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!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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
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
Monday, June 27, 2011
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!
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!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, June 24, 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
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!
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!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
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!
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 |
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
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!
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!
Monday, June 20, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, June 17, 2011
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!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Day 7
Hi Everyone,
It’s Thursday today, which means the weekend is right around the corner. I am looking forward to spending more time with Charlie on the weekends, as during the week I only get a couple of hours with him. Yesterday Charlie experienced sickness for the first time. Everything he is feeling remins me so much of the first couple month of pregnancy and morning sickness. This is much worse than morning sickness and I give him so much credit for standing strong and bearing with it all. I was mistaken in my last post about Charlie getting a break from chemo. He is currently taking the pill form of chemo, which he will take for the next couple of days. The doctors said his blood counts are right where they want it to be. He does not need any blood transfusions at this time which is great. Hopefully Charlie will be feeling a little better today and will be able to eat a little more. In the next months to come, Charlie will need to have a bone marrow transplant. We don’t know much at this time, but we do know that Brad and Jeff will be tested to see if they are a match. I will keep you updated on that, but at this time that is all we know.
Charlie got to see little Charlie yesterday. They were both so happy to see each other. It’s so hard for Charlie to not see his son during his stay at the hospital. Little Charlie definitely brings us happiness and is the shining star through all of this. Our families are truly amazing. Charlie’s parents and brothers are at the hospital during the day with Charlie, as my mom watches little Charlie during the day. We are so lucky to have them and I definitely feel this is bringing us so much closer together. Continue to pray for Charlie as this is a tough time for him. It’s hard to cope with cancer and to deal with the sickness that comes along with it. He’s doing a great job and being as strong as he can be. Keep it up Charlie!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Day 6
Hi Everyone,
Today is day 6 for Charlie. A week ago today we found out that Charlie had A.L.L. As time goes by, it’s still difficult to accept the fact that he has cancer. You usually see this in movies, or hear friends of friends that have cancer; never in a million years would I think someone so special to me would have leukemia. Things are starting to set in. Yesterday was a very tiring day for Charlie. The new chemo medication is draining him and making him very tired and weak. Yesterday Charlie had a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) done. They injected chemotherapy directly into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord and brain. This procedure helps prevent any kind of spread to the brain and nervous system. Charlie gets a nice little break for the next four to five days. He gets a brief break from chemo. Hooray! Hopefully these next couple of days he can rest and regain some energy. Unfortunately, we had to remove all flowers and balloons from the room. He can no longer have them while he is at the hospital. Thank you all for your flowers and sweet gifts. They really brighten up Charlie’s day. Again, I can’t say it enough, thank you all for your support. Thank you Ashley and Justin for making us wonderful dinners so we don’t have to cook. You guys rock! Please continue to lift Charlie up in prayer during this time. I have faith that God will heal Charlie! Nothing is impossible with God. Stay tuned for more updates on Charlie, and feel free to comment on the posts. Any questions or thoughts. Charlie also reads the blog and loves the encouging words!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Day 5
Hi Everyone,
Its day 5 today. Charlie is definitely feeling the chemo in his body now. He is exhausted and feeling more weak. I didn’t get to spend much time with him yesterday because he needed his rest. He had an appetite last night which was good. He had steamed fish and vegetables for dinner. It sure wasn’t gourmet but it was good enough to eat. Yesterday Charlie received another blood transfusion. This time he got Platelets. The doctors are saying Charlie is right where he needs to be. The doctor did give him a little more information about where they think the cancer stemmed from. The easiest way to explain in laymen terms is that Charlie has a chromosome abnormality. This abnormality is called the Philadelphia chromosome, and is found only in cancer cells. The fusing of chromosomes is acquired during a person's lifetime. The chromosomes that are fused together are 22 and 9. This translocation fuses part of a specific gene from chromosome 22 with part of another gene from chromosome 9.The protein produced from this fused gene abnormally signals tumor cells to continue dividing and prevents them from adequately repairing DNA damage. I am not sure if everyone understands that, as when I first heard it I was confused. I think it’s ironic because Charlie’s favorite number is 22 and he loves the Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles! Another thing, just because Charlie is feeling weak, doesn’t mean you can’t visit. The best thing to do is text him to see if he is up for visitors before you come. He will be feeling different every day.
Our prayer request for today is that Charlie will have strength as he is going through a new stage of chemo. Also, to pray for him to stay positive and continue to be the brave man that he is. Our family also needs prayer to keep us strong as his support team and keep us healthy. We thank you and love you all!
Our prayer request for today is that Charlie will have strength as he is going through a new stage of chemo. Also, to pray for him to stay positive and continue to be the brave man that he is. Our family also needs prayer to keep us strong as his support team and keep us healthy. We thank you and love you all!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Day 4
Hi Everyone,
It’s Monday, back to the work week and time to get back into the groove of things. You would think when something like this happens the world would stop for us and give us a break. I wish! I can’t wait until 4 rolls around so I can get off work and go see Charlie. Yesterday Charlie got to see little Charlie . He was so happy to see his daddy. Before all of this happened, Charlie would watch him during the day and would go to work at night. They would spend all day together, so Little Charlie is definitely missing his daddy! Charlie is ending his first cycle of chemo mediations today. His body responded well to the first cycle. We hope that he has the same response to the next cycle, which he will start tonight. There aren’t many updates at this time, just more chemo and rest for Charlie.
Some of you may be wondering how he was diagnosed and how this all started. It all started back in February. We just moved into our new place in town and things were going great. Shortly after our move, Charlie started to complain about pain he had in his shoulder. We just assumed it was from moving and from carrying little Charlie around. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of the pain wasn’t that easy. Charlie continued to feel the pain and it ended up spreading to this chest and shoulders. We went to the ER twice in February and the doctors said it was from overuse of his muscles and that the chest pain could be from heart burn. With pain medication and rest he continued to carry on with normal activities. Before we knew it, March rolled around. Charlie was experiencing more pain and it became unbearable. He went to the ER twice again in March for chest pain. He left the ER again with no answers and we were home again with frustrations and confusion on what could be going on with him. Charlie then started to think he was catching the flu. He had a high fever, chills, extreme fatigue and chest pain. We took him back to the ER and they finally admitted him. He was in the hospital for a week with no diagnosis. The doctors finally diagnosed him with Cytomegalovirus. With that diagnosis he went home and rested for a couple weeks. There was no medication that he could take for the CMV. We thought that would be it, no more ER visits and that he would heal after a month or so. We were wrong. The ER visits continued with the complaint of joint pain. Charlie was having excruciating pain throughout his joints in his body. They thought he might have arthritis of some sort. They ran tests; they sent him to specialists, and still no answers. The only thing that led to something was that his labs were off. He had low platelet counts, different high and low numbers that didn’t add up to the doctors. The last ER visit lead us to where we are now. He went in with joint pain and the doctor ordered a bone marrow biopsy to see what was going on with his labs. Blood is made in the bone. Doing the bone marrow biopsy would help to see if there were any problems with his blood. He had a follow up appointment to see the Hematologist on Wednesday the 8th, but went to ER before he could make that appt. This ER visit was for shortness of breath and chest discomfort. While he was at the ER, the doctor told him about his bone marrow results. He let Charlie know that he has A.L.L, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This diagnosis was unexpected and heartbreaking to all of us. We had our moment of disbelief and tears, but are ready to help Charlie beat this cancer! We really do appreciate all of your support, it so nice to have family and friends that care so much. I will keep the updates coming and please continue to pray for Charlie as he starts his new cycle of chemo tonight. We love you all!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Day 3
Hi Everyone,
It's Day 3 of treatment for Charlie and he is feeling great! We are so happy that his body is tolerating the chemo so well. We can only pray that he continues to feel this way. He will undergo several different phases of the chemo and could react differently to each one. Right now he is receiving his chemotherapy every twelve hours. We are making Charlie's hospital room feel a little more like home. We put several pictures of Little Charlie around the room and bring Charlie things to keep him busy during the day. Everyone in the family knows Charlie loves licorice, so we all ran out and got him some. He has a pretty impressive stash now. The love and support from everyone is overwhelming. We are so thankful for each and every one of you guys. Our prayer request for today is that Charlie continue to tolerate the chemo and that the chemo does its job in getting rid of all the bad cells. Also, that Charlie remain encouraged. Until tomorrow, here is a verse from the book of Philippians that is encouraging.
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
It's Day 3 of treatment for Charlie and he is feeling great! We are so happy that his body is tolerating the chemo so well. We can only pray that he continues to feel this way. He will undergo several different phases of the chemo and could react differently to each one. Right now he is receiving his chemotherapy every twelve hours. We are making Charlie's hospital room feel a little more like home. We put several pictures of Little Charlie around the room and bring Charlie things to keep him busy during the day. Everyone in the family knows Charlie loves licorice, so we all ran out and got him some. He has a pretty impressive stash now. The love and support from everyone is overwhelming. We are so thankful for each and every one of you guys. Our prayer request for today is that Charlie continue to tolerate the chemo and that the chemo does its job in getting rid of all the bad cells. Also, that Charlie remain encouraged. Until tomorrow, here is a verse from the book of Philippians that is encouraging.
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Day 2
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday was a good day at the hospital. Charlie had 2 blood transfusions and started his chemotherapy. The process of getting a blood transfusion is pretty cool. We were amazed at the technology and how it works. They want Charlie to get all the red blood cells from the transfusion (no white). He started chemo later in the night and praise God he had no bad side effects. He did sweat a lot during the process, but much better than what we anticipated! Charlie is so touched by all the friends and family that keep the positive words and e-mails coming his way. I forgot to mention that Charlie is at Kaiser Moanalua Hospital. He is in room 229 on the second floor. He would love visitors, but we all have to be very careful at this time. He can not catch any bad germs. The process of chemo is going to wipe out his immune system and it is crucial that he not be exposed to any germs. Please call before you visit to make sure he can have visitors at that time. Visiting hours are from 11am to 8pm. Thank you all again for your love and support. We especially love your prayers. Our specific prayer request for today is that the chemo will do its job and kill all the bad cells. Also that Charlie can tolerate the chemo as best as possible and that the effects from the chemo would be minimal. God is good and we feel His comfort as this is going on. I will write everyday and let you know how Charlie is doing. Right now he is so positive and strong. He amazes me with his courage and strength.
Also, here is the address and phone number to the hospital:
Kaiser Moanalua Hospital
3288 Moanalua Road
Honolulu, HI 96819
Phone: 432-0000
Visiting Hours: 11am to 8pm
Yesterday was a good day at the hospital. Charlie had 2 blood transfusions and started his chemotherapy. The process of getting a blood transfusion is pretty cool. We were amazed at the technology and how it works. They want Charlie to get all the red blood cells from the transfusion (no white). He started chemo later in the night and praise God he had no bad side effects. He did sweat a lot during the process, but much better than what we anticipated! Charlie is so touched by all the friends and family that keep the positive words and e-mails coming his way. I forgot to mention that Charlie is at Kaiser Moanalua Hospital. He is in room 229 on the second floor. He would love visitors, but we all have to be very careful at this time. He can not catch any bad germs. The process of chemo is going to wipe out his immune system and it is crucial that he not be exposed to any germs. Please call before you visit to make sure he can have visitors at that time. Visiting hours are from 11am to 8pm. Thank you all again for your love and support. We especially love your prayers. Our specific prayer request for today is that the chemo will do its job and kill all the bad cells. Also that Charlie can tolerate the chemo as best as possible and that the effects from the chemo would be minimal. God is good and we feel His comfort as this is going on. I will write everyday and let you know how Charlie is doing. Right now he is so positive and strong. He amazes me with his courage and strength.
Also, here is the address and phone number to the hospital:
Kaiser Moanalua Hospital
3288 Moanalua Road
Honolulu, HI 96819
Phone: 432-0000
Visiting Hours: 11am to 8pm
Friday, June 10, 2011
Day 1
Hi Everyone,
As you all know by now, Charlie has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). We found this out just a couple days ago after months of being in and out of the hospital. I am starting this blog to keep friends and family updated on how Charlie is doing. Charlie is scheduled to start chemotherapy today and will be in the hospital for the next month or so. Charlie is still having pain throughout his body. We pray that they can control his pain and get him as comfortable as possible. Charlie is very positive and is going to kick A.L.L in the butt! As the information and updates come I will post. We still don't know much at this time as it is all new. Thank You for all your thoughts and prayers!
As you all know by now, Charlie has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). We found this out just a couple days ago after months of being in and out of the hospital. I am starting this blog to keep friends and family updated on how Charlie is doing. Charlie is scheduled to start chemotherapy today and will be in the hospital for the next month or so. Charlie is still having pain throughout his body. We pray that they can control his pain and get him as comfortable as possible. Charlie is very positive and is going to kick A.L.L in the butt! As the information and updates come I will post. We still don't know much at this time as it is all new. Thank You for all your thoughts and prayers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)