Welcome back to Billy's Page #61 !

There have been visits to this page!!

 Wed. 22 Sept. 2004  88°

8:30pm Welcome back to Billy's Page. Today is Day +202 on Billy's BMT calendar. Today's visit to the clinic was uneventful. Todays counts are: WBC @ 3.60, RBC @ 3.62, Hemoglobin @ 11.9, platelets @ 127,000. ANC @ 2,300.
Once again, here are what the Normal blood counts levels are:

WBC: 4.0 - 10.5
RBC: 4.20 - 5.60
Hemoglobin: 12.5 - 16.1
Platelets: 150.000 - 450.000

I hope you like the "new" design for Billy's Page *wink*. I have tried to keep a "fresh look" about this site over the 2 years I have been editing it. I tried to get Billy's favorite color (red) incorporated into this website, but I was truly at a dead end. I was not happy with how the site looked when I checked it on different browsers, so I decided to go with a blue scheme, I feel it is very easy on the eye's. What do you think?
I have added a simple navigation menu to the left, as well as an image map (below) something like the one on the previous pages. Simply click on the text of the link you would like to go to and "POOF", off 'ya go! I have also added an "Update Notice" at the top of the page. You can tell if the page has been updated without having to scroll down to see *wink*.

Billy is feeling pretty good today, and handled his Pantamadine (1 hour infusion) very well. Friday will be his next clinic visit to check his Cyclosporine level. Billy will start to "wean" from this drug beginning next week. His system will be checked once a week to see how well his body is coping with the "weaning process".

Please Pray for Billy.........................and ALL children of cancer.

 Fri. 24 Sept. 2004  89°

1:30pm Welcome back to Billy's Page. Today is Day +204 on Billy's BMT calendar. Today's visit to the clinic was uneventful. Todays counts are: WBC @ 3.60, RBC @ 3.65, Hemoglobin @ 12.2, platelets @ 139,000. ANC @ 2,300.
As you can see, Billy's counts have rebounded quite nicely. Billy is feeling pretty good today, but like most of us, he is a bit concerned about yet another Hurricane that is threatening to impact our area sometime over this weekend. We just removed all the coverings from the windows that we installed because of the last 2 hurricanes that came through the area. It looks as though we will have to re-install them if the track of this hurricane holds true.

Please Pray for Billy.........................and ALL children of cancer.

 Mon. 27 Sept. 2004  85°

1:30pm Welcome back to Billy's Page. Today is Day +207 on Billy's BMT calendar.
Thank you all, for your concern over this past weekend. We really got beat up this time around, from hurricane Jeanne. Jeanne passed just 40 miles to our north east just as Frances did 3 weeks ago, but the eye of the hurricane was 30 miles wide. This was the 4th hurricane in 6 weeks to hit Florida, and the 3rd to pass within 40 miles of our home. Jeanne took her sweet 'ole time passing through the area. We started getting some high winds early yesterday morning (3:00am). We had 50 mph winds all day, with many gusts of over 75 mph, and the highest wind was recorded at 84 mph here in St. Pete. We had a few sporatic power outages, but our power remained on throughout the storm, although 160,000 people in our County alone, are still without power. We had a few large branches fall onto our roof, but had no roof damage. Alicia and I were out early this morning cutting up the downed limbs, and the city came by as we were finishing up, and loaded all the rubbish into their dump truck, and moved on down the street to clear up the rest of the "mess". I was really surprised at how fast the city was on top of things. It took a few days to get cleaned up after the last 2 hurricanes passed through (Charley, Frances). Hurricane season isn't over until November 30th, so lets hope that this will be the last we see of any tropical storms for this season.

Billy did show signs of a fever (100.4°) early on Saturday, but it was held at around 99° or so all weekend. Billy is feeling good, and his clinic visit this morning was uneventful. The staff at the clinic was at a minimum, so Billy only had his Cyclosporine levels, and CBC's done. We don't have the results because the samples were sent to the main Hospital to be processed. Dr. Petrovic will contact us if there is any concern's over Billy's counts.

Please Pray for Billy.........................and ALL children of cancer.

 Thur. 30 Sept. 2004  88°

11:00am Welcome back to Billy's Page. Today is Day +210 on Billy's BMT calendar. Today's visit to the clinic was uneventful. Todays counts are: WBC @ 2.70, RBC @ 3.52, Hemoglobin @ 11.6, platelets @ 120,000. ANC @ 1,700.
I hope this update finds you all in good spirits, and that all of our "local" Friends are coping with all the devastation brought on over the past 7 weeks, by the any of the 4 hurricanes that wreaked havoc in our area. We are all but done with our "mess", here in St. Pete. Half of our street is still without power (6 days). We were one of the lucky ones to have had no disruption, other than a few brief "off and on" outage's.

Billy has done well with all that has gone on regarding the storms, but is showing some irritability over his "situation". Billy is feeling pretty good all in all, although his counts are down a bit from last week. His Cyclosporine levels are holding in the "safe" zone, and Billy is now down to 50mg in the morning, and 25mg in the evening; for a total of 75mg's per day. Billy's features are also returning to "normal" *wink*. His puffiness has diminished considerably, although it will be a few more months before the effects of the Prednisone (steroid's) has run it's course.
Alicia is preparing for a trip down to Miami for a long weekend, to visit with Juani, Guydia, and their "new" baby Adriana! Can you believe that she is 7 months old already!! Boy, time has just flown by...................

Billy's report card is in:
    Advanced math, Pre Algebra.......A
    Advanced Life Science.......A
    Advanced Language Arts.......A
    European, American Geography.......A
    Reading 7.......A
I've said it before, and I'll say it again; It's not because Billy is Our Son, that I speak highly of him. After all that this Child has gone through in the 2+ years he has been fighting for his life, he still has the ability and drive to maintain his grades in school. There is so much on Billy's mind through the course of the day (and night), that I find it utterly amazing that he is still focused on what is important, and that he can focus on anything, besides the fact that he has cancer. Congratulations Billy, we are so very Proud of you.

12:00am Billy was admitted to ACH this evening at 7:00pm. He started to feel very bad around 5:30pm, so we took his temp. and it spiked at 102.7°. We called Dr. Petrovic, and she told us to get to the Hospital "NOW". We were there in 10 minutes, and spent the next 4 1/2 hours in the isolation room in the emergency room. They started his meds, and anti-biotics there as we waited for the staff to ready a sterile room in the BMT ward (2 south west). We finally got settled in room #273 at 11:30 tonight. Billy will probably be kept in the Hospital for the next 7 days, or until they figure out what has caused this fever. Lets hope it's not his leg.

Please Pray for Billy.........................and ALL children of cancer.

 Fri. 1 Oct. 2004  90°   727-898-7451 Room # 273 A

6:00pm Welcome back to Billy's Page. Today is Day +211 on Billy's BMT calendar. Todays counts are: WBC @ 3.16, RBC @ 3.45, Hemoglobin @ 11.2, platelets @ 129,000. ANC @ 1,800.
First of all, let me say that, with Billy's delicate condition any sign of infection can be a life threatening situation. A blood culture has found the "possible" cause of Billy's high fever. There seems to be a bacterial growth in Billy's Broviac Catheter. Although Dr. Petrovic and her staff are "glad" that this is the cause, and not something more critical such as his leg, they are still concerned. Billy will have to have his Medi Port accessed this evening to see if there is any possible infection growing there as well. Knowing this procedure was going to be done really upset Billy. There are only a small few people at ACH that Billy is comfortable with to perform this procedure, and only one is available *wink*. This could be a very painful procedure, and traumatic to say the least.
Dr. Letson (Billy's Surgeon) was in the Hospital and stopped in to see Billy. He informed us that if all goes "WELL", Billy will probably have re-constructive surgery on his leg sometime in January 2005. Billy will have x-rays done on his leg while he is in the Hospital during this week, and these measurements will aid the surgical team in building Billy's "New Prosthesis". The prosthesis will be constructed in England, and takes approx. 1 1/2 months to produce.
Billy had a very trying day today. He didn't get very much rest last night, and today was a busy day. One Bright Spot, in a Dark day at the Hospital, came when Billy was visited by Debby and Eric Horner around noon. Those of you who have been following Billy's Journey will remember that Eric is the person who wrote, and sings "Billy Makes It Rain"(see below). It was so nice to see them again, and Billy truly enjoyed their visit. Eric and Debby brought a few things with them for Billy, including a very special card and Gift from a young boy from their home town in Kentucky, who has befriended Billy; Thank you Kenneth, that was very thoughtful of you.

8:30pm Billy had his Medi Port accessed at 7:30, and I am happy to say that "all went well". Jennifer, from the clinic was more than happy to do what ever she could to make Billy comfortable in this process. She was able to achieve access the 1st time, and Billy will remain accessed while he is in the Hospital so more tests can be done through the port, and to be sure it is free from infection.

Please Pray for Billy.........................and ALL children of cancer.

 Sat. 2 Oct. 2004  92°   727-898-7451 Room # 273 A

6:00pm Welcome back to Billy's Page. Today is Day +212 on Billy's BMT calendar. Todays counts are: WBC @ 3.01, RBC @ 3.30, Hemoglobin @ 10.7, platelets @ 139,000. ANC @ 2,200.
Billy had a fairly good night last night. Billy has to be pre-medicated before he is infused with one of the anti-biotics called Vancomycin, and the pre-meds usually put him to sleep. Billy had received this drug when his leg became infected at Christmas time last year, remember? *wink*. This anti-biotic is one of the strongest available, and is used with caution. If an infection (bacteria) becomes resistant to this drug, there aren't many anti-biotics available to combat it as well as vancomycin, so other anti-biotics are used in it's place like the one Billy was taking called Clindamycin. Billy just stopped taking clindamycin a few weeks ago, and will probably be taking it again when he is released from the Hospital. Dr. Letson (Billy's surgeon) recommended this in his discussion with us yesterday.
Alicia spent the night with Billy, as she usually does when he is Hospitalized. As you probably remember, Alicia has been trying to get down to Miami for the past couple weeks, but a couple Hurricane's, and Billy's Hospital stay has kind of put her trip on hold once again. Maybe next week *wink*.................

Please Pray for Billy.........................and ALL children of cancer.

 Please click on "next page" above or below, to continue your Journey with Billy. See you on page #62!

    

  


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