Birthday!

This birthday was a lot better than last years!

Granton has had great results again today at his check up. His hgb level is 14.4! We are happy to see his energy level increase and his spunky personality come to life as his red blood cells carry more oxygen throughout his body. Yesterday was an emotional day for me as I remembered where Granton was a year ago. However, this year, we celebrated Daniel's birthday at our new home with fried chicken and playtime outdoors instead of waiting in the ER with scary X-rays, followed by a life-flight ride, and very little hope. Daniel, was especially thankful for a new year and a better birthday! A healthy, happy boy was Granton's birthday present to his dad...much better than last year.



Not a lot has changed. We are now able to take Granton outside more without a mask which we mentioned before. He enjoyed playing in the sand pit at track...we will post some cute pics later on. He is still considered immune suppressed for a few more months after he received the retuxamab and steroids to correct his hgb level and stabilize his immune system. We will allow Granton to see more friends his age this summer. Also, we're still praying for the donor B-cells to come back and not his own. If the donor cells come back he will be less compromised and will not have to receive ivig for the rest of his life. We have been planning ahead on his behalf just in case he might need another transplant. Arrangements were made to keep Kaylynn's cord blood for Granton. Again, we have hope that a second transplant will not be needed, but we are trying to be wise parents through all of this. That's about it. We will try to put some more videos and pictures up soon.



Jenni

No news is good news

I know we have not posted in a while. Well, not much has happened with our little guy. In his case, no news is good new. We did not have to have a check up this week because his last one was so good. We have given him a new name, Pork Chop. This is due to his cheeks and growing belly. Personally, I love it. He has also started trying to repeat everything we say. It is funny because he still can't talk, but I like to see him try. We will try to put a video of the little man on the blog again soon. Thanks for the prayers. Don't forget his mama who is VERY pregnant with his little sister. Thanks again.

Glad everyone enjoyed the silly faces and kite video. Yes, we did save the kite. However, the weekend before Granton let go and it went over the roof and in a tree. We finally ripped it down a week later and added a new tail. The $1.00 Mickey Mouse kite stood the toddler's test! Last weekend we got to see some real high flyers in our pasture out back. Aunt Rachel's lizard kite flew the highest even though Grandpa was doing the flying. The track stud was running around getting everyone elses up in the air. Grandpa also won the reeling-in contest. We love to see Granton enjoying the great outdoors.

As for his appointment today, his hgb level shot up to 13.7! We are now able to stop his steroid that kills the T-cells and switch back to the hydrocortizone that we were in the process of weaning before. Plus, he received his last dose of rituximab, today, which kills the B-cells. Our doctor's visits will start to spread out again which is a big praise! We will go back in 10 days this time instead of one week. Granton will be under some restrictions still for the next 3 months but not as severe. We can take him outside now and this will be good for him according to the doctors. But, we will still be cautious about sick people and closed-in areas. One theme I've heard twice recently and I'm sure in the past is that Granton's own body can be the biggest threat working against him. Still, we want to be wise parents on his behalf. He should not have to have these treatments again and his immune system should take off and become stronger

After three months we will know whether his B-cells that come back are donor or recipient and as you know we pray for donor. Before the virus in January and before the treatments he received this past month to correct his immune system, Granton's B-cells were 75% donor which is encouraging and what we are hoping for again. The doctor acts positive toward Granton's progress and we are anticipating the better results.

Fun Day!

Two big thank yous and one big request

Wow, it has been a very busy week. We haven’t posted for a while mainly because we have not had any real big news and also because I have started track season. Our team is bigger than ever. This is great but it keeps me hopping. However, I now have some real news on Granton and the Wyrick family. First, I would like to thank everyone who has been remembering Josiah in their prayers. I don’t know a great deal other than he is better and has returned home. This is such a great family and they have been through so much please continue to pray for him. As for Granton, we also have a big “Praise the Lord!” His H.B.C. count was 12.1 on Friday. This is what normal people have. We can really see a big change in him. His energy level is through the roof. When he was sick and his H.B.C. was so low he acted normal. Now that he is healthy, which is the first time he can remember in his life, he is TURBOCHARGED! I could try to explain his actions but I wouldn’t do him justice. Just take my word for it, he eats anything in sight and acts as though he has high octane caffeine in his bloodstream. However, we do have a prayer request. Granton’s donor B cells were attacking his system and this why his H.B.C was so low. The medication the doctors gave him took out his B cells. We are about to take him off of those meds. We are praying that Granton’s donor B cells come back and get along with his system so all will be well. If Granton’s B cells come back instead Granton will have to get treatments for the rest of his life just like Grandma Ball explained in her earlier post. I don’t understand this much further than what I have explained. I just know that I am praying for Granton’s donor cells to come back and get along with everything else in his body. I have been praying for a long time that he will be a healthy little boy and a strong Christian man. Thank you. We take comfort knowing that so many people pray for our boy.

Jenni called and left a message. Josiah has shown some improvement. I think he is still critical but any improvement is a step in the right direction.

The Wyrick Family

Many people who read this blog know the Wyrick family very well. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting this family you have missed out. As most of you know I am a Track & Field coach. Actually, we start today. Anyway, Coach Wyrick was my Track and Field coach in high school and I have used a lot of his coaching methods with my team. When Granton was first taken to KC and we were learning of all his problems, Coach and his wife Mary came and visited with me. They were very helpful in preparing me for the mental and spiritual battles we would encounter with Granton’s condition. Mary and Coach know all about how hard things like this can be because they have had two children with many serious problems. They have lost one of their boys since our visit in KC. I am sharing all this with you because their other son with medical problems, Josiah, is in Children’s Mercy right now. He is not doing well. He is receiving blood transfusions but not responding as the doctors would hope. As I understand it, he is kicking platelets out as fast as the doctors pump them in. Please pray for this family. They have been a rock for so many to lean on, now I would appreciate it if you would lift them up.

Granton had a great weekend. He has grown a little since these pictures. This is no surprise considering he has turned into a bottomless pit. I think he ate more than his mom and dad last night. We have also caught him standing with out holding on to anything. Who knows, we might catch him walking sooner or later. It feels so good to experience answers to prayer.