Cancer by the numbers

In 4 months its been...

14+ trips to Madison

2 blood cultures

69 blood draws

2 blood transfusions

2 bone marrow aspirations

1 surgery (port placement)

1 echo cardiogram

6 inpatients

7 lumbar punctures

9 + new medications

1 platelet transfusion

17 port accesses

7 sedations

6 xrays

It puts it into perspective when you see the numbers laid out like this.  My son is going through so much in only 4 months time.  This means that I have had to leave my daughter in the care of someone else (amazing someone elses) 14+ times as well as during the 6 inpatients.  This means my boys have spent a total of 24 nights apart (6 inpatients 4 nights each, so far...), when they had never had a night apart before cancer.  This means my son has had 345 mls of blood taken out of his body (69 blood draws with at least 5 mls taken each time, most likely more then that!). 

This doesn't even take into account the total of all the medications he has taken or the amount of toxins we are pumping into my son.  This doesn't take into account the countless times I have had to wear gloves to wipe my son, or help him go to the bathroom.  It doesn't take into account the nights we were up with a son who constantly had to go to the bathroom, or was starving and on 'roid rage' (what they call kids on steroids).  This doesn't show the amount of burritos and peanut butter sandwiches I have made for a son who will only eat those things.  This doesn't show the emotional toll that it takes on everyone who loves and cares for our son. 

This also doesn't take into account the countless cards, notes, dinners, clean houses, hugs, smiles, monetary gifts, gifts to help my children,  gifts given to me to help me cope better, phone calls just to see how we are doing, prayers and so much more that has been done for our family to make the above that much easier.  I wish I would have kept track a little better of all the things we have been given.  We have been blessed immensely by all those we know, and by many strangers.  If we have to be going through what we are going through I am so grateful to have so many of you supporting and helping us.  We are truly blessed.