WE were suppose to start this 2nd part of phase 4 last Friday but Braydens counts were too low (his immune system ANC wasnt strong enough to handle to chemo given during the first day) so they postponed it until they recovered. This wasnt really unexpected but definitely not what we wanted as we would love to just get through this difficult phase–but whatever was/is best. They told us to retest in a week, we tried on monday 🙂 and sure enough his counts had recovered. The ANC needed to be at 750 and he was 752. The nurse said she was surprised they recovered so fast–we weren’t–just very thankful.
So tonight we fast, and tomorrow morning at 8am we get to choc for our 9am Procedure. This chemo is suppose to be pretty hard on little man, so please keep us in your prayers. Some of the side effects are flu like symptoms which would surely send us to a hospitalization etc. But that is what we are praying against and would love for you to join in with us 🙂 although it is what the doctors have expected all along we know our God can handle any and everything. They plan on keeping him all day (still not sure what that means exactly) but hopefully discharging him so we can spend the night at home. Then we have chemo the next 3 days in the hospital (TR, FR, SAT). Then off for Sunday-Tuesday and back for another 4 days of Chemo in the Hospital. All while being on new at home meds/chemo. So a rough next 11 day stretch, and really next 4 weeks as the chemo has continual lingering effects.
We feel appropraitely confident and cautious, continually trying to trust God and thankful for all that He has done for us and continue to do so in healing our little boy 🙂
I will try to update this tomorrow as we get home, and daily throughout this rough stretch. We definitely feel like we are in the last stretch of the 1st marathon (since we know 3 years will follow) but are so thankful to be where we are and excited for October to come… because that means Brayden will be in maintenance and the Giants will be in the World Series (B and I are dreaming at least).
Love you all, thanks for the support!!!!
Brayden's Battle 
Stuart and Mary
September 1, 2009 at 6:54 pm
We love you 4 and thank you for the updates, you guys have our continual prayers.
Diane Wesley
September 2, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Hello, I am a friend/relative of Sari’s and she has been sharing with me your journey with Brayden and leukemia. My daughter was diagnosed with leukemia when she was seven and it turned our world upside down! How grateful we were to have a God that is in control and who we can turn to in our darkest hour. I praise Him that you can do that too. Reading your blog brings back so many memories and I can really relate to all you are going through. I may at times offer up some suggestions that I found helpful if that’s ok but I just wanted you to know that I have walked in your shoes and you are not in this alone. I too, prayed that my daughter’s hair would not be affected and we had a terrible time with medications. I personally was more traumatized about the hair issue than anything else I think, and God spared me that “public announcement” that my child had cancer. Her hair thinned but she never went bald. We also contacted a Compound Pharmacy that put her chemo meds in fantastic tasting syrups. Any flavor we wanted. It was such a relief to not fight her with her meds (since she had to take them 3+ times a day as you know). Well, I will continue to check in to this blog so I will know how to pray. And please, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Sari has my e-mail address. Love and prayers, Diane
Gamma Kathy
September 5, 2009 at 10:45 am
Hi, Brayden ! We love you and are praying for the whole fam, all 4! Lots of people praying for you today, especially, as we had a missionary breakfast with lots of missionaries here to celebrate our church’s 100 year anniversary 🙂 Say hi to that little brother of yours for us and your Mommy & Daddy too! xxxxxxxxxxoooooooooo that’s lots of kisses & hugs coming your way 🙂