The roller coaster of John's ANC counts continues, but today things are on the upswing. Two weeks ago John's counts were at 1056, and they are supposed to stay up to at least 1500. The chemo he is taking was reduced to allow the counts to come up and as of Friday his counts were up to 2600. As a result, his chemo was increased slightly to help keep his medicine regiment on track. This current chemo treatment is supposed to continue on through July 2009. Thanks so much for everyone's prayers and support.

Most recent news...

Last month when John made his monthly trip to Riley his ANC count was just over 3800 and rising. That was a good sign. While at Riley that month the doctors adjusted his meds some to try and help with the slight headaches John was experiencing. He felt good and the process continued.
This month John's ANC count was down to 1100. The doctors want the number to be at 1500 or above so there is some slight concern. At 1000 John would once again have to watch the food he ate, where a mask and make some major adjustments to life. Currently John is feeling okay but this will be something to watch. In two weeks John will go to Marion General Hospital and have his blood drawn. The results will be sent to Riley and the doctors will determine the next step. It may mean adjusting his medication again but more will be known at that time.
Let's pray that John's counts stablize and begin to go back up.

An update on John...

Last week John had his PICC line taken out and was very excited. He came to a youth event showing everyone he could that it was gone. :) He's now adjusting to the medicines and doing well. John's even been cleared to go swimming...even though we are experiencing a cool spell...he'll probably be jumping in soon. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!

John was back down at Riley yesterday (Monday, July 7th) to begin his next phase of treatment. His counts were at 3542 which was a good thing. This next phase of treatment is a combination of taking three different oral chemotherapy. Mondays seem to be his biggest day of the week in regards to how much he will have to take. Please be praying for John as each of these pills can bring on side effects. The side effects can include headaches, vomiting, mouth sores and can cause his counts to drop. The doctors also decided to keep John's pic line in until his next appointment on August 4th. In two weeks John will have a blood drawn to make sure the doses are correct and then if everything is good, he'll only have to go back down to the doctors once a month.
Lorena shared that she was able to visit with the Briles while they were at Riley. The Briles' family desperately need our prayers. Pray for strength, wisdom, rest and peace. Pray also that the Lord will touch Chrissy's body in a miraculous way!

John's counts remain low as of this morning, but up 200 points from last week. ANC was 560 this morning. John is still homebound until next Monday's blood draw. He can leave the house with his mask on but would rather stay at home. Monday's appointment is postponed until at least June 30. If his counts are up over 1500, he will begin the maintenance phase of therapy which consists of 3 oral chemo pills.

Thanks for all your continued prayers for John and the family.

An update as of June 11th...John's count have gone down once again due to the last round of chemo. His numbers at the beginning of the week were down in the 400's. This mean that John is limited to his house and Lorena has to provide all his meals. Even through this low point, John's spirits are up. Continue to pray that John's counts come back up quickly so that he is able to get out and about.

An update on John...

As of this past Monday, John's counts were at 2434. This is great news! John is now able to leave the house and continue with all of his activities. With his counts being up, he was also able to begin his last round of chemotherapy this week. He began chemo on Tuesday and will finish it at the close of the week. He'll then take a month off and then begin his oral medications. Last month a blood drawn was taken and more good news...John is still in remission! John is feeling well and as active as always! This coming weekend he will be graduating with the class of 2008 from Mississinewa High School.
One prayer request we can all remember to pray about is in regards to John's medications. There has been some problems with the pharmacies keeping the oral medication in stock. Please pray that this situation gets taken care of!

A bit of a setback today for John, though it is not altogether unexpected. Word came today from Riley that John's counts are down due to his recent chemo therapy. John has responded very well to these treatments with no mouth sores, and very little nausea. However he is experiencing his counts bottoming out, and he is starting to lose his hair again. John is now considered to be "severely neutropenic" which means he is susceptible to catching illness from others. He will not be able to attend school until his counts come up again. Also, the additional chemo treatment scheduled for next week will need to be delayed until his counts rebound. John's spirits are up despite this set back. Keep praying for John as he weathers this latest set back. We'll keep you posted.

Greetings! John has started another round of chemo this week. Monday through today he has traveled to Riley for chemo. The treatments don’t last long, only about half an hour. They were anticipating that he would become very sick with this round as is often the norm. Praise the Lord, that after his first two treatments he did not become sick and has been responding very well. John is hopeful that he might be able to have his pick-line removed by the middle of May. He will go for another round of chemo similar to this week, later in May. Continue to pray that John won’t experience the sickness that they anticipate. There is the concern that the next round could affect graduation if he were to become very sick. God is helping and the family is thankful.
Continue to pray also for Pearson’s friend, Brice. Also please pray for Chrissy Briles, and Justin Logan, both of whom are in Riley today. Lorena has been able to comfort and support both of these families during this weeks visit.
Keep praying.

A quick update on John. He is in his 9th week of Arsenic treatment. These treatments have gone very well with no ill side affects. John travels to Riley each day to receive the treatments through his IV. The process takes a couple of hours each time. John has been able to pick up soccer again and is now playing in two leagues. His first game is this coming Saturday. Keep praying for John as he and his family travel back and forth to Indy to finish up these treatments. One more week to go and the Arsenic therapy will be completed.
Pearson’s have also been able to visit with the Briles family. Chrissy Briles is a friend from Lakeview Christian School and now in ICU at Riley. She is very sick and in need of our prayers. You can check up on the latest on Chrissy at the follow: at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/chrissybriles Please pray for the Briles family.

John has been getting along quite well of late. Today marks the beginning of his second round of Arsenic treatments. Once again he’ll be traveling to Riley in Indy five days a week for five weeks to receive this therapy. Each treatment takes a couple of hours to complete. There are some possible side affects, of which John was spared during his first regiment of treatment. Let’s be praying that this trend will continue, and also for traveling safety for the family. Lorena and John will most likely rotate weeks in taking him to Riley.

Update on Brice. We’ve been praying for young Brice, John roommate at Riley. Brice has been going through treatment at a special facility in New York. The report came this week that Brice is now cancer free due to the treatments he’s been receiving. He will continue to receive treatment for his cancer. Praise the Lord for this good report on Brice. Brice and his family wish to send their heartfelt thanks to all of John’s friends and family who have been holding them up in prayer.

Keep praying! God is at work!

Things are going well these for John. He is in his fourth week of Arsenic Therapy and all is well. He is not experiencing any side affects from this treatment. He will undergo one more week of this and then take a break. John will continue to take the ATRA indefinitely. God has been providing for the Pearson’s as they have been traveling daily to Riley for the treatment.

More good news...John has been cleared to begin practicing indoor soccer again, as long as he is very careful. He has also been cleared to drive here locally. As you can imagine this is a tremendous boost for John. Continue to pray for John & the family as they walk through this experience. Also pray for the Pearson’s friends, Brice King and his family. Brice is continuing to receive treatment down at Riley. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

BLOOD IS NEEDED...

We were informed that last week Riley Hospital was running low on blood. Some individuals who are there receiving treatments are in desperate need of blood. As we announced last Sunday, you can give blood where you are and designate it to go to Riley. You also need to designate a patient who you wish to have it. Currently John is not needing blood but his former roommate Brice King is needing some.

As we hear about other children who are in desperate need of blood we will also post their names so that you can designate it for them as well.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support of those who have been dealing with this horrible disease.

The Arsenic Therapy continues to go well. So far John has not experienced any sickness due to this medicine. There was a slight concern over his blood pressure, but they are monitoring him closely. He will have an EKG on Monday.

Little Brice received his Stem Cell transplant on Thursday. Lorena and Janna were able to watch the procedure. Now they will have to wait for 14 days to see if he can begin to make his own cells.

Continue to pray for John and the family as they travel to Indy daily. Let’s also pray for Brice and his family as they wait over this next week.

Thank you all for your prayers. God is at work!

John began his Arsenic treatment at Riley Children’s Hospital on Monday. This treatment began with a blood draw to check his levels. John’s ANC count was over 2000. This is a tremendous praise for the Doctors were hoping for at least 1500. All of John’s other levels were holding steady as well…perhaps just a bit below normal but still doing okay. John received the arsenic through his pick line for 2 hours, followed by another hour of the medical staff monitoring his heart. This will be a daily routine (except for the blood draw) for the next 5 weeks; excluding weekends. John did not feel ill following the procedure and was even able to eat on the way home and attend FCA at Ole Miss. Continue to pray over these next few days as John’s body is getting used to receiving this new treatment. Thank you all for your continued prayer support.

Let’s also continue to pray for little Brice. Brice was John’s first roommate. He is 2 ½ years old and is from southern Indiana. Brice is back to Riley and is receiving several high doses of chemo-therapy. On Thursday he is to receive some of his own stem cells back which were taken from his bone marrow. The family is most likely looking to take him to New York to a special clinic there for a special procedure. Please pray for Brice, Shea (mom) and Linda (grandma) as they are away from home helping with Brice. Pray for wisdom as they are making decisions, traveling mercies as they travel, and ultimately for the Lord to intervene on Brice’s behalf.

Keep praying…

Praise the Lord!

John heard back today that his bone marrow shows zero leukemia cells which means that he is in remission. The plan is still that he will begin his Arsenic treatment on Monday. This could change depending on his blood counts. As of today, everything points to being able to start the Arsenic as scheduled. John did go back to school today and was glad to see his friends and teachers. The Arsenic therapy will take approx. 2 hours to administer through his pick-line and he will receive daily for five weeks. Keep praying…

A trip to Riley for more tests today revealed some more good reports. John’s ANC number is at 807. Doctors would like to see this at around 1500 but it’s still good. He had an EKG today and it came back normal. His kidneys and liver both look good as well. He did have a bone marrow biopsy today and his Doctor’s preliminary report is that it is clear. They have to wait, however, for a couple of days until a pathologist can take a closer look. John did not start Arsenic treatment today. They want to know the results of the bone marrow first. They are looking to next Monday to start this treatment. John has been back on the ATRA for a few days and is not experiencing any headaches. He is now being taken off of his headache medicine. John is in good spirits, feels good, and is gaining weight. It was GREAT to see him in church on Sunday. The entire church family was glad to see him. Tomorrow he is going back to school. He is going to have to wear a mask…but is glad to be going back. Praise the Lord for all the answered prayers. Keep praying.

Just a quick update for today. John’s ANC numbers are up to 802 which means he is out of the severe neutropenic range. This means he is able to go out...but still needs to wear a mask. He is hoping that he might pay a visit to the ballgame at school tonight. Everything is on track for Monday; Bone Marrow Biopsy, EKG of the heart, and maybe begin the Arsenic Therapy. More good news; John has gained 1 lb since being back home. That’s a step in the right direction. We’ll keep you posted. Keep praying.

To catch everyone up....
Last Wednesday evening (Jan 2) was a great celebration as John was able to come home. Over the past week, John has been feeling a bit better. He continues to make 3 or 4 trips up and down the stairs at home each day. He's been playing some video games, working on his computer and seeing some friends each evening as they catch up on what is happening at church and school. Now, John is getting a little "stir crazy" being coped up in the house and can't wait until he can get out.
On Sunday night the Westview Youth group was able to raise some money for the family as well as support John with a head shaving party. Lorena and Janna were able to be there that evening to give the church and update as well as enjoy the shaving party. John has been able to see many pictures and the video of his friends going bald for a good cause.
Yesterday (Wednesday, Jan. 9) the family received John's ANC number from the labs. His count from Monday was 431 which is up from 196 when John left the hospital. This is a praise but also an area of prayer. John's ANC count needs to be at 1000 before he'll be allowed to leave the house. John also began taking his ATRA again on Wednesday. The hope is that he won't have the side effects (headaches & fever) he had while he was in the hospital.
On Monday, Jan. 14th John will go back to Riley for a bone marrow biopsy, an EKG, an Echo gram and may begin his arsenic therapy. Let's pray for the family on this day. Whenever John begins his arsenic therapy it will be a five week process.
Another prayer request from the family is for each of us to continue to remember Brice and his family. Little Brice has some major procedures facing him in the next few days/weeks. Pray for God's peace, strength and wisdom as his family walks through these days with Brice.
With John being at home now, his status seems to be pretty much the same. If/When this changes, we will make sure we update this blog. If there are no updates, then we can just assume that his status remains the same. Thank you to each of you who have been praying for the family, making comments on this site, visiting the family and sending Johnny notes. The family greatly appreciates all you have done. Let's keep up the great work!

BALD & BEAUTIFUL...

5 girls cut their hair to donate to locks of love...

20 guys shaved their heads...

All to support our friend John!

Another opportunity to give...
The Won-By-One Youth Group of Westview are trying to raise some funds and build support for Johnny all at the same time....and you can be involved!
One of the side effects of the chemo that Johnny had to take while in the hospital was the loss of his hair. Johnny now is sporting the bald and beautiful look, just like his father. The guys in the youth group want to support Johnny through this time by going bald themselves.
Sunday night, January 6th, following the evening worship service (around 7:00pm) the youth group is organizing a shaving party. Three different dollar marks have been set which will lead to some shining scalps. At the first dollar mark, almost every teen guy in the youth group will be having their heads shaved. At the second dollar mark, some of the adult guys who help with the youth group will shave their heads. And if the top dollar mark is obtained, Pastor Jeff will be shaving his head. The money that is collected will be given to the family to help with their expenses during these challenging days.
If you would like to make a donation or pledge to this cause, send an email to pastorjeff@westviewwesleyan.com or call the church office at 765-674-8558. Another way you can support John is by having your head shaved. If you'd like to participate, join us Sunday night in the Family Life Center at 7:00pm.
This will be a fun time together to support and encourage John and his family!
We love you Johnny!

Re: Visiting John at home.

John is still in a neutropenic state (susceptible to illness/germs, etc.) and is quite tired; therefore the best “policy” for visiting John is to call first. You can call Lorena’s cell; 765-661-8395 or their home phone; 765-674-9514 to see if it’s a good time for a visit. Starting next week John & Lorena may set some “visiting hours” in order to allow for family time, and study time for Janna and John, when he’s up to it. They welcome your visits and are encouraged by your prayers and concern. Let’s be sure to call in advance before visiting. Also...if you have a cold, sore throat, or any type of infectious illness, please stay away.

Re: Bringing food.

There are many procedures/cautions when it comes to food for John. I know that many of you would love to bring a meal in, but there are several concerns because of his weakened immune system. Since they are just now learning about what to do and what not to do, let’s hold off on bringing in any meals. There will no doubt be a time coming soon when this will be possible. Again, if you have questions regarding bringing food you can always give Lorena a call. For now it would be good to allow them to get home and let the “dust settle.” There are going to be many opportunities to help in the coming months. Thanks so much for all your prayers and support. God is working; you ARE appreciated and loved.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Today is a “Happy Day” for John and his family. He is to be released from Riley sometime today. The family (as you can imagine) is very excited about coming home; sleeping in their own beds; eating something, other than McDonalds...etc. After his release today, John is going to have another test on his optic nerve...then they’ll head home. They are receiving instructions for all that needs to happen on the home-front. They are also being set up with a Home Health care provider who will care for John’s pic-line, change dressings and draw blood so they can monitor his progress. John will begin to receive the ATRA again next Wednesday. His counts are holding steady. He has been fever free since Saturday. The headaches are lessening, Praise The Lord! At present, he is scheduled to return to Riley on January 14th for a routine follow-up appointment.

Give the Lord praise today for answered prayers, and for the provision of His hand. Keep praying!