Jordy McD Update

Jordy's still got that basketball knack!

2009-03-04T21:53:00.000-08:00

Jordy had two sessions of physical therapy today. He walked on a treadmill (forward, backward, and sideways!), walked up and down stairs, karate kicked bolsters, and other fun activities (I think Jordy would have a different term than fun). The most amazing thing to me was when he stood on a teeter-totter type of contraption and shot baskets. I am pretty sure that I would have fallen down if I had tried the same thing. I just rebounded and passed him the ball. He also stood on a trampoline and shot baskets. The therapist told him to use his legs. He told her that his mom and coach used to say that to him all the time!

After a long day in Portland, Jordy went to his dad’s company dinner. The people at Smith’s have been great to us, and many really wanted to see his shoes that were signed by LeBron James. It was wonderful to hear the encouraging words from Kevin’s co-workers and their families. They are a great group of people.

For now Jordy is going to therapy and waiting to get his in-patient therapy at Shriner’s scheduled. Oh, and some other good news . . . on Thursday Jordy will be meeting with the man who is going to paint his car as part of his wish with the Children’s Cancer Association. We will let you know details as we find them out.

Enjoy the sun and the rain.

Annie

Updates on furlough ~

2009-03-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

Due to circumstances beyond my control this news update system is taking a break. Since Jordy is done with his chemo, and gaining weight and hair there is no need for a semi-daily updates. Jordy has weekly therapy sessions, he will have a full body scan in mid March, and will start two weeks of intense therapy by the end of March. I will report on these as needed. When new or interesting news about the McDonald family happens you guys will be the second or third to know. The McDonld family wishes to thank everyone for supporting them this last year. The communities of Central Linn and Scio should be proud of the way they help and support families with unexpected needs and hardships.

Blazer Training Camp a possibility for The McDonald boys!

2009-02-22T21:15:00.000-08:00

2/21
Jordy has had a lot of fun during the last couple of days. Yesterday, Terry, the man who donated the Blazer's tickets, brought his wife to visit Jordy. Kyle was also able to be here. They are so nice. It was great to talk to both of them. They are also trying to work it out for Kyle and Jordy to go to a Blazer's training camp so that they can meet some of the players. More excitement for the McDonald boys! We also heard stories about Willy, the limo driver. They told us that in eight years he has never had an accident, just on little "incident." They were in Las Vegas.
Willy hit a sign which flew through a crowd of people. Luckily no one was hurt and all was well.
There was another "card party" in the hallway last night. There were six kids this time. Another girl with a type of sarcoma joined the group. At times it appeared that there was more talking going on than card playing.
It was great to see them learning from each other and realizing that they have so much in common. The parents are also enjoying the chance to compare notes. It is not often that there are this many teens here at the same time. There are plans for another gathering tonight.
After the card game, the night nurses presented Jordy with a poster listing the Top 7 Things We Love About Jordon. It is so funny! Among them are his request for staff to address him as Sir Jordon and his belief that night nurses don't do much because all of the kids are sleeping!
Even Jordon has figured out that most of the excitement in a hospital happens at night, and very few kids (including Jordy) sleep at night. We all had tears in our eyes from laughing by the time they were done reading it to Jordy.
Jordy's Methatrexate level was .41 today. It has to be under .1 to go home. We will probably be home on Monday. Jordy is taking a week off from therapy, but on Wednesday he has an appointment with the prosthetist for some adjustments.
Enjoy your homes and families. We will be doing the same soon!!!
Annie

Bummer...no last massage for Jordy ~

2009-02-22T21:13:00.000-08:00

2/20
Yesterday was a bit of a disappointment to Jordy. The massage lady was sick, so he did not get his last Thursday morning massage.
Last night Jordy did have a very fun time. It was the oddest event, but very touching. A group of five teen "Osteos" (kids being treated for
Osteosarcoma) got together in the hall and played cards. First, it is strange for there to be that many kids with the same diagnosis and ages to be here all at once. Second, it is unusual for them to all be feeling relatively well at the same time.
The group consisted of Jordy and Steven (oldies) and three new kids. It was great to hear them talking and LAUGHING!!! It was wonderful to see kids that have been so stressed be able to just have fun. Even the nurses were excited to see the kids having fun.
The parents also sat together and talked. The questions from the new parents brought back so many memories for Steven's dad and myself. The biggest concerns were facing surgery and getting the kids to eat. The locations of tumors were diverse, including the tibia, fibula, spine, ankle, and shoulder, but they all are being treated for osteosarcoma.
While it is so scary, last night they all had a great time.
At 11:00 the party broke up. One girl was not feeling well and the rest were tired. Jordy said that he wondered if they really just needed to use the bathroom. They were all on high levels of fluids. I think he was probably right that their bladders just couldn't take it any more.
Jordy is still sleeping, but will soon be awake for today's activities and visitors. This will be his last time for Friday rounds. On Fridays a larger group comes for rounds. All of the doctors, the dietitian, the nurse practitioner, etc. are included.
Enjoy the sunshine!
Annie

Congratulations Jordy & Family!!!!

2009-02-20T08:46:00.000-08:00

February 19 ~
It is done, over, finshed!!!!
Jordy is doing well . . . just a little queasy. It has been great having staff, other parents, and patients stopping by to congratulate Jordy regarding the end of his chemo. Although it is VERY exciting, there is also a sense of loss that comes along with leaving our home away from home for the past eight months. That said, we are so excited to be finished.
We have much more exciting things to be doing!
Jordy also heard from the Children's Cancer Association. As part of their "Life Support" program they grant wishes, similar to Make-a-wish. Jordy's wish is to fix up his Mitsubishi. He loves that car because it is the first car that he bought, and he worked hard on a farm to earn the money Bev told us that a body shop will be painting the car. She will give us more details as they come. One of Jordy's goals in life has been to have a vehicle that is not "cosmetically challenged." Now there is hope.
Tomorrow Terry, the man who donated the Blazer's tickets, is coming to visit Jordy and see "the shoes." He may also bring someone from Nike.
Susan, the Child Life Specialist, also had some good news for Jordy. With at donation, she purchased a WII Fit for the unit. She is going to let Jordy try it out first. Tomorrow when he is feeling a little better, he will put on his prosthesis and give it a try.
Bryan, the social worker, came by for a visit. He asked Jordy if he would want to talk to a 16 year old girl with Osteosarcoma that is just starting treatment. He is very willing to share his experience and reassure her.
Jordy's kidney levels continue to slowly, but steadily improve. We are hoping they kick the Methatrexate out quick.
Annie

Celebrating Great Things!

2009-02-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

2/18
It is a GREAT evening!
Jordy was able to start his chemo tonight. They hooked him up to the Methatrexate about six o'clock. This means that by ten he will be officially done with his chemo. No more "kool-aid" in his IV. The doctors have decided to up his fluids a little to hopefully speed up the excretion process. We are hoping to go home on Sunday. It seems so odd to think that we will not be coming back for more chemo.
The staff has been very excited about the end of Jordy's treatment. He has had several nurses stop by just to congratulate him. They know that not all families are as lucky as we are.
Tomorrow night the man who donated the Blazer tickets is going to visit Jordy. He really wants to talk to Jordy and see "the shoes". That reminds me. . . Jordy (and unfortunately I) may be on the radio! Each year 95.5 in Portland does a radio-a-thon in March. They were interviewing patients and their parents. They wanted to hear about Jordy's trip to the Blazer game. I don't think Jordy or I are great radio material, but we will see.
Jordy has pretty bad mouth sores, but other than that things seem ok. He is just ready to be done, even if the sores get worse. At least this is the last of the poison!
Enjoy the sunshine and celebrate a little for Jordy!
Annie

Valentine's Day ~

2009-02-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

Kevin spent the night with Jordy, and I went to Wilsonville. I think I got the best of the deal. About 1:00 a.m. Jordy's port clotted with blood. They had to deaccess and reaccess his port. They also had to give him some medication to disolve the clots. They finished the procedures about 3:00 a.m. so neither Jordy or Kevin got much sleep. All seems to be working fine now.
The doctors told Jordy this morning that his kidneys are not functioning at their best. This has happened before, but they want to get it taken care of. They have increased his fluids (they already give him high fluids with this chemo). This has also increased his urine output! They have also increased the medication that counteracts the chemo. The doctor said not to get excited and think he might go home tomorrow. It isn't going to happen. We are now hoping for Monday. He has two therapy appointments at Shriner's on Tuesday and is scheduled for his last chemo on Wednesday. We will have to see how it all goes.
We are seeing lots of balloons at the hospital for Valentine's Day. The little kids are loving it.
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Annie

If counts are good...last chemo next week!

2009-02-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

Good news. . . Jordy's blood counts are good enough to start his chemo today. The doctor said that the counts are not great, but this is one time that not great is good enough! This means that if he makes his counts next Wednesday, he wil have his last chemo next Wednesday evening.
This is amazing!
The doctor told us a little more about life after chemo. Jordy will have to take antibiotics on the weekends for six months until his immune system gets back on track. This was disappointing to Jordy since the Septra pills are huge! At least he will not be nauseaus when he takes them.
Jordy has had several people (including his doctor) make comments about his recent crop of facial hair. He decided that if he didn't make counts today, he would shave. Getting the Methatrexate today will take care of his fuzzy chin (and unfortunately his hint of eyebrows and short eyelashes). It is amazing how much his hair grows in just a couple of weeks.
This morning Jordy had a check-up with Dr. Krajbich at Shriner's. He thought Jordy's leg was doing just fine. He has to take it a little easy until his counts come back up. Next week he will start up therapy again.
Have a good rest of the week.
Annie

Closer to the end of chemo ~

2009-02-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

2/4

Yesterday was blood draw day at Doernbecher’s. Jordy’s hemoglobin and platlets were great, but his white blood cells were a little low. He just has to be careful about getting sick. . . nothing new for a cancer patient! Hopefully he will be high enough next week to start his chemo. IF he makes counts next week and the following week, he will complete his chemo while Dr. Malempati is on vacation. I think both of them are a little disappointed, but so excited to be at the end. Then Jordy will have a chest scan and an x-ray of his leg three weeks after finishing chemo. Dr. Malempati does not do bone scans on a regular basis because when you lose a leg, the other leg will glow on the scans because the bones generate cells because of the increased stress. He will continue to have scans of his chest every three months. Of course, if he has any odd pains, he needs to go back in. That is it. I can’t believe it is to the point that it was time for Dr. Malempati to give us the information on what happens AFTER chemo. The time has gone fast!

Our next stop was Shriner’s for therapy. It was a rough therapy day for Jordy, but he was able to do some balancing and a few walking exercises. It is sort of interesting. For most people, when you exercise and get sore, it only takes a little while to get to feeling better. For someone who has low blood counts, it is not quite so easy. The soreness is caused by tiny muscle tears. When your white blood cells are low, you do not heal normally. Jordy just has to get his counts up and the soreness will heal. It is hard to be patient, but he is doing pretty well.

Jordy is off with his friend to look at cars today. I am going to enjoy a day at home!

Annie

Therapy through fun and games ~

2009-02-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

2/2
Good evening.

Jordy and I finally made it home from Shriner’s. There was a wreck just before Brooks. We sat on the freeway for quite some time.

Today Jordy discovered the Wii Fit. Playing the Wii was his first therapy session today. He did skiing, snowboarding, and other balancing games. It really works his legs and gets him to shift his weight from leg to leg. These are all “pre-walking” exercises. The skiing was his favorite. The physical therapist says the Wii is great to make exercises a lot more exciting.

For his second session, Jordy rode a giant tricycle that he stood up to ride. It was similar to a stair stepping machine, except that he actually moved. He was only able to take tiny steps with his right leg, but he was finally able to move himself along.

It is sort of funny that Jordy’s therapy consisted of playing video games and riding a giant tricycle! Whatever gets him moving is OK with me. He did also have to do some stretching exercises and worked on shifting his weight to take steps. He has progressed enough that the prosthetist had to make adjustments on his prosthesis. It is good to see things progressing in the short time that he has been doing the therapy.

We will have to see what fun the therapist comes up with for his session on Wednesday.

Annie

Jordy has his prosthesis...and Annie has her bathtub!

2009-01-30T16:01:00.000-08:00

Good morning.

Jordy and I got home yesterday just in time to go watch the Scio basketball games. It was great to see everyone’s reaction to Jordy’s new leg! I expected the kids to ask first about the LeBron James shoes, but they seemed much more interested in his leg. Speaking of his leg, due to his limited range of motion at this point, he had been removing it when he got in the car. Yesterday he wore it home from the hospital (I refused to carry it to the car!) and to the basketball game. Also, Jordy was worried about it fitting under his pant legs of his jeans. No problem. It is nice to see him in something other than sweat pants.

This admission to the hospital was very busy for Jordy. Many people stopped by to see “the shoes”. It was nice to get to visit. Jordy was also able to show off his prosthesis. He received many comments about how tall he is. Most people at the hospital see him in a bed! The best sight is Jordy’s smile. He has worked so hard through this whole ordeal. Now he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Two girls who finished their treatment last summer and fall stopped by to see Jordy. It was nice for him to have the opportunity to talk about life after chemo. It can be a difficult transition. You get so used to doctor appointments, hospital stays, etc., that everyday life can seem empty. I am glad that both Jordy and I have college to look forward to. It will definitely be different, but good to be onto another phase of life.

A few of you know that we have been struggling with installing the bathtub in our master bath. We did most of the remodeling of the bathroom before Jordy’s graduation, but the bathtub sat in our living room. We just have not had the energy to get it done since Jordy’s cancer diagnosis. Last weekend Kevin installed the tub! It is so WONDERFUL! It is amazing how things just bug you, but you just can’t get them done. This is just one more sign that soon we will be back to boring chores around the house. Sound wonderful to me.

Have a great weekend.

Annie

Temporary Prosthesis on Monday ~

2009-01-24T16:50:00.000-08:00

1/22 ~ 1/24

Jordy and Annie are home in Scio tonight. Jordy did not pass his blood test and since he had two units of platelets this week they sent him home for the week. They will try again next week. On the way out of the hospital Jordon experienced double vision. It did not improve so back to the hospital they went. The doctors checked him over and not finding anything he received a CAT scan as a going away present. The scan showed NOTHING abnormal. (It is really tough to use the word nothing with abnormal when describing a McDonald so mark this day on your calendars.) The doctors then sent them home late this afternoon, early evening. If the vision does not improve they will have to see an eye specialist later.
George

Jordy’s double vision seems to be going away. Thank goodness! He said it only bothered him one time in the afternoon when he was watching television. The doctor thought it might be the result of a virus. I also think his platelet counts are going back up. Jordy’s nose runs a lot, but when his platelet counts are low there is a small amount of blood with it. The runny nose is a side effect of not having any nose hairs. You just don’t realize how important the little things are until they are gone . . . even nose hairs!

Monday is the day that Jordy will receive his temporary prosthesis. He is sort of concerned about the bulk of it. The sockets last week were pretty big because the swelling was much more noticeable when they did the initial cast. It is a long process to get to the final product, but we are well on our way.

Hopefully Jordy can get his last Doxorubicin this week. It will be nice to check off one more thing!

Annie

Oh What A Night!

2009-01-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Well, the Blazers lost, but it was a GREAT night.
Like any McDonald event, there were a couple of quirks along the way. . .
The limo driver, Willy, picked Kyle and Jordy up at the hospital. He asked them where they wanted to eat and offered a few suggestions. Red Robin was the only one that sounded familiar, so Red Robin it was. The driver gave them a hundred dollar bill, and said to enjoy dinner. Kyle said that the waitress sort of looked at them funny when the paid for a bowl of soup and a burger with a hundred dollar bill! We are pretty sure that the used their magic marker to make sure the bill was real.
Next, the were off to the Rose Garden. This is where the story gets interesting! They got out of the limo, and Jordy asked about their tickets. Willy said he thought they already had them. Panic set in, but Willy straightened things out. He did not get the e-mail from the owner of the tickets that he left the tickets in his desk in VANCOUVER! So they hopped back in the limo and headed to Vancouver. As they approached the company office, Willy said, "Hang on, it may get a little rough". Jordy said he continued to explaining that the office was easy to see, but hard to get to. They traveled on some back streets, but eventually reached their destination. Willy picked up the tickets and whisked them off to return to the Rose Garden.
Finally, they arrived. Just in time for tip-off. Their tickets were just to the right of center court and in the FRONT ROW! For those of you who were looking for them on TV, Jordy went undercover and wore a stocking hat (making it impossible to spot his shiny head). Also they way the cameras were positioned, the score was displayed directly covering them.
During the third quarter a man came up and gave them passes for the locker-room after the game. After the game finished, a man from Nike talked to the boys and took them to meet LeBRON JAMES! He signed the shoes that he wore in the game and gave them to Jordy. I think Kyle just about passed out.
The limo ride back to the hospital was fun. Willy said that the boys had lots of stories to tell. Boy, was he right.

As far as the Blazer Dancers go . . . Jordy said that a few were definitely on the "veteran squad". In other words, they were older looking than he expected. I though that was a great comment.
Kyle and Jordy sent a text while they were heading out of Vancouver that the price on the tickets was eight hundrend dollars each! They were amazed.
I am attaching a few pictures from last night. I will send a picture of Jordy with Lebron James' shoes later today. Kyle and Jordy forgot to take a picture of Lebron with Jordy. I think they were both so excited and surprised that their brains were on overload. It is ok, they have the picture in their minds and the smiles to prove it.

It's a lovely foot....as far as feet go ~

2009-01-20T21:12:00.000-08:00

1/19
Jordy had his Methatrexate level checked this morning. It has to be less than .10 in order to discontinue the Leucovorin that he takes every six hours. Guess what? Jordy’s level was .11. This means that he will have to continue the medication and have his blood tested in Portland in the morning. We are also going to have his hemoglobin tested. Jordy was pretty tired today and his levels were pretty low last weekend. The doctor wants to have his counts up so that he can enjoy the Blazer game. He will probably have a blood transfusion tomorrow afternoon.

Jordy also had his first fitting for his prosthesis. Some of the pictures are attached. The first one shows the prosthetist fitting the sockets onto his leg. On a whole they fit pretty well, although a lot of the swelling has gone down so they may add some padding to the temporary. They may also have to add a door to the back of the top part because Jordy’s heel is too big to fit through. It was really interesting, but next week will be even more exciting. They will add the post and his foot to the socket. We did see his new foot today. She took it out of the UPS box to show it to us. It is a lovely foot . . . as far as feet go.

This week is full. Tomorrow, back to Portland for blood work and possibly a transfusion; Wednesday, the big game; Thursday, more chemo, and home on Saturday night. This will be Jordon’s last Doxorubicin (Sp?). Yeah!!!! He will have a week or two off, then two more weeks of Methatrexate. Wow, it is amazing that the chemo is almost over.

Success with meds & a Blazer game!

2009-01-13T20:11:00.000-08:00

1/12
Jordy and I had a successful trip to Portland today. His Methatrexate level was low enough to discontinue the medication that counteracts the chemo. This is especially good news because instead of having to take meds every six hours, tonight we can sleep! Tomorrow will be spent getting ready to head back to the hospital on Wednesday.

1/13
Big news for Jordy . . .

The Child Life lady from Doernbecher called today. She has two tickets for the Blazer game on Tuesday (of course Jordy was interested). The LIMO will pick Jordy and Kyle up at Doernbecher and take them to the Rose Garden. They will have dinner and SHOOT AROUND WITH THE TEAM! Jordy will probably be an honorary team captain and they will have COURTSIDE, CENTER COURT tickets. This is such a wonderful opportunity. The Child Life lady watches every Blazer game on TV, and she is so jealous!

More details to come . ..
Annie

'Time' ~ seems to have gone by fast...

2009-01-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

We are finally home. Jordy has still not completely cleared the Methatrexate, but it was low enough that the doctor let him come home. He has to take medication to counter-act the chemo every six hours, and we have to go back to Doernbecher in the morning for another blood test. We decided that we really wanted to come home instead of staying at Wilsonville. Since we go back on Wednesday for the same chemo, we wanted to take the chance to sleep in our own beds. It is a rare treat these days.

Other than some mouth sores and a little nausea, Jordy is doing pretty well. The cold seems to be a little better. Jordy only has four more admissions for chemo!!!! People ask Jordy if it seems like it has taken a long time. He says (and I would agree) that it has really gone very fast. It seems like it was not that long ago that things were just ordinary. Now we are rolling toward a new “normal”.

Annie

Janury 19th ~ the big day!

2009-01-11T13:58:00.000-08:00

1/7

Jordy passed his blood counts today so he is hydrating and will start his chemo later this afternoon. He will have his regular 4 hour infusion, then we just wait until Saturday or Sunday for it to clear out of his body.
We do have some big news today. . . we have a date for getting Jordy's prosthesis. On January 19th the prosthetist will try out the socket (the part that his foot will go into). She will also take measurements and such. The big day is January 26. He will go to Shriner's to get his temporary prosthesis and meet with the physical therapist. This is great news for Jordy. Kevin is hoping to attend that appointment. You can imagine Kevin is very interested in the mechanical aspects of the process.
Last time he came, we had to keep him away from the tools! The prosthesis will be a great early birthday present for Jordy ( his birthday is Jan. 31). I teased him and told him that his only present would be his leg. . . what more could he ask for? He has assure me that he can think of a few things.
I guess I will have to do a little shopping on our days off.
Tonight is Candlelighters dinner. No hospital food!!!!
Annie

Filling in the details ~

2009-01-02T07:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I just wanted to add a few details to the update from yesterday. Jordy’s appointment with Dr. Malempati was somewhat disappointing because his counts were not high enough, but he had some positive comments. He did say that Jordy has done a good job of keeping up his eating. Jordy has always struggled with keeping his weight up. For those of you who did not know Jordy as a small child, he had a number of food allergies that severely limited the food that he could eat. For the most part, the allergies have resolved themselves, but he is still thin. It was good to have Dr. Malempati acknowledge the effort that Jordy has put into eating. He also said that he feels like as long as Jordy keeps up the good work, his weight will not be a problem for the remaining time of his treatment.

Dr. Malempati also gave us a bit of information that I had not thought of. Jordy will require more calories from because of using his prothesis. It just takes more effort to move and deal with the extra weight. This makes sense, but I had not thought of that. I don’t think eating will be a problem. Jordy has already started talking about the foods that he wants to eat once his taste buds are functioning correctly. Abby’s pizza is at the top of the list along with things like lasagna and tacos.

Next week we will find out when Jordy’s next appointment at Shriner’s will be. At that appointment he will try the test socket for his prosthesis. The socket is the part that his foot will fit into. Wednesday we will go to Doernbecher’s to have blood work done and hopefully check in for chemo. His counts should be ok so we are optimistic.

I hope the rain slows down soon.

Annie

Happy New Year! Jordy's at home ~

2009-01-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

12/31
To fill in the blanks; they went to Portland today. Jordy’s blood counts were too low. Instead of giving him blood or platelets the doctors decided to wait a week and let his mouth heal before more chemo. They will go back to Portland next Wednesday and try again. Jordy is off his Arbys’ diet until his mouth heals and is surviving on biscuits and gravy and soup. Have a good new year. George

Good afternoon.

Jordy and I are back home. His counts were a little low today. This was not surprising to the doctor or us. It is pretty hard to get counts up in just one week, but Jordy was willing to give it a try. They probably would have gone ahead if he didn’t have such bad mouth sores. This will give him time to heal and get those counts really high (or as high as chemo allows). This also changes his schedule so that he will be home for Christmas, New Year’s, and his birthday (January 31). His luck is amazing!

Tonight Jordy is going to his friends’ houses, and Kevin and I will get to ring in the New Year together. What a concept!

Enjoy your celebrations!

Annie

Home for the holidays!

2008-12-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

Jordy and I are home for the holidays!!

This was the first time that Jordy had doxorubicin by itself. In the past he had it in combination with Cisplatan. We now know how bad the Cisplatan is. The Doxorubicin by itself is easy stuff! Jordy had no nausea. He also feels much better since he received two units of blood. Jordy is normally pale, but this past week he was even paler. He almost glowed in the dark. Now he is a nicer shade of pale. Jordy’s energy level is also up a little.

This morning the doctors told us that the charge nurse had asked if they could up the rate of the chemo so that we could get home before dark. They though that was a great idea. It only made a difference of an hour, but I think it made everyone feel better. Just before we left Dr. Malempati came in just to visit. Jordy told him about his trip to Shriner’s and getting ready for his prosthesis. As Dr. Malempati left, he said, “It will be nice to see you walk in here”. At that moment it became a little more real. . . Jordy is getting close to having his mobility back. It will be a lot of work, and it will be slow, but it will happen. Wow!

On a side note (and purely selfish on my part). . .Doernbecher’s has new filtering software. It now keeps me from accessing such evil sites as knittingpatterncentral.com (alcohol?) and the Statesman Journal (racism). I just don’t get the connection between knitting and alcohol! Another benefit of being home is that I can look up knitting patterns all I want.

It is really good to be home!

Annie

Jory's leg looks great!

2008-12-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

12/17
Today has been quite busy for Jordy. This morning he had an appointment at Shriner's. Dr. Krajbich said that Jordy's leg looks great! The outside is all healed up. He said that it is time to up the physical therapy and start working on a prosthesis. Jordy's eyes lit up at the thought of beginning the prosthesis process. The physical therapist started him with exercises to bear weight, strengthen his leg and hip, and increase the mobility in his ankle. After the PT session, it was off to O & P (this is where they make the prosthesis).
Jordy was given a lovely "garment" to wear. It was like two pairs of long johns made out of cast lining. It is difficult to put on the two layers and get them pulled all the way up! After they are on, a hole was cut in the top portion and stretched over his shoulder. Picture a wrestling singlet made of nude colored cotton. It is really quite attractive. . .
Jordy declined to attach the photos of this process. Next a cast was put on from the top of his thigh to the end of his foot. After it set, it was cut off. They will use the cast to mold the "socket" that his foot will go into. The first one will be clear so that they can see any pressure points. He should get to try out the socket in the next couple of weeks (depending on holiday schedule and such). During the next couple of weeks they will make a temporary prosthesis that they can easily adjust. He will be able to take the temporary home with him. It is so exciting to be starting this process.
The last thing was to measure for his new foot (how many people get to have three feet?). . . and just so you know he will have two right feet not to be confused with having two left feet! This sort of thing is right up his Papa's line of humor. The measurement was so funny because the prosthesist is not used to working with men over six feet tall with big feet. She is adjusting well.
After checking in to Doernbecher, Jordy had visitors. . . Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus!! Sometimes it is good to be in a children's hospital. After a great conversation, Jordy was given a basketball and an iPod Nano. He was pleased to get presents that are age appropriate.
Jordy has started his chemo and blood transfusion. It is rare that people make it this far with chemo and haven't had blood. This should help him feel better. We should be home Friday night or Saturday morning. We should beat the next storm.
Enjoy the snow or rain or whatever!
Annie

Jordy's back at Doernbecher's ~

2008-12-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

12/4

Jordy has finished his chemo infusion. Now we just wait for it to clear out of his body. He is a bit nauseaus, but the meds are taking care of most of it.The GI doctor visited Jordy today. She decided to do an endoscopy tomorrow. An endoscopy is when a small camera is sent down his throat into his stomach. Contrary to the name, it has nothing to do with the bottom end! It is a simple procedure that both Kevin and Kyle have had.This should let us know why Jordy is having such a hard time eating.Jordy and I had an interesting conversation this morning.
He was telling me that when he dreams, he usually has both of his legs. Only once he had a prosthesis.
We were wondering if there is a connection between the nerves that the were able to save and the dreams with his whole leg. We will have to ask. Another interesting thing is that if he is not looking at his foot and someone touches it, he feels it on the opposite side. If he is looking at his foot he feels it on the correct side.
One problem is that if he hits his foot on something and is not looking at it, he moves his leg the wrong way. I wonder if his brain will retrain in time.Most kids that have the rotationplasty are younger and less articulate than Jordy. It is very interesting. Today the doctors asked if Jordy would do some teaching about the rotationplasty. Jordy has learned a great deal, but we are all learning from him.

12/3

Jordy's break is officially over and we are back at Doernbecher's. Jordy passed his blood tests today and has started his chemo. He is stil having problems eating and drinking because of a sore spot in his esophougus.
The dietitician is getting in contact wiith a gastrologist. They would like to figure out this problem.
Jordy is a bit frustrated with the eating thing, because other than that he is feeling pretty good. During the last part of his break he went to the Central Linn-Kennedy basketball game and "played" football with some friends. Now it is back to the real world!
The hospital has a new database system. It is designed to save time and paper. The admission questions are halarious and very detailed. The questions can be very invasive and include things such as how many pairs of underwear did you bring? The really nice feature is a calculator that you can cick on if you lose count. Jordy and the nurse had a great time with comments on the data. For example, one question asked how your pain started. Jordy answered, "Well, when they cut ff my leg and reaatached it, it began to hurt". Jordy and the nurse laughed, and she entered that comment on the computer. Jordy's humor comes out in the strangest ways.
I think that is why he gets along with George so well!!

Off to the Dunes!

2008-11-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

11/27
Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving and Kevin’s birthday by heading to Florence for the day. Kyle met us there. He borrowed a friend’s four-wheeler so that he could take Jordy for a ride. Of course riding behind Kyle was not exactly to Jordy’s liking. He needed to ride solo too. They had a great time, but their mama needed to close her eyes most of the time. Jordy thinks that riding four-wheelers is good therapy. He told me that he used all of the muscles that the therapist said to exercise. How can you argue with that?

Last night on the news, Jordy and I saw the boy who had his arm reattached after a boating accident this summer. I told Jordy that his leg looked better than that boy’s arm. He replied, “Well, he did not have his limb severed by a professional like I did”. Once again, how can you argue with that? It was good to see how he was also struggling with moving his reattached limb. It is a lot of work.

I have attached some pictures from today. Even though it rained, we had a great time. Notice there are no pictures of me. . . A) I had my eyes closed most of the time and B) I was the photographer.

For all of you shopping tomorrow, enjoy the day. I will be cleaning house, and I just may bake some Christmas cookies!

Annie

Appetite returning to normal...

2008-11-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

11/24
Jordy’s ability to eat is much improved. Today he was able to eat normally (pizza, lasagna, hamburger, etc.). Hopefully his weight will go back up. It certainly should! His energy level is returning to his “normal” chemo induced level.

Today we took lunch to Kevin and Kyle, did some visiting, picked up medications, and did a little shopping for Kevin’s birthday. It seemed like a lot in one day, but Jordy did pretty well. He even did a little show & tell of his foot. It is still looking great, although the skin is peeling a bit. The movement is getting smoother, but he still has a long way to go. Even though it is a struggle, Jordy is adamant that he made the right choice for his surgery. He is so amazing.

Tomorrow we will head to Portland for his weekly blood draw. We should be home early in the afternoon. I hope the fog stays away!

11/26
Jordy had his blood work done today. His levels were pretty low (as expected). He is pretty pale and tired, but that should change as his levels come up. Tomorrow we are celebrating Kevin’s birthday and Thanksgiving by heading to the coast for the day. It will be nice to get away from home for the day.

Enjoy your families and friends tomorrow. If you have children, give them an extra hug!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The cast comes off!

2008-11-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

11/12
Jordy finally had his cast removed. The doctor said that it looks beautiful! There are a couple of spots that are not completely healed yet, but it looks better than most kids who have chemo. The real work starts now!!! Jordy has some simple exercises to do to help strengthen his foot and hip.
Jordy passed his blood and hearing tests so he is able to start his chemo.
We are just waiting for him to hydrate. He should be heading home Friday night or Saturday morning . . . just in time for the Scio football game.
Tonight was a catered dinner from the Candlelighter Â’s group. It was delicious!!! We had ham, rolls, scalloped potatoes, salad, corn, and of course brownies. Jordy really looks forward to these dinners.
We are watching the Blazer game.

Things are much better today!

2008-11-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

11/7
Am back in the loop a little bit now, so here goes. Jordy's blood got lost or made a break for freedom and after a long delay he flunked his test today, but it was close enough that he got to go to the volleyball tournament. The girl mentioned below had surgery today (broke in three places). The McDonalds got lost and missed the game they wanted to see.
They are spending the night in Wilsonville and Jordy will be giving more blood to science in the morning. If he passes this test it is home to Scio til Wednesday. I have it on good authority the Scio people petitioned the doctors to take off Jordy's cast Wednesday so he can shower. Stay tuned and upwind until then.

George

Good evening.
Today Jordy had a much better day than yesterday. The Atavan is out of his system, and he is making so much more sense. Thank goodness!!!
I was able to go to the state volleyball tournament. Jordy's fourth/fifth grade teacher, Pam Dowdy, coaches at Heppner. It was a great game until their captain broke her leg in a big way. I have never witnessed such an injury. Two people passed out. The girls returned to the game and lost 14-16. At least the down time gave me a chance to visit with Pam's husband and kids. I hope the player is ok and the girls can play well tomorrow.
I was feeling VERY guilty while I was at the game. I decided to buy Jordon's approval with a new magazine and Kentucky Fried Chicken. when I got back Jordy was so excited . . . another race car driver came by the hospital. He even gave Jordy one of his shirts that he wore. Jordy says it smells funny, but is really cool. Funny smells are another side-effect of the chemo. Jordy had a great time talking cars. Where was this guy when Jordy was reacting ti his meds and asking weird car questions? I could have used his back up!
All in all, Jordy had a good day. He felt pretty good, talked cars, and got a break from his mama.
Now he is just waiting for updates on the Central Linn and Scio State Football games.
Hopefully we will head home tomorrow. If all works out, we may stop by the volleyball tournament.
Annie

Jordy has "interesting" reaction to meds.

2008-11-08T22:05:00.000-08:00

11/6

Boy, have we had an interesting day. It actually started yesterday. The nurse forgot to give Jordy his nausea medications a while before his chemo. This caused him to vomit at 11:30 last night. They gave him Atavan to help with the nausea, and he had an interesting reaction. He did odd things, had a hard time waking up and asked really weird questions. For example he asked me if they let pick-ups or just cars at the Shedd Cruise-in. This made for a night of little quality sleep.
Throughout the day Jordy has gotten better. He makes sense now, and he has stayed awake for a while.
Tonight the nurse told us that since Jordy is not being infused with chemo, he would be moving to another unit. It is sad that the oncology unit is overflowing. I think it is like a teen parent program. . . it would be great if it went away because of a lack of business. That is not reality yet . . . someday maybe. Our new room is about the same. It is just disappointing to have to learn a new system. We also miss the nurses at 10 South.
We are looking forward to an uneventful night.

Kevin & Jordy enjoy the Beaver game ~

2008-11-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

11/2
Kevin was able to come spend Friday night with Jordy while I got a little time away from the hospital in our camp trailer in Wilsonville. Yesterday Jordy was able to leave the hospital on medication that counteracts the chemo until it clears his body. The levels were high enough that we had to go back to Doernbecher for a blood draw today. We decided to stay in Wilsonville for the night. I headed to bed early while Kevin and Jordy watched the Oregon State game. I was able to listen to the game and the commentary from my men. It was pretty entertaining.

Today Jordy’s Methatrexate level was low enough to discontinue the other medications. It will be great to sleep all night tonight. Wednesday we will head back for another round of Methatrexate. This week will be exciting (not quite as entertaining as Halloween) because the Candlelighters provide a special dinner on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. It is usually pizza and pasta. Jordy likes checking in on those Wednesdays and getting dinner before the chemo. It is really generous of this group to provide these special dinners.

I am planning on watching Jordy’s fourth grade teacher coach at the state volleyball tournament on Friday. It will be a nice break for me (and Jordy). He will be well taken care of by the nurses during my absence.

The things Jordy will do for candy!

2008-11-01T19:14:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!
Jordy has done great with this set of chemo. He has had no nausea thanks to full doses of Benedryl for the first 24 hours. That also let him catch up on his sleep.
Yesterday the dietician was concerned about Jordy's weight, so she asked if a cafeteria card would help. Now I just take the card to the cafeteria, call Jordy to let him know what the specials are, and get anything he wants. This works much better than the regular hospital food.
He is certainly eating more! He had two big helpings of biscuits and gravy this morning with a sausage patty.
Today is the big Halloween parade. The suggestions for costumes have been very entertaining!! Jordy thought he should turn a bed sheet into a diaper and go as a Doernbecher patient (a little children's hospital humor). In the end he has decided to go as himself and help the little kids. I think the staff is having as much fun as the kids.

AND LATER THAT NIGHT ~~~~

I can't believe it . . . Jordy went trick-or-treating!!!!! He did it . . . he dressed as a baby Doernbecher patient. He had me get a blanket and sheet (diaper) from the laundry cart. The CNA snuck him a baby bottle, safety pins, and a passifier. Have you ever tried to diaper a six foot one man?? It is not easy, especially when he is balancing on one foot. He got way more candy than he ever did in Halsey. He also got pencils, race cars, erasers, and many other fun items. Jordy made the doctors and nurses (and me) laugh. They were all under the impression that Jordy is a shy thing . . . boy, were they wrong.

Back to Doernbecher's on Wednesday ~

2008-10-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

10/26
Kyle is home, and Jordy seems to be doing a little better. He has been having troubles sleeping and has been pretty tired the last couple of days. Last night he had some friends over for movies and rested today. Tonight we watched the World Series, and Jordy and Kevin looked at truck parts online . . . a typical night at the McDonalds.

I don’t know exactly how to take this. Kyle brought me a cute sign with a chicken that says “Don’t ruffle my feathers!” My moods must concern him!!! I had better keep in check. He said he got it because it matched my kitchen. I guess I will go with that. He had a wonderful time at the National FFA Convention. We are so proud of him.

Jordy is planning on doing some visiting the next couple of days. Wednesday we head to Doernbecher’s. If his blood counts are high enough, he will start his chemo. He should come home Sunday or Monday.

It should reach 70 degrees the next couple of days. Kevin fixed the lawnmower, so I had better get the lawn mowed (finally)!!!!

Treatment from here forward...

2008-10-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

10/24
I just realized that I have not given much information about Jordy’s treatment from here forward. Starting next week he will have three weeks in a row where he will be at the hospital for 3 to 6 days per week. The last session will include the medication that is the hardest on him, but the good news is that will be the last dose of that particular medication!!!! After that he will have a two week break, then three weeks in a row of chemo and one week off. He will do the three weeks on, one week off routine three times. This is all sort of confusing, but the short story is that he will have about four more months of chemo. After he is finished with the chemo he will have about two weeks of inpatient therapy at Shriner’s. They told us it will take two to three days just to align the prosthesis.

Although this is difficult for Jordy, there is beginning to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Even though he is about halfway through the treatment, getting past the “newness” and the surgery have been huge! Now we just have to keep him from getting sick so that he does not have any delays.

We also have some thank you’s to add. Thanks for the generiosity of the employees at Smith Seed. Kevin is lucky to work with such a great group of people. Also, thanks so much to all of the families that have sent meals our way. The food has been wonderful. Thank you to Joan, Marguerite, and Dee for organizing all of the food. It is very much appreciated.

This journey has been rough, but our friends and family have smoothed out the road a bit. Thanks again.

Tonight Jordy is going to cheer on the Scio Loggers as they take on Culver at the football game. It should be a good game.

Annie

The cast comes off in 3 weeks!

2008-10-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

10/23
Jordy and I just returned from a quick trip to Portland. First we went to Shriner’s . . . not as a patient, but visitors. One of Kevin’s co-worker’s daughter had surgery at Shriners so we stopped by to visit her. She has the surgeon as Jordy. After visiting ( and a short period of nausea), we went downstairs for a check-up with Dr. Krajbich. He told Jordy that he will have his cast for three more weeks. Another doctor gave him some exercises to do in his cast that will help get his brain trained to make his foot move. He is able to feel the movement in the cast.

After Shriner’s we headed to Doernbecher for a routine blood draw. The nausea was gone, so Jordy was relieved. His counts were fairly low, so he has to be very careful about getting sick. He can’t go to the mall or movie theaters and we can’t have anyone over that has been sick. Hopefully the counts will be high enough for him to start his chemo next week.

Kyle has called and sent pictures from his trip to Chicago and Indianapolis. He is having a great time!!! They have seen skyscrapers, concerts, and racetracks . . .who could ask for more? He assures me that there will be plenty of pictures to share when he gets home.

Annie

Jordy's pain is lessening ~

2008-10-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

10/17
Just a little report on the McDonalds. Jordy went to Salem yesterday for a blood count. His levels are actually very good! He is on the upswing after his last chemo. Last night he stayed home from the volleyball game to rest up so that he can go to the Scio-Kennedy football game tonight. His leg is still having a fair number of spasms, but the muscles just have to get used to the new arrangement. The pain in his foot from the chemo is lessening. All in all, things are pretty good for Jordy.

Kyle leaves Saturday for his big trip to Chicago and Indianapolis. Kevin and I will get some work done this weekend and get some rest . . . sort of a “normal” weekend.

Stitches & Staples removed!

2008-10-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

10/13
Jordy and I are back home after a day at Shriner’s. His foot in the cast was bothering him so the doctor said to come on up, and he would look around. They took off the cast and his foot looked great . . . no sores or blisters. The doctor said that the pain was probably a result of the chemo. Jordy’s other foot has been sore too. The chemo that he had last week is very caustic and makes him feel like he is burnt. The doctor put a new cast on (green again) after taking out the stitches and staples. The suture removal process made Jordy quite queasy. He seems to be better now.
Annie

~ It is good to be past uncharted waters. ~

2008-10-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

10/11
After a rough day yesterday, Jordy is much improved today. Yesterday he dealt with some nausea and pain in his foot. The nausea is a little better and his foot seems quite a bit better. I am taking him to meet Kevin and Kyle in Halsey. Kevin is doing some farm work, and Kyle and Jordy are going to do some target shooting. Jordy will sit in a chair since his balance is not quite good enough for firearm use! It is wonderful to have a weekend of great (but cold) weather while we are home.

Speaking of cold . . . Kevin and Kyle installed a pellet stove while Jordy and I were gone this week. The wood stove is nice when we are home more, but the pellets will be nice this winter.

Since Jordy’s surgery is over, we are into a new phase of treatment. There should not be anything new. He has had the various chemo medications, the surgery is over, now just more chemo and physical therapy. It is good to be past the uncharted waters. As the doctors left yesterday, Jordy said that it was nice to be back. Then he caught himself . . . is it really “nice” to be in an oncology unit? It is good to be accomplishing the goal of getting through the treatment, and the people that we have met are wonderful, so it was “nice” to be back. That said, it is WONDERFUL to be home!

Next weekend Kyle should be heading to Chicago and onto Indianapolis for the National FFA Convention where he will receive his American Degree. This has been a goal of his since he was a little guy. He better take lots of pictures!

Kevin is working hard, but he too is seeing some light at the end of the tunnel for some of his projects.

Enjoy these last few sunny fall days . . . we will do the same.

Annie

Jordy's appetite is good; muscle spasms getting better!

2008-10-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

10/10
I have some news from a semi reliable source. Jordy and Annie are home this evening after Jordy finished this round of chemo. He will be home for two and one-half weeks before returning for more chemo. Between now and then he has some day trips for blood work and a post surgery check up. Arby’s and Taco Bell were the food stops on the way home, both for Jordy. Jordon’s muscle spasms are getting better.
Kyle is getting ready for his big trip to the Midwest with the Scio FFA, first stop is Chicago.
This is the big week for Kevin at work then hopefully a little less stress.
Annie sounded very glad to be heading home.
George

Jordy makes a 3 pointer!

2008-10-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you know that Jordy went to open gym at Scio today. He went to “watch” his friends play basketball. He was able to make a 3-point basket. It took about twenty shots, but he finally made one. He told me that he started out closer, but really wanted to make a three!! He was pretty excited to be able to shoot on one leg.

Wednesday we head back to Doernbecher after Jordy’s break from chemo. As long as his counts are ok, he will be in the hospital for 3-4 days. Even though the break has been nice, it will be good to get back at it so that Jordy is closer to the end of the chemo.

Jordy has had some muscle spasms, but in general, he is doing great. He just got back from the movies. The angle of the chairs did not work for him. He left early, but said that the spasms stopped after he got out of the movie chairs.

Annie

~ Jordy gets an "A"!!! ~

2008-10-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hello all!!!

I have some great news to share about Jordy. Dr. Malempati just called with the pathology reports on Jordy’s (former) tumor. The reports said that 95% of the tumor cells were dead. While it is not 100%, 90% is considered a “good” response to the chemo. I equate it to getting an “A” in school! So far so good. Dr. Malempati also said that he and the social worker have talked about how amazing Jordy is when it comes to attitude and decision-making. He told me that Jordy is a great kid . . . I told him that I already knew that.

Thanks to everyone for the support. You all help Jordy have the great attitude that he possesses. He often tells the staff at the hospital how many people are supporting him. Not all people with cancer are so lucky.

Enjoy the rain.

Annie

~ Jordy ventures out on his own ~

2008-10-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hello to everyone.

I just wanted to give a little update on Jordy’s progress. He is doing great! Yesterday he rode with me to Brownsville where I stayed to knit for a while. Jordy then drove to Eugene to visit friends at the U of O. He really enjoyed getting out on his own for a while. He has only had to take minimal pain meds at night.

Today Jordy will be folding clothes. This is the best chore that I have found for him.

It is amazing how well Jordy has recovered from the surgery. His time off from chemo has given his body a little rest. He even had to shave the other day! Next Wednesday it’s back to Doernbecher for more chemo.

Annie

~ Rest & Recuperation ~

2008-09-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

9/30
Jordy has slept most of the day, but says his leg feels pretty good. He has not taken any pain meds since he has come home. He is planning on going to visit a friend tonight. That should lighten his mood a little.
He did get some great news today. A lady from the Children’s Cancer Association called today. They have a program similar to Make a Wish. Jordy’s wish was to have his car fixed up or some tools. It sounds like things are progressing . . . more details to come.
It is nice to have the surgery behind us, a bit daunting as well. Dr. Malempati says the next couple of months will be the hardest because Jordy will be healing from the surgery and getting back at the chemo at the same time. For the next week he will rest and recuperate.
The rain is coming, so enjoy the dry weather for now.

Annie

Green toenails anyone?

2008-09-29T19:27:00.001-07:00

Jordy is done with his checkup this morning. Only took about 20 minutes. The med student said it looked pristine. Only Jordy could have half a leg facing backwards and have the doctors call it pristine. The cast is green and goes from his toes to his hip. He may get suspenders if it starts to slip down. So remember, if you go visit to paint his toe nails it should match his cast. He will head for home tomorrow so don’t block those Arby’s driveways between Portland and Scio.
George

Doctors ~ rechecking their work

2008-09-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (Monday) Jordy gets to go night-night again as the doctors will be examining their work. They will be removing the padding and bandages to check how well they did, and how well and fast Jordon is healing. They will fine tune anything that needs tuning and cast his leg. He should be heading home Tuesday. Annie and Mommy had a good time looking at fiber in Canby. Nobody in their right mind would go to a fiber show when there was a gun show in Albany to go to. Hopefully when Jordy gets home Annie will come to her senses.
George

Jordy goes home on Tuesday!

2008-09-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

9/25
Jordy is doing pretty good. Kevin came up after work last night and stayed with Jordy. He got here in time for the last four minutes of the OSU football game. Jordy & I have been watching the ESPN coverage of the "big upset".
This morning has been busy. The doctors told Jordy that he would be staying through the weekend and getting his cast on Monday. He will get to go home on Tuesday. He will probably start his chemo again on October 8.
After breakfast Kevin, Jordy and I headed to the activity room for a little basketball. They have one of those arcade-type basketball shoots.
Jordy found out that his mom and dad are not that bad of shots, and it is really hard to shoot well when you are under the influence of pain meds.
He had a good time, and made a few shots in the process. Kevin was off to work, and Jordy and I were off to our next stop.
We went down to the first floor for x-rays. Jordy swung by the vending maching for pepperoni sticks. By this time, Jordy was well ready for a nap.
Kyle has been working hard at Smith's with Kevin. He is keeping Jordy and I up to date with pictures on the cell phone. It is nice to know what is going on in the "real" world. Kyle also starts night classes at Linn-Benton Community College on Monday. Kyle has had a cold so he has still not been able to see Jordy. Thanks goodness for the cell phones!
Annie

Jordy's appetite & OSU are Great!

2008-09-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

Jordy has done amazingly well. Just one night (actually it was only about
3 hours) of bad pain, but since then he has been pretty darn good.
Everyone that sees him says he looks great. I agree, but then again I am his mom. His appetite has been really good. For breakfast he had THREE breakfast burritos. Dinner was two helpings of mac and cheese, a pizza pocket, and mashed potatoes and gravy. He certainly should not lose weight this time.
I better go. When I left the room OSU was ahead 7 to 0. I hope it is not ugly when I get back.
Annie
OSU 27 USC 21 Final! WhooHoo Beavers!

It's a small world!

2008-09-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

9/24
After a rough night, Jordy has had a pretty good day. The epidural was not helping so they took it out today. Today they have removed all of his iv's, catheter, etc. The only item left is an iv in his hand that they can remove blood from or give him pain medication through. The other big news today was a ride in a wheelchair. He told me that it was actually easier to transfer to the chair than it was to roll over in bed. He also washed up and felt much better. Jordy is tired, but dealing with the pain and still no nausea. This is great.
I have an amazing story to add. During winter and spring terms I completed a practicum for my Human Services Degree with the activities department at the Marian Estates Nursing Center. While I worked there, a medical student was doing her rural rotation in Stayton. The doctor suggested that she volunteer at Marian Estates on Fridays. She came to the center and helped paint the ladies' fingernails. The help was greatly appreciated and she was able to answer some of the residents' medical questions.
The first day that Jordy and I ventured to the oncology clinic at Doernbecher was very stressful. We were waiting in the exam room for the doctor, and in walks the same medical student that volunteered at Marian Estates! Jordy said that it was so nice to know someone that worked there. She explained that she was now doing a rotation with Dr.
Malempati, Jordy's onclolgist.
Tuesday morning she reappeared at Shriner's. She is now doing a rotation with Dr. Krajbich, Jordy's surgeon. She has been amazingly helpful. She sees Jordy at 6:15 every morning to see how he is doing, and reports to the team of doctors. She was telling us that last week she came across some information about rotation plasty. She had never heard of it before, but found if fascinating. She had no idea that she was going to observe one on Monday. When they began telling her about the "case" and the rotation plasty that she was going to observe, the story sounded familiar.
She asked if the patient was named Jordon. Of course it was the same Jordon that she met in Dr. Malempati's office.
She told us that it took 4 1/2 hours just to label the nerves, tendons, etc. for the roation plasty. No wonder it took so long in the operating room!!!
Kevin, Jordon, and I have all appreciated her kind ways and valuable information. I think she has learned a great deal from Jordon. They have talked about how he made his decision and what factors helped the most.
Everyone aroung here says she will be a great doctor. I agree.
Annie

Jordy's almost ready for broth! :-)

2008-09-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

Jordy is doing great. They did up his pain meds, but he seems to be comfortable. Jordy's biggest complaint is that they are not letting him eat much yet. He thinks he is starving. Last night he told the nurse that he was hungry. He was a bit disappointed with the cup of ice that was brougt to him. This morning he had a breakfast of lime jello. Next he graduates to broth!!! It is just good to know that he has avoided the nausea so far.
The plan for Jordy today is to rest, sit up in a chair, and get to eating more real food. I am amazed at how well he is doing considering the extensive surgery. The staff at Shriner's is wonderful. They are very caring and accommodating. It is great to have Jordy in such good hands.
Annie

Jordy in Recovery

2008-09-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Annie called 6:30 pm, and had Just talked to the doctor. Jordy is in the recovery room. Everything went as planned. He has good circulation in his foot. She is waiting to see Jordon and sounds very tired. That is all at this time. I am sure I’ll have more tomorrow.

Annie just called again. Jordy is out of recovery and in his room now. He is alert, talking and has a sense of humor. He received a fancy new hat in recovery, looks just like the stocking caps they put on new born babies only a little bigger. Keeping him warm is a priority. Annie and Kevin are both doing better. Annie still sounds tired (to be expected) but not as worried. That is all again.
George
Here is the link to the video of the procedure that Jordy had done. It is absolutely amazing what modern science/medicine can do these days.
http://www.medicaledge.org/2006april-1.html

Phase Two

2008-09-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

9/19
Time to remind everyone that this weekend Jordy starts phase two of his treatments. He checks into Shriner’s Hospital 6:00pm Sunday and will have surgery Monday morning. The surgery should take 5-6 hours, but if you don’t hear anything right away, that doesn’t mean a problem exists. It will take time to get out of the recovery area and time for Kevin, Annie and Kyle to see him and get a report to me. After a week Jordon goes back into the operating room to have the first cast removed and a new one put on. So think good thoughts about Jordon and his family and if you don’t hear another update soon enough for your liking, have other kinds of thoughts about me. George

CT Scan, MRI, and knitting...

2008-09-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

9/12
Boy, we have had a busy couple of days! I know that sounds funny coming from two people who "sit in a hospital all day". Yesterday afternoon Jordy had a chest CT scan. He had one when he was diagnosed with cancer.
There were two places in his lungs that the doctors were concerned about.
They are still there, but the radiologist said that they look about the same or less like something to be concerned about. Jordy had a lot of problems with asthma and pneumonia when he was little. The doctor said that this may well have caused the issues in his lungs. It is not uncommon for people in the general population to have places like this in their lungs.
Last night Jordy traveled the back halls of OHSU to have a MRI of his leg.
No surprises. . . he has a tumor in his leg! Some of the swelling, etc.
is less, but other than that they didn't see anything. This is a case of no new news being good news.
Jordy is still waiting for his body to clear the chemo out. He should be able to go to the racetrack on Sunday. Kevin and Kyle will be coming up so that we can all go. Today Jordy had a good visit from Cody the CNA from the oncology clinic. Occasionally Cody sneaks out of the clinic to visit kids. A volunteer came by to take pictures of patients. Cody got in the picture! Should be interesting!
I took a break from hospital life to attend a knitting convention at the Convention Center. It was good to see adults that share my love of yarn!
Now I have to look for a pattern so I can begin knitting. This was a great distraction since I have been missing my college classes, but it is nice to have the time to help Jordy get healthy. Knitting is great to pass time!
Annie

McDonalds attend Doernbecher Dash!

2008-09-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Jordy completed his chemo infusion last night. Now we just have to wait for it to clear. He is really working on staying on top of the nausea medications. So far, so good. His only problem seems to be sores in his mouth and throat. He is using "magic mouthwash" (a lovely combination of Benedryl,Maylox., and litacane. I probably didn't spell any of those medicines correctly! He is also taking his pain meds so that he can keep eating.

As George mentioned, Jordy and the rest of us are hoping to attend the Doernbecher Dash at Portland International Raceway. This day at the track is provided for Doernbecher patients and their families. We are not sure exactly what it entails, but it is a car thing that is free!!! Can't be all bad.

Annie

Surgery date changed ~

2008-09-08T16:44:00.000-07:00

9/7/08
Good afternoon. I can’t believe how beautiful the weather is! We have had a great weekend. Yesterday Kevin and Kyle came up to Doernbecher’s to visit. Jordy reserved the WII for the weekend. We played bowling, baseball, and tennis until our arms were sore. Jordy used his crutches today and said that he can feel the affects of yesterday’s bowling. It was great to have our family together. Kevin spent the night with Jordy while Kyle and I stayed in our trailer in Wilsonville. It was wonderful to NOT hear the beep of an IV alarm. Kevin told me that the alarm only went off once last night. He has all the luck.

This morning Jordy got the good news. They released him at 11:00 this morning. He has to take extra medicine and check in at the clinic tomorrow, but he will get to sleep in his own bed tonight. Tomorrow afternoon they will take blood and decide if he still needs the medication. Wednesday he will start chemo again. Hopefully he will be back home next Sunday.

Jordy’s leg surgery has been changed to September 22. This fit in with the Shriner’s schedule better.

Annie

Jordy and his loooonng legs!

2008-09-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

The weather looks beautiful out there. I need to go on my walk for the day!
Yesterday Jordy had x-rays at Shriner's. He was too long for the films, but they finally got what they needed. He is finding that he is significantly taller than the average Shriner's patient.
Jordy's blood levels were great yesterday. They were MUCH better than last week. He was OK'd to start chemo. His infusion finished about 3:30 this morning. Now we just wait for him to get that stuff back out of his system.
Last night we had dinner provided by the Candlelighters group. . . pizza, salad, pasta, soda, and cookies!!! Jordy thinks this works pretty good to check in on the day of the special dinners. . . no nausea, good dinner.
Enjoy the weather! For those in school, I'm thinking of you.
Annie

~ Jordy makes a tough decision ~

2008-08-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

Jordy would like all of you to know that he has made a decision about his leg reconstruction surgery. It is a HUGE decision to make. He has decided to have an operation called rotationplasty. It is very difficult to explain so I have included this link: http://www.medicaledge.org/2006april-1.html. Rotationplasty removes the knee joint and replaces it with the ankle. A prosthesis then completes the leg. I know this is hard to picture, so feel free to check out the video link above.

There are many advantages to this surgery and only one real negative . . . it looks different. There is also an extensive amount of rehabilitation and training the brain. The positives are amazing. Because there are no artificial parts, it will not wear out and there is less chance of infection. It is also easier to get good margins around the tumor. Another advantage is that the nerves and blood vessels are left intact. They are coiled up and remain in the leg. The most amazing aspect is the functionality. Jordon has met two young men who have had rotationplasty. They were very willing to share their stories. The list of activities they are able to participate in is incredible. Dustin hunts, hikes, rides four-wheelers, and even wrestles on his high school wrestling team! Carson played basketball in high school, works at Home Depot, and is currently training to do a tri-athelon. Jordy asked both of them if there was anything they can’t do, and neither of them could think of anything. Sometimes it takes longer or requires more practice, but eventually it works out. As many of you know, Jordon’s true love is cars. This operation will give Jordy the opportunity to pursue his automotive career aspirations. Carson told him he needed to be careful because unlike a natural leg, a prosthesis can scratch a car. He found this out when he scratched his brother’s car.

Dr. Krajbich will do the surgery. He has been doing this particular surgery for over 20 years. Everyone has told us that he is a top-notch surgeon. We have also met many staff members at Shriner’s. They are all very knowledgeable and helpful.

The surgery is tentatively scheduled for September 19. This depends on his chemo schedule and a few scheduling issues at Shriner’s. He will be in the hospital for a few days, but should be up on crutches before he comes home. Although we are all nervous about the surgery, it will be good to get rid of that tumor and move on.

I hope everyone has a good holiday weekend.

Annie

A visit to Shriners

2008-08-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

8/25
Jordy & I trekked to Portland today. We visited Shriner’s Hospital to visit with Jordon’s care coordinator. Her name is Kelly and she is a nurse who is assigned to help us navigate the hospital and Jordon’s surgery. She was very helpful. It looks like Jordy’s surgery to remove the tumor and reconstruct his leg should happen between the 19th and 25th of September. This is all dependent upon his blood counts allowing him to start his chemo on time. His counts were pretty low today, but this was expected. He has to be pretty careful about avoiding germs right now.

Annie

Not much news, but an update anyway ~

2008-08-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hello-

It has been a few days since the last update, and even though there is not much news, here is the latest. The doxorubicin and cisplatian (I’m not sure about the spelling) that Jordy received last week is hard on his stomach. He has not been particularly nauseous, but just lacks energy and appetite. I think he is back on an upswing though. He ate Arby’s (big surprise) on the way to the Salem Hospital yesterday and tacos for dinner. The trip to Salem was for his weekly blood work.

Monday we will head to Portland to visit Shriner’s for a meeting with Jordy’s care coordinator to talk about his surgery. We are also going to meet a young man that has endured the same journey that Jordy is on. We also have to stop by the oncology clinic for his weekly blood draw.

The rain is a nice change from the 100 degree temps a few days ago!

Annie

Jordy's home until September 1st!

2008-08-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

Last night about 9:00 the nurse came in a told us that they were going to move us to the 9th floor (general, non-oncology floor). There was a newly diagnosed child who was there and the family was frantic. We could certainly empathize. Since there were no rooms empty, they decided Jordy was the least in need since he had just finished his chemo. Earlier they had asked us if we wanted to go home late or wait until morning. Jordy chose the morning, but when asked to move, we asked if we could just come home. The answer was yes, so we headed home about 10:00. It sort of disrupted our Olympic watching time, but other than that it was great to return home.

We are home until the first of September except for a couple of appointments here and there. If you would like to visit, give us a call first so we make sure we are home and Jordy is feeling ok. Most of the time he is really feeling pretty good, but his blood counts will drop in about a week, so he will have to take precautions to avoid illness.

On Aug. 23 we are moving our travel trailer to Wilsonville. It will be nice to have a “home” closer to Portland. It will be nice to be able to stay close to the hospital if we are discharged late again.

Stay cool,

Annie

Jordy still has a good appetite ~

2008-08-12T23:46:00.000-07:00

As far as food goes, Jordy seems to like things with a fair amount of flavor (mexican, etc.). They
told us it is like someone who has smoked and lost their taste. We just try to avoid beans.
Right now things are pretty good. Jordy seems to tolerate the chemo fairly well. As you can imagine he has a good attitude. He just wants to know what he needs to do so he can get on with his life. He is amazingly nice and very smart. It suits him well.

Thanks for the offers of help and above all, your support of Jordy.

Jordy is doing pretty darn well with his chemo. He doesn't get much sleep with all of the fluids, but he hasn't thrown up this time! This is amazing considering that he ate 5 of the large individual bags of Doritos last night. Today he has spent most of the time sleeping.
I walked up the hill today and visited the Farmer's Market. It was great to smell strawberries and fresh peaches.

Annie

Jordy ok'd to start chemo.

2008-08-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

8/11
Good afternoon!
Jordy is back at Doernbecher and ok'd to start his chemo. This is good news because after this session of chemo he will get a two week break!
Stay cool.
Annie

Jordy's looking forward to Pizza~

2008-08-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

8/6
Hello-
Jordy is once again slow getting the chemo out of his system, but he should be able to go home tomorrow after his appointment at Shriner's in the afternoon.
Also, Jordy has not been able to check his e-mail this week due to computer issues, so if you have e-mailed him, he will be getting back to you this weekend.
One good thing about staying is that there is going to be Papa John's Pizza tonight for everyone in the unit!! Now that has Jordy a little excited. He also won an electronic golf game during bingo today. I will take credit since he was sleeping and I played for him.
Stay cool out there. It is always a steady 72 degrees in our world.
Annie

A note from Annie...

2008-08-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hello-
Jordy finished his chemo infusion yesterday and is now getting it back out of his system. Yesterday he was pretty sick (and a little grumpy), but they increased his meds last night. He slept well and seems to be much better today. A good night's sleep is helpful to anyone!
Hopefully we will be home on Wednesday. He is scheduled to come back on Thursday, but I am guessing that will change.
Annie

A bit more info. ~

2008-07-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

7-30

Jordon is home tonight after meeting with the surgeon at the Shriner’s Hospital. The doctor explained his options for his surgery between September 10 and 20th. He goes back to Doembecher’s Hospital tomorrow at 11am. Blood tests, then 6 hours fluids, then the same chemo he just finished.

George

Jordy..."slow excreter"

2008-07-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

July 28
Well, Jordy has a new title, "slow excreter". This means that he has not cleared all of the chemo out of his system in the "normal" 72 hours. The doctor says that some people are just that way, no problem. This does mean that he will be in the hospital for another day. He is quite anxious to get home, but is tolerating the schedule change.
Enjoy the sunshine!
Annie

Jordy's shopping for new 'eyebrows' ~ A note from Annie ~

2008-07-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have it on good authority Jordy's eye brows are hanging in there, but there may be a sharpie party yet. If you happen to find any really big caterpillars, the fuzzier the better, save them (freeze), a little super glue and instant eye brows. Jordy would like to shop and compare before he makes a decision, sharpies or bugs.
George

Hello-
Jordy has finished receiveing his chemo. Now he just has to get it back out of his system so that we can go home for a couple of days. He should get to go home on Monday. He has a appointment with Dr. Krajbich at Shriner's on Wednesday to talk about the surgery on his leg in September.
On Thursday he will begin chemo again. The chemo that he had this weekend and will have next week is much easier to tolerate than the type he had in early July. Jordy amazes me. He says that the chemo is not nearly as bad as he expected.
Yesterday was a great day for Jordy. First, he got paid for his "job".
The social worker gave him his $25 cash for filling out his first survey.
Later in the day some people from "Racing for Kids" came to visit. This group is racing at PIR this weekend. Three of the racecar drivers came to visit Jordy. He really enjoyed it. They left little posters and a hat.
He told them that he wants to be an automotive tech. They said that was way beyond them. I think that impressed Jordy. They showed him a helmet that they wear. They were laughing that one litte girl wanted to take it to the art room and paint it pink and purple! That art therapy is wonderful!!
Also, a doctor came by and offered Jordy a chance to go to Hood River next week and learn about kite boarding. He thinks it would be interesting, but it would put his chemo off by a day. He just wants to keep going, but maybe he will get to participate in the next activity.
Jordy has found a new food that tastes good to him . . . popcorn. Last night the CNA offered us popcorn and Sprite. We watched "Anger Management" and Jordy ate a bag and a half of popcorn! He wanted more for breakfast, but ate his cornflakes instead. I am sure we will be eating more popcorn tonight.
On the home front . . . Kevin and Kyle are combining our field of organic fescue today. It is only a few acres, but it satisfies our need to keep farming. Kyle has been WONDERFUL at helping us get the combine ready. He has worked so hard and has been so helpful. He has also been working on getting our travel trailer ready to move to Wilsonville in August. We have such a great family!!!
Enjoy the sunshine,
Annie

Jordy gets an easy job, the hard way ~

2008-07-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

7/24
This afternoon Jordy had his port put in. Now he has a more permanent way to get chemo, draw blood, etc. He is now receiving IV fluids in preparation for the chemo tonight. He got a late start because of the surgery so he will probably not come home until Monday.

The really big news is that Jordy has a job!!! He agreed to participate in a study of young adults with cancer. It deals with how they feel about the experience and what services are helpful. He will be paid $25 for each of four surveys that he fills out. He will get one every six months.
The first one is filled out and ready for the social worker to pick up.

Annie

The week to come...

2008-07-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a little information about our upcoming week. Monday Jordon has a blood draw in Salem. It is great that the doctor has been able to schedule these weekly appointments in Salem! Sometime on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday Jordon will go to Portland for an ultrasound of his veins. This will update the information about the blood clot in his arm and give the doctors more information regarding the placement of his port. Thursday is scheduled for his port placement surgery. From surgery he will check into the pediatric oncology outpatient clinic for chemo. The doctor said that the medication used this time should not cause so much nausea. They are also going to try some different medications this time. Jordy should be in the hospital for about four days.

Also, Jordon has agreed to check his e-mail more often so I will give all of you his own address. He may not always be able to check it when he is not feeling well, but if you have anything you want sent directly to him, feel free. I am also still willing to give him messages or receive messages or questions for Kevin, Kyle, and I. An additional note . . . our mailing address is PO Box 92, Scio, OR 97374. We get things sent to our physical address, but the post office prefers the PO Box.

Jordy has gained 11 pounds since returning from the hospital!!! The food from our friends is really helping. I think he gets tired of Mom’s same old cooking. When the cooler comes home he rushes to see what Dad brought home.

Thanks for all of the good thoughts and wishes. We appreciate everything that everyone has done!

Annie

Update from Annie ~

2008-07-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

Jordy’s latest . . . Last night I was flushing Jordy’s PICC line as directed, and he began complaining of chest pains. You can imagine that this brought about a call to Doernbecher’s. The doctor on call told us to go to the emergency room at Salem for a chest x-ray. A few hours later and we were out of there with the x-ray on a CD. It is so amazing! The doctors in Salem and OHSU decided that we should follow up today in Portland. It appeared that the PICC line was in too far. That could cause the heart to become irritated. Today we made the trek up the hill to Doernbecher’s. They agreed after looking at the x-ray that the line was in too far. After debating how much to pull it out, Dr. Malempati (Jordy’s oncologist) suggested just taking the darn thing clear out. He is having it replaced with at port on the 24th anyway. Jordy thought this was a great idea. It allows him to shower without the aid of athletic tape and cling wrap! The removal process was easy so they sent him to the vascular lab for an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok.

In the McDonald tradition, there was a “little something that needed to be taken care of”. That is a very small blood clot where the PICC line had been. They are fairly certain that now that the PICC line is out the clot will dissolve on its own. It is lucky that they took the line out and discovered the clot before it plugged up the whole vein. Dr. Malempati is great!

Other news . . . Jordy’s white blood count has dropped some as expected. He just has to be careful not to get sick. All in all, his counts are pretty good. The doctor started him on Prilosec (another McDonald tradition). This should help his stomach, although, he ate two Arby’s sandwiches and a milkshake on the way home!

Annie

Jordy's eating again!

2008-07-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Jordy will receive chemo for three consecutive weeks starting July 24, but he will be able to come home two or three days each week. Just a little more information for everyone.

While I am typing . . . Jordy’s appetite has returned. Last night he ate four pieces of pizza for dinner! This morning he had a big breakfast. He seems to be tired, but feeling pretty good.

Annie

A visit to Doernbecher's ~ ...Jordy & Kyle shave their heads!

2008-07-10T08:20:00.001-07:00

Good evening.

Jordy and I just returned from Doernbecher’s. Not much news today, just checking on things. The good news is that his blood counts look good. They will probably go down this weekend. That is just the nature of the beast. They changed the dressing on the PICC line, and he met with the doctor that will put in his port (a more permanent IV line for chemo, meds, blood draws, etc.). It will allow Jordy to shower without worrying about the line, because the port is under the skin. They will put the port in on the 24th of July, and then he will be admitted for his next chemo. They are going to try some different meds for the nausea next time. It is all a matter of figuring out what works best for each individual.

Jordy’s stomach still hurts a bit when he eats, but he is not really nauseous. He has begun eating small amounts. Today was exciting because on the way home he ate most of a beef and cheddar sandwich at Arby’s, most of the time he drinks water and juice and eats crackers. Foods really taste different to him.

Last night Jordy took the plunge and shaved his head. His hair has begun falling out, and it is hot. He told me that he was just getting a head start on what the McDonald, Meadows, Isom, etc. genes would inevitably bring his way . . .baldness. Kyle has already shaved his head to match. They look so different as shaved men than they did as little boys!

Thanks again for the thoughts, cards, e-mails, etc.

Annie

First treatment is over...Jordy is home ~

2008-07-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

Good evening.

Well, we are finally home. Jordy has had a fair amount of nausea yesterday and today. They are thinking about trying some different medications next time. Last night the nurse gave us our lessons on how to take care of Jordy. This is a whole new world for us so it was nice to learn from the pros. After a whole two and a half minutes at home Jordy noticed blood pooled in the dressing around the PICC line (a big IV used for the chemo, other meds, and drawing blood). We called Doernbecher and they told us to go to the Salem Hospital to have it checked out. They changed the dressing and it quit bleeding so we came home . . . again. Jordy is sleeping thanks to the meds for the nausea.

In the coming days, if you want to visit, please call first. We have a lot of appointments, Jordy is pretty medicated, and sometimes he will feel just plain lousy. Also, it is very important that people who have had or have a fever or are sick not visit. This could be very dangerous for Jordon. We will also ask that you wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer. We have big bottles all over the house now.

At least we can now say that the treatment has started. I think this is good for all of our mental states. We know what the problem is and it is being treated.

Annie

Annie called to add a couple of things. Do not even think about visiting if you have been or might have been exposed to chicken pox recently. They will be returning to Portland on Wednesday for a blood test and dressing change. Jordon also cannot eat fresh vegetables or fresh fruit unless it is peeled first.
George

The morning after...from Jordy & Annie

2008-07-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone.
Chemo is going fine so far. So far the nausea is not bad. I will talk to you all later.
Jordy
Jordy's chemo uses three different medications. This morning he finished the Cisplatin. He will have the Doxorubicin for another 30 hours. Next time (in two and a half weeks) he will have Methotrexate. So far he is doing great. The biggest issue so far is that the chemo makes him pee a lot!
He should be home on Sunday.
Annie

Chemo has begun ~

2008-07-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you know that Jordy started his chemo about 20 minutes ago. We will see how things go. He should be home sometime Sunday. He is currently getting tuned up on "Guitar Hero". He is not very good, but he figures that he will have plenty of time to practice!
Annie

~ A note from Jordon ~

2008-07-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for supporting me with all of your thoughts and prayers. It is nice to know that so many people care about me in the Central Linn and Scio communities and beyond. I will continue to let you know what is going on as I begin my chemo.
Jordon

Oncologist report ~

2008-07-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

From Annie

Jordy’s oncologist called today and said that the lung CT scan showed two very small “areas of concern”. He said they were so small that they could be cancer, but they could also be scaring from his asthma and pneumonia when he was young. He says they are something to be concerned about, but they could be nothing. Jordy is feeling good. He is visiting with friends tonight and plans on going to the Scio summer basketball game tomorrow night.

Thank you for all of the well wishes and offers of help. We have a great group of supporters!!!

(George)

Chemotherapy starts Thursday ~

2008-06-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Friday noon--- Annie just call and they are getting ready to head home. They just met with the oncologist. They will go back next Wednesday for the official biopsy results and meet again with the doctor. Jordy will check in the hospital next Wednesday afternoon and start chemotherapy Thursday morning. He will be in the hospital several days before he can return home. I will not be doing updates unless there is new news.
George

Post Biopsy ~ Osteosarcoma

2008-06-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

Annie called 4:15 pm. Biopsy finished, and it looks like what the doctors expected to find. The final results will be in early next week, but it looks like Jordon has (osteosarcoma) a malignant bone cancer in his upper tibia. The family is staying in Portland tonight as Jordon will have more x-rays, cat scan, and a complete bone scan tomorrow after which they plan on coming home if nothing else comes up. For those that don’t have it Jordy’s mailing address is:
PO Box 92 Scio, OR 97374.
This is mass mailing #2, so if you didn’t get #1 but got this one, that means I'm getting my act together. Keep Jordy in your thoughts.
George

Surgical Biopsy

2008-06-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Jordon and Annie are in Portland tonight (Wednesday) having met with the orthopedic surgeon late this afternoon. He will have his biopsy tomorrow, don’t know the time. This will not be a needle biopsy but a surgical procedure. The doctor wants to see what is there. Looking at the tumor they can then make some decisions, but the results will not be known till next week. I will post more as news is called in. Most posts will be in the evenings.
George

First e-mail from Annie

2008-06-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

Good evening to all of you.

You may or may not know about our recent events so some of this information may be a repeat for some of you and for some of you it will be new. Here is a little background. During track Jordon’ leg began hurting. The doctor x-rayed it and found nothing so he thought it was a muscle problem. After a couple of weeks it was not better so he told him to use crutches because it may be a stress fracture. He ordered a bone scan which revealed a stress fracture. The radiologist wanted an MRI to double check the results. Last Thursday Jordy had the MRI which revealed a tumor which caused the stress fracture. Within a couple of hours the doctor called and made an appointment for Jordy at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland.

Today I took Jordy to the hospital to meet with the oncologist. He was only able to tell us a limited amount until some more tests come back. From the MRI he feels fairly certain that the tumor is osteosarcoma (a bone cancer), but will not know for sure until he gets biopsy results. Jordy will have the biopsy done probably on Wednesday or Thursday this week in Portland. Today they did chest x-rays, leg x-rays, and blood tests. We will go back to Dr. Malempati early next week to talk about the results and the next steps.

We are going to try to use e-mail to keep everyone informed. Our friend George Frasier will be sending out information as it is available. This will give Kevin & I time to deal with doctors and such. If you get an e-mail from George (Frasier@rtinet.com), it is not junk. If you want to be taken off of our list or know someone that would like to be added e-mail George or call him at 541-369-2822. Jordy is very open about his health and is fine with anyone getting the e-mails that is interested.

We will send out an e-mail when we know more.

Annie McDonald