Got a Little Scared There!

I have been having a horrible ordeal trying to get into this blog. I somehow got locked out and have been working for months trying to get back in so I could continue to update everyone on how Ben is doing. Let me tell you if you can't answer the crazy questions that Google requires AND if you can't verify through your phone number then things can go downhill very quickly. But through the Grace of God Matt was able to finally get me back in and my broken heart was instantly repaired. I love that man with all my heart. I will be updating Ben and Our Whole Family this weekend. Love you all Jamie

1st Anniversary!!!!! WOOHOO!

I almost can't believe it has been one year since Ben finished his Chemo-Therapy! This year has flown by so fast. Ben is in 1st grade and loving life. We have moved to Alexandria, LA and really enjoy it here. We wish Poppy could be with us to celebrate, but we know he is dancing it up and celebrating with Jesus! We could never have gotten to where we are without the awesome, amazing prayer support of all of our family and friends. Thank you so much for honoring us with your prayers, we are forever grateful! We look forward to our 2nd Anniversary. Love you All~*~*~*~*~Jamie

Cancer Free for a little over 2 Months!!!

It feels so wonderful not to feel like a crazy neurotic germ phobic Mommy!!! We had th flu this weekend. The REAL flu!!!! and we were able to stay at home like a normal familya and deal with it with a Dr. visit and a prescription!! This is a little to normal.....It doesn't feel real yet. Ben's most recent check up #2 went great!!!!!!!!!!! He had a bone scan to check the density of his bones. His long-term use of the steroids put him in danger of not growing correctly and praise the Lord again that the test came back great and he is growing perfectly!! This has been weighing heavily on me and I am so happy about these results. WE STILL NEED PRAYER FOR US AND FOR SOMEONE NEW!!!!! !Please pray for my newest friend Anni and her Father. They just recently found out that her dad has prostate cancer and it has spread to his bones. The good news for them is that it looks like he won't need chemo or radiation. This is a huge relief for them, but the road is tough and the biggest need of prayer is for Anni's father and mother who are not saved. All of us have someone we know or have known who is not saved and the pain that goes with that. I want to ask everyone who prayed so hard for Ben to please Love on this family and drown them with your prayer power that you gave so lovingly to us. I have really felt the Lord pulling me to pray for them and to ask my awesome warriors to do the same. Pray that God will use every minute of this to show them that He is Real and is True!! My parents are moving back to Arizona tomorrow!!! I am excited for them and sad for me :) Please pray for me and my kiddos for comfort. We could use it. :) Thank you again for all your prayers and support. God really has used you so much in our lives in the last 3 years! Jamie

It Is Finished

Ben went up to Cincinnati today for his first follow-up after stopping all his Meds. Last month on 10-8 he had his last vinchristine (chemo) in clinic. This Chemo they give him through his port IV. Then on 10-26 Ben took his last of his two Chemo meds that he takes at home along with the last of his steroids too. He was very excited about this especially when I let him throw them in the trash can!! At his appointment today they checked his CBCs and then sent him upstairs for out patient surgery to have his Port IV removed. He has had this in his chest for 3 years and 2 months. His port is his biggest physical reminder of the leuekemia so he is very excited to have it gone. Only one thing kept it from being perfect today and that is that the surgery was scheduled at 1pm and he could not eat anything after midnight the night before so by the time his surgery rolled around they ended up having to give him glucose in his IV because his blood-sugar dropped below 40. As always God is with us and he was fine after they gave him the glucose. They actually put Ben to sleep with gas in a mask first so he did not have a trauma this time with the IV. We are so excited for next year and being CANCER FREE in 2013!!!! We are rejoicing daily with Ben and sometimes it still does not feel real!! Some days I can't stop grinning and some days I want to cry (in a good way). I love my son and his enthusiasm as he stops to tell anyone who will listen "NO MORE CHEMO". The love people have given us through this has been awesome and the prayers that were sent up for Ben will make me forever grateful. Every one of you who prayed for Ben were fundamental in saving his life and I will believe this always!! Thank you for all you support whether it was prayers, emails, phone calls, cards, gifts, love, devotion, tears and faith that the Master Physician could and did heal Ben.

We are Doing Great!!!

This tuesday will be two weeks since we got home from the hospital. Ben is doing wonderful and is enjoying Kindergarten. God has given us just about the best Kindergarten class for Ben. It feels like God hand-picked it himself!!! Ben still has a little bit of the cough that he had from the influenza virus. He came home tired, but seems to have fully recovered from that. I am back to work and we are finally getting back into our routine!!! We will continue to pray that Ben will do well until the end of treatment. We are so close!!!!!!!!! I am so excited and Ben is counting the days. We made a trip back up to Cincinnati for Ben's regular treatment appointment this past Wednesday. He did really well and his final appointment is October 8th. I can't believe how close it is and how well he did. I will forever be convinced that the faithful prayers from everyone has been honored by the Lord and has kept Ben on a great path!! We love you all! Jamie

Blessings!!!

Ben's CT scan from yesterday came back clear of infection. This is wondeful news and tells us that the meningitis is being taken care of by the anti-biotics. I talked to Ben's Dr. this morning and he will be released on Tuesday probably sometime in the afternoon. We will go home and he will still have to stay at home for maybe two days before returning to school and normal activities. Thank you again for blessing us with your prayers and for remembering us so often. God is truly honoring the faithfulness of our families and friends who have interceded for us so often. Today Matt, Rita(Mom-In-Law), and Olivia came to visit Ben. I also was blessed with a visit from a very dear friend that I had not seen in ten years!! It was wonderful to see my baby girl and Rita blessed me with some wonderful home cooked goodies!! Matt and Rita even let me escape from the hospital and go to lunch with my friend Niketa. It was a lovely lunch and getting out was very relieving and I am so glad I can go home in four short days!!! Ben is feeling much bettter from his cold symptoms. He has been happily humming and coloring and playing games since his sister left. It seems to have given him some peace this evening to see her. With Love to You All, Jamie