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(Mirroring our CaringBridge Entry here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/danieljmiller/journal)

 Back to In-Patient Status

Sorry the news has been slow in coming lately. It's not because there hasn't been any - just struggling to keep ahead of it recently!

Last week, Daniel received his medication for the osteoporosis, something he only gets once every 4 mos or so.  He was almost immediately a "new kid" again. He was feeling great, active, and happy - a real joy for all of us.  This rebound has been typical of getting that particular medication and it was the last round, when he didn't bounce back, that was the first clue leading us toward the leukemia discovery.  So this was a breath of fresh air for us.

About that same time, he received his "little gift" from the Indiana Make-A-Wish Foundation (they're awesome) which was a giant Star Wars Lego kit.  He had it built in less than 24hrs of working time and was very eager to show it off at his homeschool co-op's Lego Club on Thurs.  Dad (being the over-protective meany) was reluctant to let him go, but caved in the end simply because it was SO important to Daniel.  He was ecstatic ... a little too ecstatic.  Not only did he go to Lego club, but also participated in PE that day. He had a ball, and I was really glad for him. 

I was also expecting the return of a fever that has typically shown up in the evenings after times of "over-doing it".  It didn't show up until the following day and was fairly minor, so I didn't think much about it.  acetaminophen had usually done the trick and all was good.  But it didn't this time.  It kept coming back, and by mid-day on Saturday, it was hitting 103 so we headed to the ER again.  Same story - drew blood, start cultures, give him an antibiotic, and, because his white cell counts were good (strong immune system), sent us home.  But this time, unlike previous times, the fever wasn't gone.  We watched it through the rest of the weekend and up to his clinic visit on Friday - always toying with the threshold at which we're supposed to take him in.  The acetaminophen would usually help, but before long, it was back. 

It was around 100 at his clinic visit on Tuesday, but everything went ahead as planned.  Long-story less long, today (Thurs), we were back in the clinic after hitting over 103 last night and they've decided to admit him to the hospital.  In the past 5 days, his white cells (which had been going up) suddenly plummeted from 2300 down to 510 (normal range is 1400-8800).  500 Would be an automatic admission to the hospital.  When they also found his blood pressure to be low (and dad said he'd prefer they keep him to watch him anyway rather than running back and forth to the ER) they decided to admit him.

Unfortunately, having been spoiled last time, he was pretty unhappy to find he has a roommate this time, an older (teenager) whom I haven't met yet.  Andrea has been with him all day and I'll be heading that way shortly (still trying to make up time at work for having gone to the clinic with him on Tues) and staying the night with him.

The docs' best guess is that it's a virus, but the screwy blood cell counts, and lack of any other symptoms have everyone scratching their heads.  At this point, it's simply a waiting game to see how the fever and blood counts do after he gets fluids & antibiotics.  We were told that 99% of fevers never have their cause determined. I'm not sure that's particularly helpful, but it is more comforting than hearing "wow, I've never seen anything like THAT before" - which I've heard way too many times in my own life as well as about Andrea!!  :)

Nevertheless, we're confident that God is still God and still in control and Romans 8:28 is still there (I just checked!)  We are thankful for so very many things, and we can still praise and trust Him through all things.  We're here for a reason, and we trust that He will bring us through in a way that glorifies Him and blesses us ... perhaps later if not sooner ... but always a certainty.

We appreciate your prayers for, among other things:

1. Our wonderful Father would be glorified through this and all things,
2. The cause of the fever and low blood pressure, whatever it is, would curl up and die!  NOW!!  :)
3. Daniel's emotional health and endurance. He's really been struggling lately with depression & being overwhelmed,
4. Andrea's own health, energy, and endurance (it's tough enough to go through this for your child without also struggling with having cancer herself!)
5. Strength, perseverance, peace, and joy for us all.
6. Being able to keep all the "logistics" worked out between Andrea & I with work, the house, the dogs, etc.
7. That I would be able to keep on top of lesson planning for my Bible study.

- Tim -