June 9th Update

Tyler checked out of the hospital this afternoon, just in time for the traffic jam on the Champlain Bridge. After over an hour in the car, he finally made it home. He spent the afternoon enjoying the sunshine, and watching Bethany cool off in the pool. He was extremely tired this evening, but was looking forward to a good night sleep in his own bed. He is scheduled for a three night stay at home, if everything goes well. Tyler will have another lumbar puncture on Tuesday, so we will wait and see what the doctors decide for him then. We are thankful and happy to have Tyler at home.

June 6th Update

Tyler’s room was an active place today! Lots of people visited from his physiotherapist to the arts and crafts technician. He was very energetic, watching television, cutting and coloring, sitting up in his chair and talking up a storm. His treatment started in the late afternoon. If all goes well, Tyler will be allowed home this weekend, for an extended stay. He didn’t rest all day as he finally had the opportunity to spend the day playing like the little boy that he is.

Tyler the Trooper

Tyler was granted another day pass yesterday that allowed him sometime at home with his cousins, Nanny and Poppa and his aunts and uncles. We were hoping that he would be allowed home again today, but he is in need of another blood transfusion, which takes about 3 hours, so Tyler just can’t fit a visit home into his busy schedule. The doctors will begin his next Chemotherapy treatment tomorrow (Wednesday), and are looking to perform the bone marrow transplant at the beginning of July. We are praying that this round of treatment is less harsh on Tyler’s digestive system, thus producing less sores in his mouth and throat. When asked if something hurts or if something is bothering him, Tyler rarely complains. He is such a trooper!

A Day Pass!

At the very last minute this morning, the doctors gave Tyler a day pass to enjoy. Upon leaving the hospital, he paid a visit to the church to see some very familiar, supportive faces. He then returned home to take advantage of his day. We took a trip to the park, and spent some time playing with friends. He had to be back at the hospital between 8 and 9, but his day of fresh air truly tired him out. It looks as though his next treatment will overlap with this hospital stay, but we are very thankful that his “counts” are good. His immunity is high, and he is looking very well. His little body is still producing more mucus than usual, and food just doesn’t taste the same, but Tyler really is taking all these inconvenient side effects in stride. Thank you to all who have shared stories of survivors. We are keeping our eyes on the path ahead to recovery, no matter how long it takes.

May 31st Update

Tyler is still visiting the Children’s. It has now been 16 days since he checked-in to the hospital and we are truly hoping that he will be discharged soon. He is still not speaking, and is very reluctant to eat as it must be painful, and the taste of food is distorted due to the effects of chemotherapy. He is participating in the many in-room activities that the hospital organizes, such as music therapy and physiotherapy. Although he seems to be getting bored and is surely frustrated with his predicament, Mark and Nanny are able to coax some small smiles from him from time to time, but even for Tyler to move the muscles that form a small smile must hurt him. The doctors are optimistic that this strong little man will soon be feeling much better.

Exact Match

Tyler is still being kept at the Children’s as his sores have not yet subsided. He has improved slightly in the last few days, and has managed to take a few sips of juice here and there. On Thursday, the doctors blessed us with the news that Bethany is an exact match with Tyler, and thus will be able to provide healthy bone marrow for a transplant. Although we are still seeking information on the topic, and attempting to understand the details involved with the procedure, we are relieved to receive such wonderful news. Now, we simply wait for Tyler’s system to bounce back from this treatment, and wait for further instruction. Please pray for Darla, Mark and Bethany at this time to give them the strength, energy and perseverance to continue in this exhausting routine. Most importantly, pray for Tyler. He is such a strong little man. I cannot put into words the strength and courage that he is demonstrating while dealing with this excruciating and frustrating pain.

May 23rd Update

Today marks the 8th day that Tyler is at the Children’s. His stay has been lengthened as he has been having difficulty excreting the chemo from his system and has thus developed many canker sores in his mouth and throat. This painful condition has made speaking, eating and swallowing, in general, very difficult. His Lumbar Puncture went well yesterday, but we will receive further results further on in the week. Although we are not sure when Tyler will be released from the hospital, we are confident that he is in the best of hands.