Jayson is still fighting for his life. He made it through the night and now the goal is to keep him alive for another 12 hours. He is currently stable and showed some slight improvements. He had a restful and quiet night. This is in contrast to what went on during the day yesterday, Sept. 11th.
The main concerns the doctors had yesterday was Jayson's liver function and the increase in the fluid he was retaining. His liver function was getting worse so they have been monitoring it very closely. His body is still retaining a lot of liquid. They are trying to minimize the amount of liquid going in and at the same time trying to increase his urine output and gradually take some fluid out. It has been a battle to try to get ahead of it and throughout the day yesterday, we could see Jayson's body swelling up.
Yesterday, while they were trying to get some fluids out from his lungs, they found there was an obstruction and they couldn't get where they needed to go. It was determined that the tube was bent a little, so it was adjusted and chest x-ray was done to confirm proper placement. During the procedure of correcting the tube placement, there was some damage done and he started bleeding. His body's inability to clot properly, allowed the bleeding to continue. The blood was coming out through his mouth, then through his nose. A team of ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) doctors came in to plug his nose and that helped stop the bleeding.
Jayson continued to communicate with us through his eyebrows, but we noticed that as the day progressed, he was not doing it as often. We knew he could still hear us so we've been playing music, singing and talking to him as well.
Many more friends and family came and visited Jayson yesterday. Some are taken aback when they saw him because he's retained so much fluid that it's not easy to recognize him. Many prayed over him or said a prayer for him. At one point when we wasn't responding at all, we thought that he was leaving us. I just kept talking to him and continued to encourage him to show us he was still there and he was hearing us. Finally, he raised his eyebrows twice. This brought cheers and praises among the people around him. He was still with us! Thank you, Lord. I was later told that sometimes his ability to respond may be affected by the medications he was getting. So, now, I'm not so concerned or scared when I talk to him and he doesn't raise his eyebrows. We will continue to believe he is hearing us even if he doesn't respond. God is still working his miracle in Jayson.
He continues to get his chemotherapy and so far there seems to be a positive reaction to it. He is continuously getting blood transfusions and medications are adjusted as needed. He still has a long battle ahead of him, but we're taking it a day at a time, sometimes, even an hour at a time. Today, the main concern is Jayson's liver and kidneys. They're both not functioning well and there's concern about them failing. So, let's ask God to help these organs.
The doctors, nurses, social worker, janitorial and other staff are doing all they can to help Jayson and our family. They are each a blessing to our family. I can't express the gratitude we have for the staff here at NMCSD. Their dedication and compassion is unbelievable! There are so many people here at the hospital who are pulling for Jayson. He gets daily visits from nurses and staff members from the 2 East and 2 North wards who have taken care of him during the past few years. Although many of his original nurses have transferred to new duty stations they are still praying for him. We've said "good-bye" to many familiar faces, but we're also saying "hello" to new ones who are as dedicated to doing their job and taking care of Jayson.
The staff has given us a room next to Jayson where family and friends can gather. We've also been given a suite at the Fisher House here in the hospital property. This is a house that was built through a foundation where family members can stay at while their love ones are in the hospital. There is a limited space, but we were blessed to get one.
Blessings just continue to pour over Jayson and our family. We are so very grateful for each and every blessings, big or small, that have come our way. And we continue to praise our heavenly Father for His mercy, His love and His healing power.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Latest Update
Jayson had a long and traumatic day yesterday. His fever returned during Monday night and he began coughing. He had a negative reaction to the plasma that he received. His blood pressure went down to a critical level. He was immediately surrounded by a team of doctor and nurses. His situation was quickly evaluated. Medication was given to help his blood pressure. It was determined that he was retaining a lot of fluids and there was fluid in his lungs which made it harder to breath. He also had a high amount of white blood cells (mostly immature cells). This increased the risk of Jayson having a stroke. Therefore, they needed to take out most of these cells through a procedure called leukapherisis. In order to do this a central line was put in on his neck to access the blood.
As they treated Jayson, the doctors noticed that he had a harder time breathing even with an oxygen mask. They also noticed that he was very tired and becoming less and less responsive. They put a CPAP machine to help his breathing and it was quickly decided that a breathing tube had to be placed in his mouth. The doctor discussed the reason and the risks involved with this procedure with us. She also emphasized that its possible that this would be the last time we were able to interact with Jayson while he was alert. So, we discussed the procedure with Jayson along with the risk of death due to complications while placing the tube. We asked him what he wanted to do and his decision was to proceed with it. Henry, Justin, Kristen, Grandpa and I each had a chance to talk to him before they sedated him. We told him we loved him, we'll be praying for him and we'll be by his side as soon as the procedure was complete. I also told him that if it was time for him to go and he was no longer able to fight his disease that we gave him permission to let go. We told him not to worry about us and that God is with him. We prayed over him and he told us "I love you." At about 12:30 p.m. they began the procedure.
The actual procedure went smoothly. But soon after that, the oxygen level going in his body was going down. So they had to increase the pressure in his lungs to help push more of the liquid and blood out of his lungs. They were able to stabilize him but at a high amount of pressure. This has caused additional complications. His heart has had to work harder to get blood into his lungs and body. The doctors didn't want his lungs to be doing a lot work and so they paralyzed his body and they are doing the breathing for him.
At about 2:00 p.m. the leukapherisis was started. It took about 3 hours, but Jayson reacted positively to the procedure. His white blood count went from about 127,000 to 17,000. The nurses were expecting the reduction to be about 50%, so this decreased was more substantial. I know that God played a major role in this.
Father Spencer, a chaplain here at the hospital, came by to anoint him with healing oil. He also confirmed him and sealed him the holy spirit. We're comforted in knowing that his sins have been forgiven and God will welcome him in his due time. He was also given his last rites, extreme unctions.
In the evening, it was confirmed that Jayson did have Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in his bone marrow. He now had two rare form cancers in his body that he had to battle and be treated for. After a discussion with Jayson's oncologists, we decided to go ahead and proceed with the chemo treatment. They started the treatment after the leukapherisis was completed.
At about 4:30 p.m. one of his doctors talked to us about what was going on. Her immediate goal was to help reduce the fluids in his lungs. She discussed all the complications Jayson was facing and the data she had did not look good. Her goal was to try keep Jayson alive for the next 12 hours. This news tore our hearts. Even though we didn't want to hear it, we needed to hear it. We had to know the truth and face reality.
Soon after this, we gathered the many family and friends who came to be with us to a room that the hospital staff had prepared for us. It was right next to Jayson's room and the two rooms were separated by only glass windows and door. So our friends and family were able to see him through the glass. We shared the sad, painful news and the challenges that lay ahead for Jayson. It was tough to hear and even harder to accept what was happening, but everyone just pulled strength and comfort from one another and from our heavenly Father.
Jayson's friends from his youth group (YFC-Youth for Christ) came to visit him along with many of our friends and extended family. It was hard for them to see Jayson with a tube in his mouth and so lifeless. Tears were shed, hugs were shared and words of encouragement to Jayson were given. Since he was paralyzed from the neck down, his eyebrows was his only way of communicating with us. We'd ask him questions and told him to raise his eyebrows if he heard us. Many times he did. He responded well when we were talking to him about video games and when his young cousins, Andrew and Matthew, were talking to him via phone about helping them beat a video game.
His friends sang songs of worship to him for about an hour. His friend, Taryn, couldn't be here, so she was called and she sang a song and played a guitar for Jayson. We could see his quick reaction to her singing as he kept raising his eyebrows and I could see his eyes smiling. After the singing, we prayed over Jayson and many were able to spend some one-on-one time with him. Most family and friends left by 1 a.m., but a handful slept at the hospital. We were fortunate that the hospital staff gave us 2 rooms to stay in.
Jayson is currently stable. He made it through the first 12 hours, but he has a long way to go. He's still retaining a lot of fluid in his body and the doctors are trying to reduce this gradually. His vitals look good, he's rested and he's making small improvements. He's headed in the right direction. Praise God!
The Lord continues to pour his blessings upon us. He continues to strengthen and comfort us. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. God bless us all.
As they treated Jayson, the doctors noticed that he had a harder time breathing even with an oxygen mask. They also noticed that he was very tired and becoming less and less responsive. They put a CPAP machine to help his breathing and it was quickly decided that a breathing tube had to be placed in his mouth. The doctor discussed the reason and the risks involved with this procedure with us. She also emphasized that its possible that this would be the last time we were able to interact with Jayson while he was alert. So, we discussed the procedure with Jayson along with the risk of death due to complications while placing the tube. We asked him what he wanted to do and his decision was to proceed with it. Henry, Justin, Kristen, Grandpa and I each had a chance to talk to him before they sedated him. We told him we loved him, we'll be praying for him and we'll be by his side as soon as the procedure was complete. I also told him that if it was time for him to go and he was no longer able to fight his disease that we gave him permission to let go. We told him not to worry about us and that God is with him. We prayed over him and he told us "I love you." At about 12:30 p.m. they began the procedure.
The actual procedure went smoothly. But soon after that, the oxygen level going in his body was going down. So they had to increase the pressure in his lungs to help push more of the liquid and blood out of his lungs. They were able to stabilize him but at a high amount of pressure. This has caused additional complications. His heart has had to work harder to get blood into his lungs and body. The doctors didn't want his lungs to be doing a lot work and so they paralyzed his body and they are doing the breathing for him.
At about 2:00 p.m. the leukapherisis was started. It took about 3 hours, but Jayson reacted positively to the procedure. His white blood count went from about 127,000 to 17,000. The nurses were expecting the reduction to be about 50%, so this decreased was more substantial. I know that God played a major role in this.
Father Spencer, a chaplain here at the hospital, came by to anoint him with healing oil. He also confirmed him and sealed him the holy spirit. We're comforted in knowing that his sins have been forgiven and God will welcome him in his due time. He was also given his last rites, extreme unctions.
In the evening, it was confirmed that Jayson did have Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in his bone marrow. He now had two rare form cancers in his body that he had to battle and be treated for. After a discussion with Jayson's oncologists, we decided to go ahead and proceed with the chemo treatment. They started the treatment after the leukapherisis was completed.
At about 4:30 p.m. one of his doctors talked to us about what was going on. Her immediate goal was to help reduce the fluids in his lungs. She discussed all the complications Jayson was facing and the data she had did not look good. Her goal was to try keep Jayson alive for the next 12 hours. This news tore our hearts. Even though we didn't want to hear it, we needed to hear it. We had to know the truth and face reality.
Soon after this, we gathered the many family and friends who came to be with us to a room that the hospital staff had prepared for us. It was right next to Jayson's room and the two rooms were separated by only glass windows and door. So our friends and family were able to see him through the glass. We shared the sad, painful news and the challenges that lay ahead for Jayson. It was tough to hear and even harder to accept what was happening, but everyone just pulled strength and comfort from one another and from our heavenly Father.
Jayson's friends from his youth group (YFC-Youth for Christ) came to visit him along with many of our friends and extended family. It was hard for them to see Jayson with a tube in his mouth and so lifeless. Tears were shed, hugs were shared and words of encouragement to Jayson were given. Since he was paralyzed from the neck down, his eyebrows was his only way of communicating with us. We'd ask him questions and told him to raise his eyebrows if he heard us. Many times he did. He responded well when we were talking to him about video games and when his young cousins, Andrew and Matthew, were talking to him via phone about helping them beat a video game.
His friends sang songs of worship to him for about an hour. His friend, Taryn, couldn't be here, so she was called and she sang a song and played a guitar for Jayson. We could see his quick reaction to her singing as he kept raising his eyebrows and I could see his eyes smiling. After the singing, we prayed over Jayson and many were able to spend some one-on-one time with him. Most family and friends left by 1 a.m., but a handful slept at the hospital. We were fortunate that the hospital staff gave us 2 rooms to stay in.
Jayson is currently stable. He made it through the first 12 hours, but he has a long way to go. He's still retaining a lot of fluid in his body and the doctors are trying to reduce this gradually. His vitals look good, he's rested and he's making small improvements. He's headed in the right direction. Praise God!
The Lord continues to pour his blessings upon us. He continues to strengthen and comfort us. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. God bless us all.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Jayson's Back in Hospital
Jayson was taken to the hospital late Sunday night, September 8th, due to fever. Labs were drawn and tests are being done. He was given medications and antibiotics to combat the fever and possible infection. His fever went up to 103.3 during the early morning, but his doctors were able to get his temperature back to normal.
Although his fever is gone, his doctor has other concerns. His blood count from last night showed that his platelet level was low, but steady; his red blood count was down; and his white blood count had rapidly increased from last Friday. He received a platelet transfusion this morning and is currently getting red blood transfusion. His doctor's main concern is with the rapid increase of his white blood cells. It went from 2,000 to 78,000. This shows that his bone marrow was producing the white blood cells, but unfortunately, half of them produced were immature white cells. This can be caused by the presence of another type of cancer in his bone marrow. His doctor did a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture (removed some liquid from his spinal cord) before noon and the procedures went smoothly. We should get preliminary results later today. Jayson is currently sleeping and resting.
Jayson also underwent another PET scan this morning at 8:00. This was previously scheduled a few weeks ago and we hope to get preliminary results tonight or tomorrow.
We don't know how long he'll be in the hospital this time. It all depends on what the results of the biopsy and PET scan. There's a lot of questions and uncertainty right now and only time will reveal the answers. So, we wait anxiously for the results and pray harder for good news.
Jayson has been trying to live as normal of a life as possible. He had attended regular high school for the first week, but the new chemo treatment was leaving him too tired to make it to school on a regular basis. We are now looking at other alternatives for his education.
He has been very active in the Youth for Christ (YFC) ministry in Murrieta. In fact, during the youth camp retreat last Aug 23-25th in Corona, which was hosted by YFC, he shared his story, his battle with cancer, with the participants. During his testimony, he talked about his conversations with God. He had asked God "Why?" However he didn't ask "Why did I get cancer?" as we might expect, instead, he asked "Why was I surviving?" His conclusion was that the answer to this question was because of God's love for him. He further explained that God loves all His children, no matter what circumstances they may be in or how they may be behaving. He wanted the other teens to always remember that God loves them and will always be there for them. His testimony was obviously coming straight from his heart and brought many of us there to tears. He was a living testimony of God's love for us and an inspiration to the other youths.
Please continue to pray for Jayson and our family. May God continue to bless and have mercy on us. Thank you.
Although his fever is gone, his doctor has other concerns. His blood count from last night showed that his platelet level was low, but steady; his red blood count was down; and his white blood count had rapidly increased from last Friday. He received a platelet transfusion this morning and is currently getting red blood transfusion. His doctor's main concern is with the rapid increase of his white blood cells. It went from 2,000 to 78,000. This shows that his bone marrow was producing the white blood cells, but unfortunately, half of them produced were immature white cells. This can be caused by the presence of another type of cancer in his bone marrow. His doctor did a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture (removed some liquid from his spinal cord) before noon and the procedures went smoothly. We should get preliminary results later today. Jayson is currently sleeping and resting.
Jayson also underwent another PET scan this morning at 8:00. This was previously scheduled a few weeks ago and we hope to get preliminary results tonight or tomorrow.
We don't know how long he'll be in the hospital this time. It all depends on what the results of the biopsy and PET scan. There's a lot of questions and uncertainty right now and only time will reveal the answers. So, we wait anxiously for the results and pray harder for good news.
Jayson has been trying to live as normal of a life as possible. He had attended regular high school for the first week, but the new chemo treatment was leaving him too tired to make it to school on a regular basis. We are now looking at other alternatives for his education.
He has been very active in the Youth for Christ (YFC) ministry in Murrieta. In fact, during the youth camp retreat last Aug 23-25th in Corona, which was hosted by YFC, he shared his story, his battle with cancer, with the participants. During his testimony, he talked about his conversations with God. He had asked God "Why?" However he didn't ask "Why did I get cancer?" as we might expect, instead, he asked "Why was I surviving?" His conclusion was that the answer to this question was because of God's love for him. He further explained that God loves all His children, no matter what circumstances they may be in or how they may be behaving. He wanted the other teens to always remember that God loves them and will always be there for them. His testimony was obviously coming straight from his heart and brought many of us there to tears. He was a living testimony of God's love for us and an inspiration to the other youths.
Please continue to pray for Jayson and our family. May God continue to bless and have mercy on us. Thank you.
July 30th PET Scan Results
The results of Jayson's latest PET Scan on July 30th came back on August 1st. We are saddened to say that the cancer is progressing despite the new chemotherapy treatment he was undergoing. They found evidence of cancer in upper right femur bone, his left femur bone just above his knee and 3 areas along his spine from the base of his neck to his lower back. The other areas that had cancer according to his PET Scan this past May showed they were either gone or had not progressed.
Jayson has already undergone radiation therapy. He was getting daily radiation (M-F) from end of June through July for an area behind his right shoulder and underarm. The latest PET Scan showed the cancer in this right shoulder area was almost completely gone. Luckily, Jayson only had a few side-effects from this radiation treatment, mainly fatigue & redness in the area. Following the discovery of the cancer in his femur bones, a single radiation treatment was quickly done earlier this month to prevent further damage which can make Jayson susceptible to getting a fracture on these bones. He will get another PET Scan in September and we hope that the radiation treatment has helped his femur bones.
His oncologist had consulted with other cancer centers, i.e. St. Jude's Research, UCLA, etc. to see if there are any treatments that can help cure him. Unfortunately, she couldn't find a center or facility that can help cure Jayson. They will do their best to keep the cancer contained to the areas where they are now and help minimize any pain or discomfort he may feel. Please continue to pray for him.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Test Results and New Treatment Plan
On Tuesday, April 9th, we received the great news that the result of Jayson's bone marrow biopsy and CAT scan from April 5th were negative. We praise God for this wonderful news! We are so thankful that the cancer hasn't returned to his bone marrow or spread to his brain. This would have been a much tougher situation to treat.
Jayson & I met with his oncologist yesterday morning (Wed, April 10th) and decided on the treatment plan for Jayson. He will be receiving chemotherapy every 3 weeks which require only 1 overnight stay at the hospital. He is scheduled to have 12 cycles using 2 chemo drugs different from the ones used in the previous treatment plan. After 2 cycles, he will be evaluated to see if the treatment is helping. If the treatment is working, we will continue with the plan. If the cancer is getting worse, then he will be referred to a sarcoma center for further treatment and study. Of course, we hope that the chemo will help get rid of these cancer cells that were resistant to the first treatment. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for the cancer on his back. For the nodules on one of Jayson's lung and calf, we have the option to do surgery combined with radiation if the chemotherapy isn't helping these areas. We will know after the evaluation if this will be required. We will just continue to pray that the chemotherapy will help.
Jayson is scheduled to have surgery this afternoon at 12:30 p.m. to place a port-o-cath on his chest which will be used for his chemo treatment. He will be admitted to the hospital afterwards and tomorrow morning, his chemo treatment will begin. He will remain in the hospital until Saturday morning. His dad will be staying with him during the night and I will be with him during the day. We pray that God continues to minimize any pain Jayson may feel and to help him maintain the positive attitude.
One way that will help him stay positive is have life be as normal as possible. Unlike the first round of chemo treatment he underwent, Jayson, will still be able to continue going to school at Westview. He will be missing a few days every three weeks as he gets his chemo treatment, but at least he'll be able to be around friends on a regular basis. We know it's been beneficial for him to enjoy life as much as possible and being around his family and friends gives him joy and support.
Right now it's almost 9:00 a.m. and Jayson is still asleep. I will be getting him up soon to to take him in for his surgery. We will continue to keep you all updated. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. God knows how grateful we are and we feel your prayers helping us deal with this setback. Until the next post, take care and God bless you all. - Jessie Adams
Jayson & I met with his oncologist yesterday morning (Wed, April 10th) and decided on the treatment plan for Jayson. He will be receiving chemotherapy every 3 weeks which require only 1 overnight stay at the hospital. He is scheduled to have 12 cycles using 2 chemo drugs different from the ones used in the previous treatment plan. After 2 cycles, he will be evaluated to see if the treatment is helping. If the treatment is working, we will continue with the plan. If the cancer is getting worse, then he will be referred to a sarcoma center for further treatment and study. Of course, we hope that the chemo will help get rid of these cancer cells that were resistant to the first treatment. Chemotherapy is the main treatment for the cancer on his back. For the nodules on one of Jayson's lung and calf, we have the option to do surgery combined with radiation if the chemotherapy isn't helping these areas. We will know after the evaluation if this will be required. We will just continue to pray that the chemotherapy will help.
Jayson is scheduled to have surgery this afternoon at 12:30 p.m. to place a port-o-cath on his chest which will be used for his chemo treatment. He will be admitted to the hospital afterwards and tomorrow morning, his chemo treatment will begin. He will remain in the hospital until Saturday morning. His dad will be staying with him during the night and I will be with him during the day. We pray that God continues to minimize any pain Jayson may feel and to help him maintain the positive attitude.
One way that will help him stay positive is have life be as normal as possible. Unlike the first round of chemo treatment he underwent, Jayson, will still be able to continue going to school at Westview. He will be missing a few days every three weeks as he gets his chemo treatment, but at least he'll be able to be around friends on a regular basis. We know it's been beneficial for him to enjoy life as much as possible and being around his family and friends gives him joy and support.
Right now it's almost 9:00 a.m. and Jayson is still asleep. I will be getting him up soon to to take him in for his surgery. We will continue to keep you all updated. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. God knows how grateful we are and we feel your prayers helping us deal with this setback. Until the next post, take care and God bless you all. - Jessie Adams
Sunday, April 7, 2013
More Tests and Make-A-Wish
Jayson had an MRI done on his left calf this past Friday morning, April 5th. The same day around noon, a bone marrow biopsy was done to check if the cancer is in his bone marrow again. The surgery took less than 30 minutes, but I had to wait until he woke up from the anesthesia before he could be discharged. After this surgery, he then had a CT Scan of his head to make sure the cancer hasn't spread to his brain. One of his doctor said that the results of the biopsy and CT Scan should come out by Tuesday.
On Wednesday, April 10th, Jayson has a follow-up appointment with his surgeon to check and see if the biopsy incision done on March 29th on his right upper back is healing properly. Hopefully, we'll also be able to talk to his oncologist to see if they have decided on a treatment plan. There's a lot of uncertainty at this time and we're both anxious and nervous to find out the results of his last tests. We will just continue to pray and hope that Jayson's test results will be negative. Please pray with us.
We also wanted to share that this past Wednesday, April 3rd, our family met with two representatives from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The goal of this foundation is to try to grant wishes of children who are dealing with life-threatening illness. I, personally, remember seeing stories on the news about this foundation and some of the wishes that have been granted to kids in the past. Never thinking that one day a child of mine would be one of those kids.
During this first meeting, the representatives talked about the foundation. They explained the type of wishes Jayson can ask for and gave examples of creative wishes that have been granted to others in the past. They also got to know Jayson and our family. They asked Jayson about some of his favorite things, i.e. food, color, hobbies, etc. When asked what he enjoyed doing, it was his younger sister, Keilani, who answered: "playing video game, going on the computer, playing guitar and sleeping" and Jayson just smiled and agreed. Keilani knew her brother so well.
Since Jayson didn't know what to wish for, he asked for one month to come up with his wish. Jayson is a very simple teen who doesn't ask for much, so coming up with a wish is tough for him. The representatives encouraged him to think BIG and be creative. His brother and sisters are helping him brainstorm some possible ideas - going on a Disney cruise, seeing how video games are developed & shopping spree. Unfortunately, Keilani's idea of meeting One Direction, will probably not be Jayson's wish. The representative will be back in a month to meet with us once again to see if Jayson has decided on a wish. This is definitely one thing he can look forward to as he most likely begins treatment.
Earlier this evening he announced on his facebook that the cancer has returned. Many have already offered their prayers and support. He is aware that there are many people who are thinking and praying for him.
He is staying positive and continues with life despite this setback. He spent this weekend attending his youth group meeting and a music ministry event. He has finals tomorrow and Tuesday, then begins a new quarter on Wednesday. However, he will most likely return as a home-hospital student when treatment begins. He's taking it all in stride and has faith that God is with him always.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Jessie Adams.
On Wednesday, April 10th, Jayson has a follow-up appointment with his surgeon to check and see if the biopsy incision done on March 29th on his right upper back is healing properly. Hopefully, we'll also be able to talk to his oncologist to see if they have decided on a treatment plan. There's a lot of uncertainty at this time and we're both anxious and nervous to find out the results of his last tests. We will just continue to pray and hope that Jayson's test results will be negative. Please pray with us.
We also wanted to share that this past Wednesday, April 3rd, our family met with two representatives from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The goal of this foundation is to try to grant wishes of children who are dealing with life-threatening illness. I, personally, remember seeing stories on the news about this foundation and some of the wishes that have been granted to kids in the past. Never thinking that one day a child of mine would be one of those kids.
During this first meeting, the representatives talked about the foundation. They explained the type of wishes Jayson can ask for and gave examples of creative wishes that have been granted to others in the past. They also got to know Jayson and our family. They asked Jayson about some of his favorite things, i.e. food, color, hobbies, etc. When asked what he enjoyed doing, it was his younger sister, Keilani, who answered: "playing video game, going on the computer, playing guitar and sleeping" and Jayson just smiled and agreed. Keilani knew her brother so well.
Since Jayson didn't know what to wish for, he asked for one month to come up with his wish. Jayson is a very simple teen who doesn't ask for much, so coming up with a wish is tough for him. The representatives encouraged him to think BIG and be creative. His brother and sisters are helping him brainstorm some possible ideas - going on a Disney cruise, seeing how video games are developed & shopping spree. Unfortunately, Keilani's idea of meeting One Direction, will probably not be Jayson's wish. The representative will be back in a month to meet with us once again to see if Jayson has decided on a wish. This is definitely one thing he can look forward to as he most likely begins treatment.
Earlier this evening he announced on his facebook that the cancer has returned. Many have already offered their prayers and support. He is aware that there are many people who are thinking and praying for him.
He is staying positive and continues with life despite this setback. He spent this weekend attending his youth group meeting and a music ministry event. He has finals tomorrow and Tuesday, then begins a new quarter on Wednesday. However, he will most likely return as a home-hospital student when treatment begins. He's taking it all in stride and has faith that God is with him always.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Jessie Adams.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Facing Another Setback
After just a few months in remission, we are sad to announce that Jayson's cancer has returned...
On Sunday evening, March 24th, as Jayson laid on the living room sofa, he asked his dad to scratch his back. Afterwards, my husband began examining Jayson's back for any possible lumps. He came across one and asked me to take a look at it. I confirmed that it did feel like the skin nodules that he had when he was first diagnosed. I then continued to feel around his back and found another smaller lump.
The following morning, we brought him in to see his oncologist to examine the lumps we found. She said neither of the lumps felt similar to the skin nodules he had before and they were too small to do a biopsy on. However, she ordered blood to be drawn to check his blood count. She also ordered a PET Scan which was scheduled for Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, his oncologist called with the results of the PET Scan. The areas where we found the suspicious lumps at did not light up. However, there were 3 hot spots (areas of concern) that did light up on the PET Scan - a lung, a calf and right upper back near his shoulder. His doctor ordered an MRI of his chest and back for the following morning. Jayson had plans to go to Disneyland on Thursday with his older sister and some of their friends, so he was very disappointed when he found out he had an appointment for that day. However, I told him that I would take him to Disneyland after the appointment to meet up with his sister and friends. We expected to be done by 10:30 that morning.
The MRI took a little longer than what we expected. When he was done, we were told to meet with a pediatric surgeon for a possible biopsy the following day. The surgeon examined the lump on his back and ordered us to go to get an ultrasound of the back shoulder to give us a better picture of the area. After the ultrasound, we met with the surgeon once again and she sent us to the complete the paperwork for the surgery which was scheduled for 10:30 on Friday morning. It was about 2 pm when we left the hospital and we drove straight to Disneyland.
On Friday morning, Jayson was taken to the operating room to get the lump on his back removed. During the biopsy, Jayson's blood pressure went down and he was given medication to counteract this. However, after administering this medication, his heartbeat went down dramatically and an EKG was immediately done. A pediatric cardiologist was called in to check Jayson's heart. I was told that Jayson's body was sensitive to the medication given and had overreacted to it. The cardiologist confirmed that Jayson's heart was strong enough for them to proceed with the biopsy. The biopsy was completed and the sample was sent to Pathology for testing. Jayson was kept overnight for observation and was given antibiotics to prevent an infection. He was discharged Saturday morning.
On Wednesday evening, April 3rd, one of his doctors called to give us the result of the biopsy. It was positive for cancer. Our world was once again turned upside down. After feeling a sense of normalcy for the past few months, we now have to go through all this again.
His doctor will be scheduling him for another bone marrow biopsy and a CT scan of his head to make sure that the cancer hasn't returned to his bone marrow or spread to his brain. We anticipate this to be done on Friday, April 5th. He then needs to get an MRI done this weekend on his leg, the other hot spot on the PET Scan.
Jayson took the news very well, much better than my husband and I. Instead of us comforting and reassuring him, it was him who was comforting us and telling us that he'll be fine. I was just so amazed at how strong, calm and confident he was - quite the opposite of how I felt at that moment. But... then again, I shouldn't be so surprise because Jayson has always had the positive attitude and outlook. We should all learn from him.
So now, we have to face the reality that the cancer is back and Jayson will most likely be going through another round of treatments. Although the break from the treatments has only been 2.5 months, we are grateful that we had that time to enjoy as much of a normal life as possible. Jayson was able to return to school and be with his friends. He also joined a catholic youth group during this time and got a chance to go on a weekend camping retreat with the group. He's met many new friends and has enjoyed their Friday evening meetings. It's great to see him so happy, socializing and enjoying life.
We will continue to count our blessings despite this devastating setback and we ask for your prayers for Jayson and our family. Thank you and God bless you.
On Sunday evening, March 24th, as Jayson laid on the living room sofa, he asked his dad to scratch his back. Afterwards, my husband began examining Jayson's back for any possible lumps. He came across one and asked me to take a look at it. I confirmed that it did feel like the skin nodules that he had when he was first diagnosed. I then continued to feel around his back and found another smaller lump.
The following morning, we brought him in to see his oncologist to examine the lumps we found. She said neither of the lumps felt similar to the skin nodules he had before and they were too small to do a biopsy on. However, she ordered blood to be drawn to check his blood count. She also ordered a PET Scan which was scheduled for Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, his oncologist called with the results of the PET Scan. The areas where we found the suspicious lumps at did not light up. However, there were 3 hot spots (areas of concern) that did light up on the PET Scan - a lung, a calf and right upper back near his shoulder. His doctor ordered an MRI of his chest and back for the following morning. Jayson had plans to go to Disneyland on Thursday with his older sister and some of their friends, so he was very disappointed when he found out he had an appointment for that day. However, I told him that I would take him to Disneyland after the appointment to meet up with his sister and friends. We expected to be done by 10:30 that morning.
The MRI took a little longer than what we expected. When he was done, we were told to meet with a pediatric surgeon for a possible biopsy the following day. The surgeon examined the lump on his back and ordered us to go to get an ultrasound of the back shoulder to give us a better picture of the area. After the ultrasound, we met with the surgeon once again and she sent us to the complete the paperwork for the surgery which was scheduled for 10:30 on Friday morning. It was about 2 pm when we left the hospital and we drove straight to Disneyland.
On Friday morning, Jayson was taken to the operating room to get the lump on his back removed. During the biopsy, Jayson's blood pressure went down and he was given medication to counteract this. However, after administering this medication, his heartbeat went down dramatically and an EKG was immediately done. A pediatric cardiologist was called in to check Jayson's heart. I was told that Jayson's body was sensitive to the medication given and had overreacted to it. The cardiologist confirmed that Jayson's heart was strong enough for them to proceed with the biopsy. The biopsy was completed and the sample was sent to Pathology for testing. Jayson was kept overnight for observation and was given antibiotics to prevent an infection. He was discharged Saturday morning.
On Wednesday evening, April 3rd, one of his doctors called to give us the result of the biopsy. It was positive for cancer. Our world was once again turned upside down. After feeling a sense of normalcy for the past few months, we now have to go through all this again.
His doctor will be scheduling him for another bone marrow biopsy and a CT scan of his head to make sure that the cancer hasn't returned to his bone marrow or spread to his brain. We anticipate this to be done on Friday, April 5th. He then needs to get an MRI done this weekend on his leg, the other hot spot on the PET Scan.
Jayson took the news very well, much better than my husband and I. Instead of us comforting and reassuring him, it was him who was comforting us and telling us that he'll be fine. I was just so amazed at how strong, calm and confident he was - quite the opposite of how I felt at that moment. But... then again, I shouldn't be so surprise because Jayson has always had the positive attitude and outlook. We should all learn from him.
So now, we have to face the reality that the cancer is back and Jayson will most likely be going through another round of treatments. Although the break from the treatments has only been 2.5 months, we are grateful that we had that time to enjoy as much of a normal life as possible. Jayson was able to return to school and be with his friends. He also joined a catholic youth group during this time and got a chance to go on a weekend camping retreat with the group. He's met many new friends and has enjoyed their Friday evening meetings. It's great to see him so happy, socializing and enjoying life.
We will continue to count our blessings despite this devastating setback and we ask for your prayers for Jayson and our family. Thank you and God bless you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)