Peter’s Page

Here are three reasons to be happy and hopeful this Friday.

1. Three of Peter’s chromosomes were examined for certain abnormalities, but none were found. This is a good sign. We really don’t know exactly how good, given that he still has the “unfavorable histology”, but at least this one thing is favorable. I apologize for the lack of medical depth in that tidbit!
2. Yesterday the doctor was feeling Peter’s abdomen to get a sense of the tumor’s condition. After pushing firmly and thoroughly, the doctor reported that she couldn’t really feel the tumor at all. The doctor had given this same examination before and after surgery and could easily identify the tumor. Furthermore, the doctors are careful about managing expectations, so Ty and Erika are not used to hearing positive news without a disclaimer. To make that announcement, the doctor must have confidence that the tumor is shrinking.
3. Peter is smiling as round two of chemo comes to a close. If it wasn’t for the IV pole and an absence of hair, you might not know Peter is sick. The Eigners should be discharged from the hospital at about 10:00 AM.

I have been a little under the weather and not able to go to the hospital, but I keep hearing great reports from those who have visited Peter and his parents. He has great energy, he’s eating very well, and he’s happy. I hear that he’s been playing baseball with a Twins pillow, throwing the football, playing knee-hockey, and racing cars. This doesn’t sound like a kid attached to an IV in a hospital. But it does sound like Peter.

Between the second and third rounds of chemo, Peter will have a marrow cell harvest procedure. Ty and Erika had an informative meeting the other day with a marrow transplant specialist and that procedure shouldn’t be too intrusive. I believe the harvested cells are “cleaned” and frozen. The good cells will then be re-inserted into Peter much later in his treatment.

So, like a true champion, he’s often making this battle look easy. I have to believe the enemy is on the run.

As expected, Peter was admitted to the hospital for round 2. He is attached to his pole as the chemo drip continues. The effects of the medication are more apparent this round. When the first round started, Peter hadn’t fully recovered from the surgery and tests that took place only days earlier. Discomfort, fatigue, and nausea could be attributed to any number of trials he endured. But arriving for the second round, Peter brought along all the energy and attitude we’ve all come to know over the first 4 years of his life. Therefore, the power of what is entering his body is more evident.

That isn’t to say he’s not doing well. He’s doing great. He’s just a little more tired and a little more uncomfortable at times. Right now the Twins are playing and he’s cheering for the Twins, unless Big Pappi is at the bat. He likes David Ortiz.

Ty, Erika and Peter should be in Minneapolis on Monday morning about 10:00 AM. Peter will first be examined at a clinic beside the hospital to verify that he is fit for the second round of chemotherapy. Assuming everything checks out — and judging by Peter’s visible condition everything will check out — he will be readmitted to the hospital. Then the second round of chemotherapy will begin sometime later in the day.

As you can gather from the previous posts, Peter is doing great. He had lost most of his hair over the past week, leaving a couple patches up top. But a vigorous bath last night pretty much wiped those strands out as well. Not that he cares.

Let’s get round two started, Peter. It’s time to keep beating the bad guys.

I left my house at 6:00am this morning to head up to Brainerd to watch Peter, Ellie and Kate because Ty and Erika had a committment this afternoon. This is something I’ve done many times in the last four years but for the first time I was a little nervous. This would be the first time I would be alone with the kids since Peter was diagnosed. Well my nerves were calmed about 20 minutes after I arrived when Peter came downstairs from his bedroom and said “Boo” really loud – I turned to see him all dressed and a big smile on his face. I knew things would be OK when he said “Gramma Mary you’re going down in hockey today! As soon as I eat my breakfast, flush my central line and take my medicine I’m going to beat you BAD!!” And he did – not once, not twice but five times – outscoring me by at least 20 goals. And I’m sad to say I was trying. But I did win one game of Dino Dominos so I’m not a complete loser.
Peter and I watched the Twins game this afternoon while the girls napped. Watching the game with him is like watching a game with Ty. He knows all the players, their positions and the batting order. He noticed right away that Joe Mauer wasn’t catching and said “They must be resting him today so he doesn’t get sore knees.” He was disappointed with the lose but was more disappointed that he’d have to “break it” to Mom and Dad when they got home. He also said the Twins will win the next one.

Pete, Ellie, Kate and I had a great day. Ellie is Ellie! Full of smiles and mischief. And Kate is a crawling, jabbering nine month old that smiles all the time. I have a new appreciation for a four year old boy jumping from the coffee table to the couch, standing in the kitchen when a black olive stuck to his thumb and giving me the thumbs up sign, and slapping and old lady in the shines during a heated hockey game. The real appreciation of Peter came when Ty called to say it was time for him to swoosh some medicine in his mouth and when I told him that he said “Bring it on Gramma.”

My only scare of the day came when he excused himself to go to the bathroom and a few minutes later he was yelling my name. I rushed into the bathroom to find that Peter just wanted me to witness the product of his fine efforts on the toilet. {I will never understand the male fascination with Poop.} He also told me to be sure and “write this one down.”

Thanks to all of my family and friends, to Erika’s family and friends, to the Brainerd community, to the hockey world, to the doctors and nurses and to the strangers who have been so kind to all of us. If we all continue to pray God will listen and this time will be looked back on as a chance to grow closer and learn the true meaning of love, friendship and faith. Mary

I think it’s been awhile since we’ve reported 2 pieces of great news all in one day, but here goes! The day began with a call from “Auntie Meeses and Uncle Scotty” (Erika’s sister Michelle and husband) reporting the birth of baby Brooks. He arrived right on his due date… what a guy! We are so happy everything went well and the kids are thrilled to have another cousin! I just asked Peter what he has to say about Baby Brooks, and he said, “I want to say Good Luck to Auntie Meeses for having the baby!!”
The other positive to report is that Peter’s white blood cell counts, as well as his hemoglobin and platelets are on the rise… yeah! He “bottomed out” around Friday-Saturday and now all of the numbers are increasing. That is fantastic because now he is a little less susceptible to infection, and it means he does not need any kind of a tranfusion at this point. Barring any surprises, it looks like we’ll be able to stay at home for another week until we report back for Round 2.
Life is getting back to a new sort-of normal. Although I had quickly forgotten how BUSY Baby Kate is at 9 1/2 months… woah! So we might just need more help than originally thought, but we’ll work it out!! Anyway, things are going very well after round 1 and we are very happy about that. Thanks to all of you for your continued support, visits, calls, emails, prayers, etc. We can only hope that the next round goes just as well!
Peter calls his cancer “the Path Thing” (i’m guessing he overheard a conversation or two with the doctors regarding the pathology of the tumor). Anyway, we have been talking a lot about beating this thing and says he is going to beat the Path Thing 100 to 0 !!!! Now that’s the attitude! He’s been mildly active since we’ve been home, riding his bike or playing baseball outside for 10-15 minutes/day. He had a game or two of hockey in the basement with big Pete L today, and he plays Air Hockey multiple times a day. Practice makes perfect as they say, and Peter is definitely getting his!!

There isn’t a lot to report at the moment and I believe that’s a good thing. Peter is doing well and side effects continue to be minimal. His blood cell counts are very low — as expected — making him succeptable to infections. He wears a mask if going into public. But, as Erika mentioned in the previous post, he seems to be taking it all in stride.

I’m sure that the return of Ellie has helped ease his isolation at home. And once Kate beats her ear infection, she can rejoin the clan as well. Here’s a picture of Pete and his favorite little girls taken earlier in the summer. If you’re wondering why Peter’s hands are raised, take a closer look. In his right hand you’ll see the butt end of a hockey stick, so we can deduce that he has scored a big goal.

It’s about 5:00 in the afternoon and we are getting ready to leave Grandma and Grandpa Poopster’s (Hanson’s) house in Crosslake. We’ve been here for a few hours and we went for a boat ride, had lunch and fished off the dock. Peter is still feeling great and showing no side effects of the chemo. We have become hand-washing fanatics and we’re going to “re-introduce” Ellie into the mix today. Kate still has a bit of a cold so Grandma will keep her here a few more days.
While it’s absolutely beautiful today, I must say it doesn’t feel like a “normal” Labor Day. I can’t help but to think that Peter would be starting his second year of Preschool in a week or so, but that won’t be the case this year. He understands that he won’t be able to go and he seems OK with that. He was also going to play soccer this fall but told me the other day: “My team will have to get another player since i’m sick, but my team is still going to win. Abbey (Pohlkamp) won’t let me down, Mom!!” He understands more than I ever dreamed he would about what is going on.
We are getting into a new routine, or “normal”, as they say! It involves lots of meds, flushing his Hickman daily, charting everything he does. With that, everything seems to take a little longer, but that’s OK. We are very happy to have an energetic boy for now, and one of his sisters coming home today – he is so excited about that! Thanks for your continued support, comments, call, emails, etc. We can’t thank you enough.

Peter is still doing well. He’s been playing some air hockey and various games. He even rode his bike in the driveway (he was racing his dog, Baron) and remains his happy-go-lucky self.

However, he is weak. Before his diagnosis, he wasn’t eating well and low energy kept him from playing and working his muscles. He was losing weight. Then two weeks in the hospital only exaggerated his condition. So like a newborn horse, he is a little unstable. On the long walk from his hospital room to the car, he took a couple spills (no harm done).

Erika and Ty are getting into their new routine. They are administering various medications multiple times per day through Peter’s line. They also have to care for the lines. In addition, they will be keeping careful records of food and drink intake (and bathroom activities). A nurse will be visiting a couple times per week to take blood and do checkups.

That’s it for now. Happy Labor Day!

What a neat sign. It’s on the Brainerd Ice Arena. Thanks to the sign’s creator(s) and to Sue Peltoma for the photos.

Also, I’ll continue to post updates while the Eigners are home, so stay tuned.

Round one of chemo in the bout of Peter v. Cancer was completed at noon today and Pete-man is returning to his corner with a spring in his step. This metaphor is appropriate not only because he’s done so well, but because he’s going home this afternoon! That’s right. The discharge papers should be complete any minute and by 2:30 PM the Eigners should have their vehicle pointed north.

To be leaving on Friday afternoon as opposed to leaving over the weekend was somewhat unexpected, but Peter has been resilient and is in good form. With proper care and some luck, Ty, Erika and Peter won’t be back in Minneapolis for two weeks when round two begins. The most prominent concerns are ensuring that Peter doesn’t pick up any viruses as his immune system is weak and keeping his Hickman clean and intact. Although the first round of treatment is done being administered, the effects will continue to pervade his little body.

It is thrilling to see Peter doing so well thus far. I’m anxious to learn how effective this treatment has been, but we won’t know for two months or so. As the plan stands, that is when he would go through the same battery of tests to learn just how little cancer is left, if any! One can hope! And this one will.

Things are going well at the hospital today. When I left, Peter was making a big dent in a sub sandwich that was roughly the same size as his torso. It’s really good to see him eat. He continues to be in good spirits and the outward effects of the chemo have been mild so far. It’s hard to believe that it was two weeks ago tonight that they checked into the hospital.