day 60!! It's so crazy to say that it has been 60 days since Charlie was diagnosed and started chemotherapy. Charlie will be returning to the hospital on Wednesday for his third round of chemo. He is such a sport! This round will be just like the first. The thing Charlie hated about the first round was frequent unination. The drug regime makes him have to pee constantly and will make him a little sick. He's not looking forward to going back, but is ready to get it over with. We are praying that this will be his last round. If all goes well, he could possibly go two more times and then have a transplant. They are doing further testing on four possible donors at this time. Please pray for a perfect match! I know so many of you would like to help and be tested. There is a website called "Be The Match". This website you can sign up to be tested and you will receive a testing kit in the mail. All the test is a mouth swab. When you sign up for this please be serious about it. Being tested is not just for Charlie, but for others out there. You may be called to help someone else! If you feel like you would like to be a part of it check it out at www.bethematch.com. Hope you all had a great Monday and have even a better Tuesday!

Day 58 and 59

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday was such a busy day that I was too tired to write the blog. Sorry! We celebrated Charlies first birthday and had such a fun day. Charlie and I cooked a Mexican feast with plenty of left overs. We had a full taco bar and enchilada pie. We ate a late lunch that it was an early dinner as well. We baked little Charlie's first birthday cake in the morning. It was a funfetti cake with the rainbow chip frosting. It was delicious, and my favorite :). Little Charlie didn't feel the same though. When it came time for cake he wanted nothing to do with it. He wouldn't even eat it! I think he was too tired and cranky. We will have to get him a cupcake to try on his actual birthday. Little Charlie got plenty of new toys and gifts. I was surprised that there were no duplicate gifts. He got a little farm, a toy car to push, golf clubs, a water pool stand and many more thing! He had such a good birthday and loved all his gifts. Charlie and I are so proud to be his parents and love him so much. We both can't believe a year has gone by already. It seems just like yesterday he was born.

Big Charlie is doing ok. While we were cooking yesterday his feet got really swollen from standing so long. He still has headaches and neck problems but is hanging in there. Today was the last weekend with Char until he gets out of the hospital. We decided to take a drive to the North Shore and spend some time together as a family, the three of us. It was a beautiful day, but very busy. On the way home we stopped at the Dole Cannery and enjoyed some soft serve of the pineapple made there. It was so refreshing, and little Charlie loved it. We are home now and are gonna going swimming in the kiddy pool. Hope you all have a great Monday!

Day 57

Hi Everyone,

Yayyy! It's Friday. Tomorrow we are having little Charlie's birthday party. It's hard to believe our baby is going to be one. Time is going by way too fast. I will definitely take pictures and post them on the blog. Today Charlie got an unexpected call from the City of Hope. This is great news. The lady who called is a coordinator for bone marrow transplants. They called to let Charlie know that there are four possible donors. Praise Jesus! We are so happy with this news. They are in the process now to do further testing and see if they would still like to donate. Please pray that at least one of them will be a sure match. We are so hopeful, but don't want to give our hopes up. Charlies doctor appointment went well today. He will be returning to the hospital on Wednesday and will be there for three weeks. Charlie is enjoying his time home right now and is not looking forward to going back. The news today about the donors make us more hopeful and encouraged. Hopefully he will be in California soon! Thank you all again for the love and support. Have a great weekend!!

Day 56

Hi Everyone,

     Im so happy that tomorrows Friday. We are so excited for little Charlie's birthday party on Saturday. Tonight we went out and bought all of the food. Me and Char are cooking a mexican feast and the theme is safari. I will definately post pictures after Saturday's party. Charlie is doing good today. His neck is feeling tight again, but is hanging in there. He had his labs drawn today and has a follow up appointment tomorrow. We are expecting the doctors to admit him to the hospital on Monday. This round will be round three and will probably be a little harder than the past two, but we will see. I really want to thank everyone that has been helping our family through this time. The fundraisers that friends and family have been putting together is just amazing. Right now, Charlies good friend Cassie is hosting a fundraiser. If any of you are interested, the info is below. I can not upload the image of the canvas for sale, but if you click on the website you can check it out. Tickets are going fast so contact her if you are interested!

fundraiser for charlie beck

24x36 canvas by local

“above the reef” photographer

josh gill

 

Photo selected by charlie beck

donation will include shippng cost

$10.00 donation

Paypal with email tickets will be set up for out of town donations. please contact cassie at cassandraruth77@msn.com or 805-717-4144

to view photo visit www.abovethereef.com  under “empties” 2^nd picture

Day 55

Hi Everyone,

Not much going on today. Charlie has been having bad headaches lately and is still hanging in there. Tomorrow he will have to go to the lab and have some blood drawn. He will then have his follow up appointment with the oncologist on Friday. We are still waiting to know if there is a match in the registry. This could take a while. This is just a short update. I will post more later. Have a great Thursdsy!

Day 54

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all having a good week so far. Charlie went to the party store today and picked up stuff for little Charlies birthday. We are having a safari themed birthday for him this year. First birthdays are huge out here in Hawaii, but under the circumstances we will only have family over. It's too bad that Charlie will be in the hospital on his real birthday. Charlie has his follow up appointment this Friday and will know when he is going back. We are thinking that he will be going back next Monday. This round of chemo will be the same medication and regimen as the very first. Charlie isn't looking forward to going back. There isn't much going on right now. Charlie continues to have headaches and feels a lot of pressure in his head, but feels good other than that. Please continue to pray for healing for Charlie

Day 53

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a fantastic Monday! I can't believe that it's already August. Christmas will be here before we know it. Char got out of the house today. He wants to get out once a day to get fresh air and do something enjoyable. Today Charlie, Brad, and little Charlie went to the north shore. They said it was a beautiful day and little Charlie loved it. Today Charlie had a headache, but wasn't too bad. I have to say that I had an emotional day. Some days hit me hard and I just freak out inside. I love Charlie so much that it's so hard to see him sick. He's a trooper though, he is truly a strong man! My prayer request is that a perfect match will be found for Charlie. We hope to know soon if anyone on the registry is a match. Please pray for this. Please pray for our family as well. We pray for comfort and understanding during this time and for encouragement. We know Charlie is going to get through this! I love the prayers and emails that we have been getting. We couldn't do this without the support! We love you all :)

Day 52

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend. Today we went shopping for Litttle Charlies birthday and got some cool gifts. It's hard to believe our baby boy is going to be one! We will probably celebrate his birthday on Saturday with just family. It should be fun. Charlie is hanging in there. He still gets headaches everyday and still has some neck pain. I know I have said this before, but it amazes me how strong Charlie is. He is such a strong person that he is the one encouraging me everyday. I admire him and love him so much for the person he is and for his courage. Right now we all feel kinda scared. We are hoping and praying that Charlie gets a match soon. We want him to get better ASAP! Please keep him in your prayers and please pray for encouragement at this time. This is a short post tonight but I will post more tomorrow. You all have a great Monday! Good night

Day 51

Hi Everyone,

It's the weekend. Yay! Today me and my mom cleaned the apartment and said good bye to our first place. I'm happy that it's over with and don't have to worry about it anymore. Charlie had an ok day today. He had a headache and an upset stomach earlier, but is feeling better. Tonight Charlie and I had a nice date night. My mom watched little Charlie and we went to Outback. We love that place. I love getting out with Char and it gives us a moment to forget about his sickness. Not much going on today. We are just hanging out and spending time with little Charlie. Little Charlie's birthday is right around the corner. It's hard to believe that he will be 1. Charlie will most likely be in the hospital on the day of his birthday, so we are going to celebrate it early. Please keep Charlie in your prayers and please pray for healing. God has a perfect plan and a big picture for him. It's hard to understand why, but this is where faith comes in. We really appreciate the support and prayers during this time. I will write more tomorrow. Hope you all have a great Sunday! Good night

Day 50

Hi Everyone,

Every day that I write the blog, I write what day it is. It's day 50 today and I can't believe it. Charlie has been undergoing treatment since June 10th. Even though it's been almost two months, it's hard to believe that Charlie is battling Leukemis. Charlie is fighting as hard as he can and will conquer in the end. Right now we are praying for a match for Charlie. It is very important that he gets a transplant due to his Philadelphia chromosome abnormality. Please pray for this. We will know more in the next couple of weeks if there is a match in the registry. Charlie is feeling ok today. He got out of the house for a little bit and enjoyed the fresh air. His neck has been bothering him all day. The neck pain is probably from lack of movement in the hospital. Today there was a cool article in Charlie's home town paper. His friend Cassie submitted an article and was published in the Lompoc Record. If you would like to check it out, I will post the link below. Cassie and Charlie's good friend Jenn are in the works of a fundraiser in California. They are so awesome for putting a fundraiser together. We are so blessed by everyones generosity. This week we will enjoy the company of Charlie and I will keep the updates coming. I hope you all enjoy your weekend.

Day 49

Hi Everyone,

As you all know, Charlie is home from the hospital. We are so happy that he is home now. Everyone seems to be a little down today. We are still bummed about the boys not being a match. We we so hopeful that our minds got us thinking that he would be at the City of Hope this month. It's so easy to feel discouraged, but we are going to get through it. The next step on our list is to find Charlie a match. They are in the process now looking on the registry to see if he has a match. We would be so greatful and happy if there was. We won't know for another two weeks. Charlies appointment got moved up to August 5th. We are hoping that Charlie will be home for Little Charlie's first birthday on August 19th. Right now we need prayer more than ever. Please pray for a match for Chalie, and please pray for us to be encouraged and hopeful. I know there are so many of you that would like to be tested. I'm not sure where you go to be tested, but I will find out more info. We will probably have a bone marrow drive to help Charlie find a match. Thank you for all of your continued prayers and love. Please keep it coming! We truly love you all!

Day 48

Hi Everyone,

Today wasn't the greatest day but it was at the same time. The good news first. Char got to come home today!! We are so happy to have him home. The bad news... The boys were not a bone marrow match. I thought I was prepared for the results to be a yes or no, but I wasn't. When Charlie told me I just broke down in tears. I feel so sad that they wernt a match but know that we will find Charlie a match very soon. They took more blood from Charlie to see if anyone in the bone marrow registry is a match. This could take a few weeks. Please be praying for that! I know most of the time I say that Charlie is doing good. Don't get me wrong. He is doing great, but he is definitely feeling a little down. He is hanging in there. Charlie will have to go back August 11th for a check up which will determine when he goes back for another round of chemo. We are all feeling a little down and sad that Charlie will not be getting a transplant as soon as we thought. It's so easy to get down and feel discouraged with all of this going on, but we gotta push through it. We all seem to be on edge, but this is when we have to take a step back and realize that we need to take things day by day. Please pray for Charlie and for all of us to relax a little. God has a big plan and a big picture. I am praying that in His time we will know. I pray for patience and encouragement right now. We love all of you and thank you for your prayers and daily encouragement. Until tomorrow, good night

Day 47

Hi Everyone,

It's been a good day today. Charlie is most likely coming home tomorrow. Yay!! We are so excited. We are still waiting for the lab results as they have not come in yet, it has been two weeks. Please pray that one or them are a match. If they are not a match Charlie will have to return to the hospital for another round of chemo. Charlie is so happy to be coming home and has a positive attitude. I told him all about last night and how it was a big success. He gets so emotional hearing about how many people want to help and everyone that supports him. He is so lucky to have such great friends and family. We couldn't do this without you guys. Charlies counts are going up and is no longer neutropenic. Praise God! Please continue to pray for Charlie and for Gods healing hands to be placed upon him. I can't say thank you enough to all of you who support us! We love you all.

Day 46

Hi Everyone,

Today was an awesome day! Tonight was the spaghetti dinner at Macaroni Grill. There was an awesome turn out. The dinner was delicious and the company was great. We are so thankful for the Mac Grill Ohana to do this for us. We raised a lot of money that will help tremendously with medical expenses. Charlie is doing good today. I was able to get a spaghetti dinner to go and brought it to him at the hospital. He really enjoyed it. Charlie's counts are going up and could be home very soon. We are still waiting on the bone marrow results. We are so anxious to know. Charlie will be getting platelets tomorrow and possibly home on Wednesday. We thank you all so much for the suppport and for everyone who came tonight. We love you all!!!!

Day 45

Hello everyone

It's Charlie again,Whitney has been really busy this weekend so I thought I would help her with the blog. I hope everyone had a good weekend. I had a pretty boring one. Friday was my last dose of chemo for this cycle, it was injected in my back. So now all I have to do is wait for all my blood counts to go back up, so I can go home! I'm not going to write too much because Whitney likes to write this. I hope everyone has a great week. I thank each and everyone of you for the thoughts and prayers. See ya soon!

Day 44

Hi Everyone,

Today was moving day for us. It was a very busy day. I'm so tired! We were so blessed to have three professional movers help us do the move. They were so fast and had our place packed up in an hour. All we have to do now is clean the apartment. Since today was moving day Charlie spent the day by himself. I am now here with him catching up since I haven't seen him in a couple days. He is feeling ok today. He had a really bad headache earlier but has gotten better. Overall he is doing really well considering the chemo treatments. Charlie is feeling uncomfortable and wants to go home. It's hard to sit and lay in a hospital bed all day. Charlie's counts are really low and will have to go up significantly in order for him to come home. We are hoping he will be home by the weekend. I can't wait for all of us to be together again. We are so anxious to know the lab results this week. We are hoping and praying for good news. Just a reminder to everyone who bought a ticket for spaghetti night... It's this Monday. I am so excited to see you all. Thank you so much for the support! To anyone who couldn't make it but would like to donate and help, check out Laurens website. She is selling hats for a minimum $25 donation. Check out the website below. I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. Until tomorrow, good night. http://allforcharlie.bbnow.org/

Day 43

Hi Everyone,

I didn't write much this morning so here is a little update about what's going on. Tonight I was unable to see Charlie at the hospital. I had to finish up packing the house. We are all ready for the move tomorrow. Charlie had a busy day today. He had a couple blood transfusions and had his spinal tap done as well. The procedure went well as planned. He is feeling pretty good and is getting a little more rest at night. He is looking forawrd to coming home and seeing little Charlie. Not too many updates at this time. Please continue to pray for healing for Charlie. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Day 42

Hi Everyone,

   Happy Friday! It's finally the weekend. Hooray! I am writing the blog a day late. Yesterday Charlie had a good day. His rash seems to be slowly getting better and will hopefully be coming home in a week. Charlie is up bright and early this morning getting a platelet transfusion. He will also have his spinal tap done today as well. We still don't know the lab results for Brad and Jeff. We are waiting anxiously to know! Sorry this is a short post, but I will write more tonight. Hope you all have a great day!

Day 41

Hi Everyone,

Happy Wednesday! Two days left and it's the weekend. Yay! This weekend for us will be a busy one. On Saturday we are moving back to Chuck and Karens house in Kapolei. We are so lucky to have two voluntary movers to help us out. Moving is a lot of work. Charlie is doing good today. He is still feeling down about things but is looking forward for this next week to go by. The doctor said he could possibly go home in ten days. We are still anxiously waiting for the bone marrow results. My mind races thinking about what's going to happen next. Please continue to pray for a match. If Brad nor Jeff are a match we will have to set up a bone marrow drive. I know there are so many of you that would want to be tested so I will keep you all posted. Charlie had a restless night again and didn't fall asleep until 5 this morning. Charlie feels burnt out and drained. He is still doing an amazing job. Keep it up Char! I am happy to report that we are sold out of spaghetti night tickets. It's going to be a great night. Thank you all for the support! We love the encouragement and prayers. Please continue to pray for Charlie during this time for strentgh and comfort. We love you all!!

Day 40

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a great day today. Charlie is still feeling the same and is now neutropenic. His white blood count has dropped to be very low. At this time everyone that comes in contact with him needs to be very careful. Washing hands and wearing a mask is a must. He is now starting to get his Neuprogen shots again to help raise his white blood counts. Charlie is thinking he may go home sooner than two weeks, but we will see. Right now we are waiting on the bone marrow results and praying they come back as a match. On Friday Charlie will have another spinal tap and may have to have more blood transfusions during the week. He is hanging in there and is ready for some good news to come his way. Right now Charlie is reading Lance Armstrongs book about his journey with testicular cancer. He has been reading a lot when he has trouble sleeping at night. He feels encouraged by the book and can really relate to it. Thank you all for your encouragement and help through this challenging time. I hope to report good news this week. We love you all! Until tomorrow, good night

Day 39

Hi Everyone,

It's day 39 and Charlie has finished his first week of the second round of chemo. Charlie is definitely feeling the side effects this time around. He isn't feeling sick, but is having a reaction to the chemo. His head and face is fully covered with a rash. The rash is sensitive and can be painful at times. Charlie is feeling a little down right now and is ready to go home. He is doing a great job though. Through all of this it is so easy to look at the negative things, but there are several good things happening right now. We are thankful Charlie hasn't been sick and has a good appetite. He is kicking cancers butt! This week we should know the results of the bone marrow tests. We are so anxious to know! Right now there is not much happening. Charlie just needs all the encouragement he can get. I admire his strentgh and courage through this battle. Keep it up Char! Please continue to pray for healing and encouragement. I will keep the updates coming and stay tuned to know more about how Char is doing. We love you all!!

Day 38

Hi Everyone,

  Hope you all had a nice weekend. We had a busy two days. We packed up majority of the house and are ready to move back to Kapolei. I didn't spend much time at the hospital this weekend. Today we visited Charlie for lunch in the cafeteria. Little Charlie was happy to see his daddy and got to spend a good hour with him. This is really hard on Charlie not seeing little Charlie. We have to stay encouraged and know that this is only temporary.  Charlie is still not feeling that great. He still has an outbreak of an acne like rash on his head and face. They have been giving him benedryl, but doesn't seem to help much.  Charlie is feeling a little down, but still has an amazing attitude. His body is going through so many changes that it can be very self conscious at times. We are praying for good news this week in hopes that one of the boys are a match. Please continue to pray for that. Charlies counts are still very good and haven't gone down too much. He has approximately two weeks left in the hospital and is ready to go home already. We are starting to plan for his transplant and are starting to get an idea of what all is involved.We are so thankful for all of you that are helping us fund raise for this. We are looking forward to the spaghetti night at Macaroni Grill. We are all sold out of tickets! Thank you to all of you who have bought tickets and donated. We also have another fundraiser going on in the mainland. Charlies cousin Sara is going to be having an auction/raffle event in San Francisco. We are collecting items for this event and if any of you have anything that you would like to donate please let me know! We are so thankful for all of you! Please pray for Charlie tonight that he will be a little more comfortable and be able to get some much needed rest. We pray that his rash will subside and the swelling in his face and head will go down. We love you all! Until tomorrow, Good night.

Day 37

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend so far. Charlie isn't feeling that great today. He woke up with a swollen face and has a rash all over his upper body. He is having an outbreak of acne all over his head and back. He says it's very uncomfortable and is sore and sensetive. The doctor came by and took a look at him and had no major concerns about it. They gave him benedryl in hopes for the swelling to go down. All of this could be a reaction from the chemo. Right now Charlie is feeling kinda down and wants all of this to be over with. There are so many new changes going on with his body that it becomes discouraging and annoying. Through all of this Charlie is doing a great job. All of his counts are normal and right where the doctors want them to be. We hope these next two weeks go by fast so Charlie can be home again. Tomorrow I will bring little Charlie to see his daddy. They both miss each other very much. We pray Charlie will get some rest tonight will feel better in the morning. Please pray for him :) we love you all. Until tomorrow, good night.

Day 36

Hi Everyone,

Happy Friday!! The weekend is finally here. Yay! I am looking forward to spending time with little Charlie this weekend and hopefully can bring him to see his daddy. Charlie is doing good today. He had his spinal tap done earlier in the day and also had a blood transfusion. Both went very well. Charlie got a nice shower tonight and got his bedding changed. He is also free from his IV now and is no longer getting fluids. He still has his PICC line in and will stay in until he leaves. With no fluids being pumped in him, he will have to stay hydrated on his own. He has almost been in the hospital for a week. This time around the days seem to fly by. Charlie got a little more rest last night and will hopefully sleep well again tonight. We are still waiting anxiously to know if one of the boys are a match. We are praying that they are! We love all of you and thank you for the continuous prayers! Keep them coming. Hope you all have a great weekend. Until tomorrow, good night!

Day 35

Hi Everyone,

It's the end of another day and almost the weekend. Charlie is doing good today. He is taking chemo like a champ. He hasn't been very sick and is happy that his body is tolerating it well. Tomorrow Charlie will have another spinal tap done. He will have one done every Friday until he leaves the hospital. The spinal tap is where the chemo is injected in his spine to prevent the cancer spreding to the brain and spine. He has been pumped with a heavy load of chemo these past days and will get a break shortly. Even when he is not gettimg the chemo through his IV, he still has to take the chemo pill. Charlie is still so positive and is keeping a great attitude. Right now the only thing he wants is rest. These past few nights have been rough and restless with constant interruptions. Hopefully he will be able to rest tonight. During this round of chemo the doctors advised Charlie to take more than one shower a day. The chemo will be exiting his pores this time and is good to get if off the body. Charlie has a hearty appetite and enjoyed some Mac Grill take out tonight for dinner. It definitely made him feel better and is much better than the hospital food. Please pray for Charlie tonight that he will get some rest and that his spinal tap goes well tomorrow. We love you all and you guys truly keep us going with all your prayers and thoughts. Have a great Friday everyone! Until tomorrow, good night.

Day 34

Hi Everyone,

It's Wednesday and we are half way through through the week. Yay! These weeks have been flying by. Charlie is on his second day of chemo and is starting to feel the side effects already. This morning he wasn't feeling too well, but is feeling much better now. He had another restless night and kept getting woken up by the nurses. The hospital is no place for rest. He is now getting eyedrops every four hours to help protect them from the chemo. Today Brad and Jeff got tested. The lab draw was very simple and we should have the results in about a week. Charlie also had a lab draw which is called HLA testing. All of these tests will determine the matching. We are praying and keeping our fingers crossed that one of the boys are a match. Charlie also had a behavioral health assessment today to make sure he is mentally ok for the transplant. He is definitely ok and has a great support team. We are learning more about the transplant process and are educating ourselves more. We are looking forward to knowing the details. Charlie is so overwhelmed by all of the support and love. We are so thankful for each and every one of you. The benefit dinner is such a success! We are almost sold out of tickets. It's going to be a fun night. Please continue to pray for Charlie as he is starting to feel sick and is not resting at night. We love you all!! Until tomorrow, good night.

Day 33

Hi Everyone,

Today we are back at the beginning. Charlie started his first day of chemo today and has 13 days left of treatment. Right now he is on an IV through his PICC line and is currently getting a big bag of neon yellow chemo. This bag will take 24 hours to complete. Last night he was up most of the night due to urine collections, vitals, shift changes and just the blah of being in the hospital. The doctors came in today with great news. His biopsy results came back and he now has less than 5 percent of cancer cells in his body. We are so happy with that news. When Charlie was first diagnosed with leukemia his cancer cells were at 98 percent. We are so pleased with the results of the first round of chemo. Praise God! Tomorrow is the day we have been waiting for. Brad and Jeff will be tested tomorrow to see if they are a match for Charlie. The test is a simple lab draw and shouldn't take long at all. We will have to wait a week until the results come back. Please pray that one of them are a match. Charlie would really like one of them to be... He has a funny feeling that Jeff will be. Charlie is doing good today. He Has a great attitude and still amazes me with his strength and determination. I would like to thank you all who have bought tickets to the spaghetti dinner. It's going to be a great night. You guys rock!! Please continue to pray for Charlie and for Gods healing hands to be laid upon him. Have a great night!! Until tomorrow :)

Day 32

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a great Monday! Charlie's two weeks of freedom have come to an end. Charlie checked in today around one and was admitted to the hospitsl for a three week stay. He has a different room this time around. He is now in room 223 which is right in front of the nurses station and is still on the second floor. He has a nice view again of the Moanalua valleys and Tripler hospital. Tonight he will be pumped with fluids and start his chemotherapy in the morning. Tomorrow the doctors will see him and will hopefully have his bone marrow biopsy results. We are still so anxious to know the plan for Charlie and his transplant. This week we will know a lot more and hopefully start to organize and plan things. Coming back to the hospital today was a bitter sweet feeling. I want Charlie to get better but it stinks that he is at the hospital again. He came in today with a great attitude. All the nurses greeted him like he never left. Please continue to pray for him and this round of chemo. We pray that his body responds well and all kills all the cancerous cells. We love all the support and continuous prayers. To all of you who have bought dinner tickets, thank you!! If you need any more info email me. Until tomorrow, good night

Day 31

Hi Everyone,

      Hope you all enjoyed your weekend! Tomorrow we are all back to the work week and Charlie goes back to the hospital. He has enjoyed his two week break and is ready to get the next three weeks over with. This weekend we have been just lounging around and spending time with little Charlie. Hopefully Charlie will be able to see him more this time at the hospital. Since Charlie has been home he has been feeling good except for having daily headaches. He has a hearty appetite and is enjoying it while it lasts. Chemotherapy can cause him to have a depressed appetite and vomiting. We pray this round will be just like the last. He did very well last time and had a great outlook and attitude through it all. These next couple of weeks I will have more to write about and we will know more details about his transplant soon. During his stay at the hospital we will be moving back to Kapolei. Today we started packing boxes and are starting to do a little at a time. Moving is hard work!
        We are so blessed to have friends and family that want to help. On July 25h (Monday) we will be having a benefit dinner for Charlie at Macaroni Grill. We are so thankful that they are doing this for us. All proceeds will go directly to Charlie to help with his medical bills and related expenses.  The dinner is a set menu and tickets will be $18.00. The dinner includes bread, salad and the main dish will be spaghetti with meat sauce. The dinner will also include a non-alcoholic beverage of choice and a yummy desert to end the night. There are two times to attend. The times will be 5 and 7. If any of you are interested in buying a ticket to this event, please e-mail me at whitney7@hawaii.edu. Thank you all for your support and a big thanks to Chef Mike and Macaroni Grill for making this possible. You guys rock! Below is a pic of Char, no more hair! He looks great :)

Char's New Look :)

 

Day 30

Hi Everyone,

We are at the thirty day mark since Charlie started his treatment. He will soon be going back to the hospital to start his 3 week treatment. Today we enjoyed a nice pinic at the park and relaxed the rest of the day. Not too much to write today about Charlie. He is doing good and hanging in there. These past two weeks have flown by faster than I wanted it to. Tomorrow is his last day being home. With that said I am going to spend as much time as possible with him. Until tomorrow, good night.

Day 29

Hi Everyone,

T.G.I.F!! Hope you all had a great week and have some fun plans instore for the weekend. Tomorrow we are headed to the park and beach for some family time. We are going to enjoy these last couple of days with Charlie while he is out of the hospital. Charlie has been doing good these past couple weeks. The main thing that has been bothering him is constant headaches. The headaches are from the chemo pill that he has been taking. Charlie doesn't want to go back to he hospital, but wants to get it over with at the same time. During this round of chemo they will be using different medications than the last and will be a little more harsh on his body. Charlie is getting prepared for the three week stay and knows what to expect this time. They will be testing the brothers very shortly to see if one of them are a match. We have had so many people ask to be tested if one of them are not a match. We thank you guys so much for volunteering! I will let you all know as soon as possible the details about getting tested if they are not a match. We are so overwhelmed by all your support. We are so anxious to know more about the transplant. Charlie has been reading a lot about the transplant process. He is getting very educated about everything. We are aware that it is going to be a long journey that is emotionally and physically draining. His insurance does not cover all costs for the transplant. We will need to pay for airfare, food, and housing for three months and some other things here and there. The bottom line is that it is going to cost a lot of money. Tonight we became aware of a special dinner that will be held July 25th at Macaroni Grill to help raise money. I don't have too many detail at the time about the dinner, but I will keep you all posted. We thank you for all of the support and prayers! We are so blessed to have such good friends and family. We love you all!!

Day 28

Hi Everyone,

I am happy to report that I am all better and Charlie is back home. Yay! I hope to spend as much time as possible with him. He goes back to the hospital on Monday already. Right now we are still waiting for his bone marrow biopsy results. We are praying that the chemo worked and that his prognosis is good. The doctors are very optimistic about Charlie. He is young and healthy and can beat this cancer! Charlie still needs to post pictures of his hats. To all of you who sent him one, thank you!! He loves getting them in the mail. Not much to write today but will update more tomorrow. Hope you all have a happy Friday!

Day 27

Hi Everyone,

        It's Wednesday and we are half way through the week. Charlie had his bone marrow biopsy done today. The procedure went well as planned and should have the results in about two days. Things are starting to fall into place and a plan is in the making. Charlie found out today that he will be returning to the hospital on Monday, July 11th. His hospital stay will be the same as the last. He will be going through another round of chemo and is expected to stay another three weeks. Charlie isn't too thrilled about returning to the hospital, but it ready to start getting better. I am looking forward to spending the weekend with him. I am feeling much better and will soon be able to see Charlie. I got to see him on Monday but didn't last too long as he had to go to the hospital. I am so happy that he is ok and did not have to stay. Charlie is still so positive and is loving the hats that he has received. He is going to be styling at the hospital. I hope these next couple of days go by really slow so I can soak up as much hospital free time with Charlie.
      I have to admit that this past month has been rough for me. I feel like one thing after the other keeps happening. When it rains, it pours. I feel like God is testing my faith in Him. Yesterday on my way to work I fell face first on the concrete and got hurt pretty bad. I had a bloody nose and scratches all on the front of my body. There was no one around to help me when it happened, and I just laid there in tears asking why. WHY? WHY? WHY? Why is all of this happening to me? I could lay there for hours and ask, but I would never get an answer. As soon as I was at my worst and lacking faith, I received great news today. God started to pour on the blessings. During these times we can get so discouraged and look at the bad things and ask why...but today I realized that God really does have a perfect plan for us, and even if we don't understand it at the moment, he knows best and will show us what he has in store. It's so easy to look at the bad in situations, but I feel that it's time for me to look at the good. Charlie is going to get through this. Thank you all who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers. We are so blessed to have you all. I want to thank Lauren (Charlie's cousin) for creating a donation site. The hats are awesome that you designed and we really appreciate your time and effort. If you all havent heard already, there is a donation site for Charlie. At this site if you donate 25 dollars or more, you get a hat. If you would like to help, the website is  http://www.allforcharlie.bbnow.org/ Check it out! We love you all!!

Day 26

Hello everyone,

Hi, it's me, Charlie. Whitney wasn't feeling too well so she asked me to write the blog tonight. I hope everyone had a good 4th. I ended up at th ER last night. The doc tested for a blood clot because my heart rate was high and I had slight fever. All the test results came back negative, so I'm good. I met with a social worker today to get more information on the transplant at the city of hope. She gave us a lot of good info on what to expect in the next few months. Tomorrow I have a bone marrow biopsy with my oncologist,the same one that found my cancer. I have mixed feelings on this biopsy, it's uncomfortable and a little painful but on the other hand I need it done to see where my cancer cells are at right now, so we can get a better idea on when the transplant can actually happen. So that's what's going on with me right now. I really hope Whitney feels better really soon. She deserves to feel better, she works really hard. And I miss my little bambino!! I'm enjoying being out of the hospital, but want to get the next round of chemo out of the way. I'm also really stoked on all the hats I've been receiving so far. I promise I will start posting pictures of them all on Facebook as soon as I can. Thank you all for your support and love and prayers. I love you all. Have a great day.

Day 25

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a fun and safe fourth of July. Right now I am sending an urgent prayer request out. Charlie is in the ER due to having a fever. This past week I have been sick and he caught my cold. Please pray for him that nothing is seriosuly wrong and for his body to fight this cold. He is having a CT and chest X-ray right now. I will keep you all updated but please pray for healing for Charlie and for comfort. He is frustrated and annoyed that he is back in the ER and also feels scared. Thank you all for your prayers!

Day 24

Hi Everyone,

       I can't believe the weekend is over! Thankfully I have tomorrow off and can rest some more. I hope to be feeling better tomorrow so I can go to family BBQ. Little Charlie went over today and will spend the night as well. I want Charlie to spend as much time as possible with little Charlie because when he goes back to the hospital visiting will be limited. Charlie is loving being free from the hospital. He has been going out everyday doing a little something here and there. I am dreading the day he has to go back, but am happy to start the journey of getting Charlie better. I haven't seen him in a couple days, but he is almost completely bald. He has been wearing hats around and is excited to see what other hats come in the mail. He will be posting pictures on facebook of him in the hats. Theres not much to post today, but wanted to write and give a quick update. I hope you all enjoy your Fourth of July!

Day 23

Hi Everyone,

      Hope you all are enjoying your weekend so far. Charlie is still in Kapolei since I am still sick. I wish I could say that I am feeling better, but I am almost feeling worse. This is a nasty cold. I am praying that I get better soon because I really want to spend time with Charlie. Today Chuck shaved his head! He is officially bald. Since Chuck did it, I am very tempted to do it as well. Charlie got more hats in the mail today. He is pretty stoked on the hats he is receiving. He said he will post pictures of him wearing them on facebook. Lauren, Charlies cousin started a pretty cool website for donations for Charlie. I will post the link at the bottom of the page. On the website there are two hat designs that she created. If you donate 25 dollars of more, she will mail you the hat of your choice. All proceeds go to Charlie. Thanks Lauren!
      It's been almost a month since we found out that Charlie had cancer. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. I am so thankful that my mom is here helping me with little Charlie. I couldn't do it without her. We are getting ready to move back to Kapolei and I am so grateful that we can stay with Charlie's parents.  Our parents are the best! Not too many updates at this time about Charlie. He is feeling great and hanging in there. We have at least one more week left until Charlie goes back to the hospital. Please pray for healing for me so I can see Charlie again. Here are some pictures of some hats Charlie got in the mail. Also click on the link below to check out the hat website that Lauren designed. Your donations are really appreciated!!



Here is Lauren's hat. It's also available in white! To get one to go: http://www.allforcharlie.bbnow.org/

Go go http://www.allforcharlie.bbnow.org/ to get yours today!!

]

From My Mom

From Aunt Linda and Greg

The Phillies Even Sent Charlie A Hat!

Day 22

Hi Everyone,

      Happy Friday!! It's going to be a nice three day weekend. The only down side to it is that me and little Charlie are sick. I have a horrible cough and don't feel all that great. Charlie has gone to Kapolei to stay at his parents house until we are better. I am so frustrated because out of all times to be sick it has to be right now. I am going to rest and drink lots of fluids and hope it's gone by this weekend. Right now Charlie needs to stay healthy and avoid sickness. Please for for us and that Charlie will remain healthy. Today Charlie got his first batch of hats in the mail. I am waiting for him to send me pictures of them. I will probably post them in tomorrow blog. He is so happy that Jenn came up with this hat party idea. It's so nice of all of you to send him hats! Charlie isn't too upset that he is losing his hair, but he doesn't like it. I volunteered to shave my head to make him feel better so he is not the only bald one...but he said no. I was hoping that he would say yes because Karen made a promise that if I did it, she would too. I really wanted her to shave her head! Charlie is handling all of this very well. There are so many changes going on with his body that it can be a little discouraging at times. I give Charlie so much credit for being so strong and positive through this battle. I know he feels like everyone is staring at him wherever her goes. Truth is, no would know just by looking at him that he has cancer. He is still the same ol' Charlie. Right now there are donation sites and fundrasing sites that the family has started. In tomorrows post I will provide links to the websites and where you can donate if any of you want to. We thank you all again for the outpouring of love and support. You guys really do rock. We love you all!

Day 21

Hi Everyone,

It's Thursday and we are almost done with the work week. Horray! I am looking forward to a nice three day weekend. Unfortunately me and little Charlie are a little under the weather. We are trying to be very careful to make sure Charlie doesnt catch the bug. Charlie is doing great. He has been taking a drive with his brothers everday since he left the hospital. He is loving the fresh air and is taking advantage of his freedom while he has it. He still feels weak at times and can also experiences dizziness as well. It feels so nice to have him home. There's this sense of security and happiness I get when we are together. Charlie is losing his hair much faster than I thought. He hasn't received any hats yet but is looking forward to them coming in the mail. He says he will take a picture wearing each hat and will post it for everyone to see. Right now things are still the same. Charlie is doing good with staying on top of his medications and is still taking the chemo pill. We are anticipating his bone marrow biopsy on June 6th. We will know more once he has the procedure. Right now we are taking one day at a time. Thank you all for the continuous support and prayers. We are so grateful for you all!

Day 20

Hi Everyone,

It's day 20 today and it's my birthday! Thank you all for the birthday wishes, it makes me feel so special. This morning I was awakened by Charlie with breakfast in bed. It was so nice and unexpected! Charlie is so sweet. Through all of this he tried so hard to make my day special. He succeeded!! For my birthday we went down the street to Bella Mia fora nice low key dinner. Their food is delicious and they have generous portions. I was so nervous about Charlie being out in public. I am paranoid about him catching any bad germs. He is allowed to go out, but doesn't have a full battery of energy to do very much. Charlie has been feeling good since he has been home. He is loving the time he has with little Charlie and loves seeing him do new things. Little Charlie is so close to walking. This is so exciting for us. We cant wait until he takes his first steps. There's not much to say about Chalie right now. He is still the same and is enjoying his time away from the hospital. His arm that was semi infected is much better now. He is much more comfortable bing home and loves having his freedom back. Thank you all again for making my birthday so special and to everyone that continues to pray for us during this time. Our prayer for today is that Brad or Jeff will be matches for Charlie's bone marrow. Please continue to pray for that as he needs a transplant soon. I will keep the updates coming and will try to keep writing everyday. Until tomorrow, good night

Day 19

Hi Everyone,

It's day two of Charlie being home. I love it! Charlie is doing well today. He took a nice drive arond town with his brothers to get some fresh air. He says it feels good to be home and be free from IV cords. Right now Charlie is still taking his chemo pill and some antibiotics. He has to take antibiotics due to a possible infection in his arm from the PICC line. His arm is not infected, but to be on the safe side they have him on it. Charlie is just relaxing and enjoying time away from the hospital. While Charlie undergoes his next round of chemo next month, we will be moving. We are heading back to Kapolei to his parents house. This is going to save us money and help us out tremendously. To all of you who want to help, the is a perfect time to. I will let you know when in July we will be moving and the details of the help we need. I have gotten several emails from people who want to be tested for possible bone marrow matches. Right now we have to wait for Brad and Jeff to get tested. If they are not a match, we will have bone marrow drives to search for the perfect match. Thank you to all who have shown interest and have volunteered. We are starting to think of fundraiser ideas and have some projects in the works. Stay tuned for updates and when we will be having them. Karen is in the works of setting up a bank account for Charlie. This account will be a donation account and will help with the on going medical bills and expenses. I will let you know when it has been set up and is ready to go. Thank you all so much for everything. The prayers, the love, and support. We are keeping the faith and staying strong. God is good. Until tomorrow, Good night

Day 18

Hi Everyone,

       Charlie is finally home!! We are so happy he is home. He gets a nice ten day break from the hospital. Little Charlie was so happy to see his daddy. Charlie is not out of the woods yet. We have a long ways to go. He goes back July 6th for another bone marrow biopsy to see how well chemo worked. Charlie is now starting to lose his hair. Tonight we buzzed it as short as it could go. He said he looks forward to wearing all the hats that he receives. He has three from our family already. I have more to write but am going to spend some time with Charlie. I promise to write more about how he is doing tomorrow. Good night!

Day 17

Hi Everyone,

It's a rainy day over here at the hospital today. We are just lounging around watching TV. Charlie is very anxious about going home. He doesn't want to give his hopes up, but is thinking he will go home tomorrow. Today they took out Charlie's PICC line. He was complaining that it was itchy and a little red so they removed it. He now has an IV line in his hand. Charlie's counts are continuing to rise everyday. His white blood count is still very low and needs to rise before he can come home. He is no longer receiving fluids through his IV and needs to remain hydrated on his own. It's still so crazy that Charlie has cancer. He has been so positive through all of this and even jokes around sometimes. We are not sure how well the next round of chemo will go. We hope his body reacts the same way. He hasn't been too sick and has had a good appetite. I was mistaken earlier when I said Charlie was done with his chemo pill. He is currently taking it now. Right now we are continuing to hope and pray that Brad and Jeff are matches for his bone marrow transplant. There is a 45 percent chsnce thst one of them will be a match.We still don't know much about it, but know they will test them soon. I will keep the updates coming as I know more. Hopefully tomorrow I will be writing from home with Charlie! Until tomorrow, good night!

Day 16

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend! It always seems like the weekdays go by so slow and the weekends fly by. I am enjoying every minute I have with Charlie on the weekends. Charlie is feeling good today but is getting extremely bored and antsy. He is so close to going home that it's driving him nuts. His counts are going up and is slowly re building his immune system. We are looking forward to this week and his homecoming. Little Charlie can't wait either. He has been shouting da da da da during the day. Today me, Karen and little Charlie went and took our minds off things for a little bit and went to Koolina. It was a nice change of pace, and little Charlie loved the water. Tomorrow if the nurses say it's ok we are going to bring little Charlie by the hospital. We might not be able to due to his counts, but we will see. There's not much to report today. We are still brainstorming fundraiser ideas and would love to know your ideas. We have never put together anything like this, so all input is welcome! Thank you all for your love and support. I will continue to thank you guys because you all truly help us get through this. We love you all!

Day 15

Hi Everyone,

T.G.I.F! I am so happy it's finally Friday. After two days of not seeing Charlie I am so happy to see him. We have great news today! Charlie's counts are going up which means he gets to come home soon. Today is the last day of the chemo pill. Yay! Charlie is getting a blood transfusion right now and just got done eating dinner. He is feeling weak today but feels a little better after eating. The doctors came in today and talked more about the bone marrow transplant. The process of the transplant is going to be a big deal. Charlie will have to travel to California and will probably be there for at least three months. There are no dates set because several things need to be done prior to going. Right now we are getting an idea of how much all of this is going to cost. We are brainstorminhg fundraiser ideas and are gonna get started soon. If anyone would like to help or have any ideas for us, please let me know! Charlie is so touched by the hats that are being sent to him. We haven't received any of them yet but he can't wait! Thank you Jenn for putting that together. If you don't know already, Jenn put together a hat party through Facebook where friends and family can send Charlie a hat. Charlie will be losing his hair soon and wants to wear cool hats until his hair grows back. Charlie is still hanging in there and is looking forward to next week. Please continue to lift Charlie up in prayer. God has a purpose and a plan. We just don't see the big picture. Thank you again to all of you who have been reading the blog and keeping us in your prayers. We love you all!

Day 14

Hi Everyone,

          It's day 14! Right now we are at the two week mark with Charlie. It feels like it has been so much longer. Pretty soon Charlie will be able to come home. We can't wait! Charlie has been through so much these past two weeks that he deserves a break. Tomorrow will be the last day of the chemo pill. After tomorrow his counts really need to go up so he can come home. Charlie is feeling good today, but is starting to get frustrated with being in the hospital. The beds are uncomfortable and the food isn't that great. He is doing a great job hanging in there. The doctors came in today and explained what their hopes and goals are for Charlie. Once Charlie goes home he will have to have another bone marrow biopsy to see how well the chemo worked. The plan for now is to finish one more round of chemo and then hopefully have a bone marrow match so he can have a bone marrow transplant. Brad and Jeff together have a combined 45 percent chance to be a match. We are hoping and praying that one of them will be. The bone marrow transplant will be done in California at the City of Hope in Pasadena. Right now nothing is set in stone since this is a big waiting game. Charlie's cancer cells need to be under 5 percent to be able to have the bone marrow transplant. Please pray for his counts to rise and pray that the chemo is doing it's job. He is going to kick A.L.L's butt! We thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, I will keep the updates coming. We love you all!

Day 13

Hi Everyone, 

         It's the end of another day and it's getting closer to the weekend. I am taking a day off from the hospital and spending time with little Charlie today. Jeff is there now keeping him company. We all can't wait until Charlie gets to come home. Right now his counts are as low as they should go. I am surprised with such low counts that he is up and going. He still remains confined to his room, but watches TV and plays games to pass the time. After Friday we have to hope and pray his numbers go up. Once they are high enough he is a free man! Charlie is hanging in there and remains positive. He is so brave!! One thing that is driving him nuts is his PICC line. He wants to scratch it so bad. We are unsure if they will take it out, or if he will go home with it. One new thing is that he starting to develop Petechiae on his body. Petechiae is small red dots that appear on the body due to bleeding under the skin. This is normal for people with Leukemia. Other than that Charlie is still the same. Not too many updates today. Please continue to pray for Charlie as he is still going through the challenges of having cancer. He is doing an amazing job and is kicking A.L.L. in its butt! I am finally going to post pictures from Fathers Day. Sorry it took so long!

Our Family

Daddy's Boy

Chuck, Charlie, Little Charlie: 3 Generations

Karen, Charlie, Little Charlie

Brad, Charlie, Little Charlie

Charlie's PICC Line

 

Day 12

Hi Everyone,

It's the end of day 12 and am now counting down the days till the weekend. Charlie had a busy day today. His platelets were very low this morning and needed a platelet transfusion. Once he had his transfusion he was able to have his spinal tap done. Platelets are very important so Charlie doesnt bleed uncontrollably during these procedures. The procedure went well as planned and probably won't have to havenone for another couple weeks. Charlie started the chemo pill again today and will continue to take it unil Friday. If all goes as planned, Friday will be the last day of chemo for the month. Charlie will be able to go home soon if his blood counts are high enough. Yay!! This could take a week to two weeks. He can't wait to go home. Charlie is hanging in there, but is uncomfortable just laying in bed all day. Since he is vulnerable to catching infections he is pretty much restricted to his room. Visitors are still welcome, but only healthy ones! You will need to wash your hands and wear a mask before entering. I am still so proud of charlie. He amazes me everyday with his courage and strength. Thank you to everyone who reads the blog and for everyone that keeps us in your prayers. We love you all!

Day 11

Hi Everyone,

         It's another manic Monday and day 11 for Charlie. Some of you are wondering why the blog is posted so late. To Everyone who is waiting for it, I'm sorry! I'm going to be writing my blogs at night from now on while I am at the hospital. Today has been a good day for Charlie. He is feeling good and enjoyed a delicious plate lunch for dinner. He is very much over the hospital food and their cardboard tasting roast beef sandwiches. Charlie can't wait until he gets to go home. The nice thing about his stay here is that he has his own room and has a nice view of the Moanalua valleys. Right now Charlie's blood counts are really low and he is susceptible to catching bad germs and infections. All visitors must wash their hands and wear a mask before entering the room. Right now Charlie is receiving his chemo through his PICC line. He is no longer taking the chemo pill. Tomorrow he will have his spinal tap done where they will inject this chemotherapy through the spine. He is still a trooper and handling all of this very well. The only thing that's saddening him is not seeing little Charlie. They have such a great bond that it's hard to not see him for days at a time. Babies carry lots of germs and we have to limit their time together. Hang in there Char it's only temporary! Please continue to pray for Charlie. Pray that the chemo is doing it's job and that he will stay encouraged. I'm sorry to disappoint again, but I don't have pictures to post. I promise tomorrow! Stay tuned.

Day 10

Hi Everyone,

Happy Fathers Day to all you amazing dads out there! It's too bad that Charlie has to spend his first Fathers Day in the hospital. This is one he will never forget. We had a nice family lunch today in the cafeteria. Unfortunalely Jeff couldn't make it, he had to work a double.It's convenient that Charlies room is right down the hall from the cafeteria. We ate delicious sandwiches from Stortos and chit chatted all about little Charlie. He is getting so big. This is the first time that I am writing the blog at the hospital. Right now we are watching Shaw Shank Redemtion while Charlie gets his blood transfusion. We have a yummy dinner awaiting us. Chuck made tri tip steak for dinner tonight and Karen made upside-down pineapple cake for dessert. I can't wait to eat it! They brought a big cooler with it and we can warm it up when we are ready. We are happy that Charlie has an appetite. He is tolerating the chemotherapy very well. We are all so proud of him. On Tuesday he will have another spinal tap where he will have the chemo injected into his spine. We are getting to know all the nurses and hospital staff and are happy that they keep him comfortable. Charlie will get one more blood transfusion tonight. It usually takes three hours for each bag to go in. I think it's pretty cool how it works. I have pictures to post, but I will wait to post them tomorrow since I don't have the camera cord with me. Overall it was a great day and a memorable Fathers Day. Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow and another days blog.

Day 9

Hi Everyone,

      I am so happy that the weekend is here! Charlie had a pretty good day yesterday. He is still feeling queasy during the day, but is developing an appetite which is good. Last night we had some delicious subs from Stortos. They make the best sandwiches. Charlie doesn't have any diet restrictions at this time, but they do want him to follow a low sodium diet. Charlie continues to receive the shot for his white blood count. I am not too sure what the name of it is but it helps raise his white blood count. We also received good news from the doctors yesterday. The fluid that they took out of Charlies spine shows no spread of cancer in the spine. That awesome news!! Charlie is definitely keeping a positive attitude and all of you guys are helping him keep his head up high. On my way home last night I heard the song from the Karate Kid. Do you guys remember the end scene where he is fighting and Joe Esposito's song comes on? It goes, your the best around, nothings gonna ever keep you down....When I heard it, it made me think so much of Charlie. He is truly the best around and this cancer is not gonna keep him down. He's gonna fight it till he wins! I'm sure this weekend I will have more updates on how he is doing and will write a little more. Stay tuned. We love you all!

Day 8

Hi Everyone,

                It’s Aloha Friday, no more work till Monday!!! I am so happy that it is the end of the week and the weekend is near. Today Charlie wanted me to post a little bit about myself since many of you don’t know me, and many of you haven’t talked or seen Charlie in a while. My name is Whitney Evans and I am Charlie’s girlfriend and the mother to our wonderful son. I’ve lived in Maui all my life and moved to Oahu in 2008 to go to college. I started working at Macaroni Grill (Charlie’s workplace) in August of 2008 and didn’t even meet Charlie until January of 2009. Once we met, we clicked instantly. I stole Charlie’s number from the employee directory and called him. We have been best friends ever since. Charlie is such an amazing person and I can’t imagine my life without him. I love Charlie very much and hope to marry him someday.

                Charlie is definitely a trooper. It has only been a week and he has been through so much. He has his good and bad days, but remains strong and patient. Last night Charlie got a shot in his arm to raise his white blood counts. They want his white blood count to go up so his body can fight off any bad germs that come into contact with him. We are learning so much about A.L.L., but it can get confusing. I hope I am explaining everything in a way that everyone can understand.  Right now things are still the same, no updates at this time. Charlie has been feeling a little queasy during the day from all the chemo and hasn’t been eating much. It’s nice that his family can be there with him during the day. I enjoy having the night shift where I can end my day with him. We get to catch up, watch TV and play games together on our Itouch. Thank you all for your support and especially the prayers! God has a plan and purpose and I can’t wait to see how he will use Charlie with this experience. Two thumbs up to Charlie for being such a trooper. Keep it up Char!