Heath is back at Moffitt for another round of Methotrexate. He was admitted on Sunday, 7/16/06, and should be home Wednesday night. This will be his 8th round of chemo and will complete his 3rd cycle.
He is doing ok. He's been sleeping a lot and his mouth/throat are getting sore again. They have put him back on the anti-fungal and anti-biotics to try and control it.
Heath will be back in Moffitt on Monday, 7/24, to start his 4th cycle. I think we are planning on taking him to Busch Gardens and meeting up with some his relatives that are down from Ohio.
Please continue to pray for Heath's healing. Also, pray for Colt's safe return from Italy.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
Article in North River News about Heath
North River News
Manatee's Independent Newspaper June 29-July 5, 2006 VOLUME 16 EDITION 22
BY RHIANNON DeBAYLO Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer)
"Watching 18-year-old Heath Sammons sit on his living room couch with his guitar on his knee and passion flowing from his fingertips, you may never realize that he is sick.
A seemingly typical teenage boy, Heath has a love for music, enjoys goofing off with his friends, and skateboarding. Ironically enough, it's a skateboarding accident that just may have saved his life.
In early January, Heath was skateboarding with friends when he took a fall that fractured his tailbone and ultimately brought about the diagnosis of Osteosarcoma, or more simply, bone cancer ..."
The entire article can be read at BuckandVerajosClass.com, Click here to see entire article.
Manatee's Independent Newspaper June 29-July 5, 2006 VOLUME 16 EDITION 22
BY RHIANNON DeBAYLO Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer)
"Watching 18-year-old Heath Sammons sit on his living room couch with his guitar on his knee and passion flowing from his fingertips, you may never realize that he is sick.
A seemingly typical teenage boy, Heath has a love for music, enjoys goofing off with his friends, and skateboarding. Ironically enough, it's a skateboarding accident that just may have saved his life.
In early January, Heath was skateboarding with friends when he took a fall that fractured his tailbone and ultimately brought about the diagnosis of Osteosarcoma, or more simply, bone cancer ..."
The entire article can be read at BuckandVerajosClass.com, Click here to see entire article.
Friday, July 7, 2006
Thursday, July 6, 2006
Goods news from MRI Scan
The tumor appears to be either the same size or slightly smaller but definitely not growing according to the doctors from a scan they did last week.
Heath came out of the last round of chemo better due to the all the antibiotics that they perscribed for him. He didn't get any mouth sores or sore throat and seven days out of the chemo he started feeling better.
He did have to make an unscheduled visit last week due to severe lower stomach pains. They scanned his digestive system and appendix. Karis also had them scan the pelvic area since he was scheduled for labs and a scan on 7/5/06. That way they wouldn't have to put him through another scan.
The scan showed an impaction which was causing the pains in the lower stomach, probably caused by the heavy antibiotics and not eating for five days during the chemo. He had to take some mineral oil and get back on the senokot. His white blood cell count was very low, 300 I think. He did get the Neulasta shot again after this chemo and on 7/1/06 he had another shot that they put him on to help with the blood counts called Aranesp. He will need the Aranesp shot every 14 days now because his blood counts have not been staying up where they should.
On 7/5/06, Karis took Heath back to Moffitt for labs. His white blood cell count was back up to 1200 which is a safe range. Karis and Heath got to look at the scans and compare it to the scan he took about 6 weeks ago, after the first cycle of chemo. They both thought that the tumor definitely looked smaller, Praise the Lord.
Heath came out of the last round of chemo better due to the all the antibiotics that they perscribed for him. He didn't get any mouth sores or sore throat and seven days out of the chemo he started feeling better.
He did have to make an unscheduled visit last week due to severe lower stomach pains. They scanned his digestive system and appendix. Karis also had them scan the pelvic area since he was scheduled for labs and a scan on 7/5/06. That way they wouldn't have to put him through another scan.
The scan showed an impaction which was causing the pains in the lower stomach, probably caused by the heavy antibiotics and not eating for five days during the chemo. He had to take some mineral oil and get back on the senokot. His white blood cell count was very low, 300 I think. He did get the Neulasta shot again after this chemo and on 7/1/06 he had another shot that they put him on to help with the blood counts called Aranesp. He will need the Aranesp shot every 14 days now because his blood counts have not been staying up where they should.
On 7/5/06, Karis took Heath back to Moffitt for labs. His white blood cell count was back up to 1200 which is a safe range. Karis and Heath got to look at the scans and compare it to the scan he took about 6 weeks ago, after the first cycle of chemo. They both thought that the tumor definitely looked smaller, Praise the Lord.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Proton Beam Therapy link added
Karis found this link, http://www.proton-therapy.org/index.html, so I added it to the links on the right.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Trip to Boston has been changed to November
I just wanted to let everyone know about the schedule change for the Proton Beam Radiation in Boston. It was changed to November 1st. That may change again since this last round of chemo was delayed by one week. It could be moved back even further if future chemo treatments are delayed.
I just wanted to post this quick update because several people were asking about the trip and didn't know the date was changed.
I just wanted to post this quick update because several people were asking about the trip and didn't know the date was changed.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Back at Moffitt on 6/11/2006
Heath was admitted back in Moffitt on Sunday, 6/11, to start his 3rd cycle of chemo. This round is the Adriamycin & Cisplatin. This is the chemo that is very hard on Heath. He hasn't been eating or drinking at all but he is getting a lot of IV fluids to keep him hydrated. He has been sleeping or trying to sleep since Monday morning because he feels so bad.
He was supposed to go in last Sunday but this round was delayed because the two previous rounds of Methotrexate caused his throat to so sore that he could hardly swallow. The doctors put him of some very heavy duty antibiotics. After about a week, his throat started feeling better. He could have gone in on Friday but a bed didn't open up until Sunday.
Sorry I haven't been keeping this blog updated. I'll try and keep it updated better going forward.
Please pray for Heath to bounce back quickly after this round. Also, he is scheduled to get an MRI scan of the tumor before the next round starts so pray the chemo is shrinking the tumor.
He was supposed to go in last Sunday but this round was delayed because the two previous rounds of Methotrexate caused his throat to so sore that he could hardly swallow. The doctors put him of some very heavy duty antibiotics. After about a week, his throat started feeling better. He could have gone in on Friday but a bed didn't open up until Sunday.
Sorry I haven't been keeping this blog updated. I'll try and keep it updated better going forward.
Please pray for Heath to bounce back quickly after this round. Also, he is scheduled to get an MRI scan of the tumor before the next round starts so pray the chemo is shrinking the tumor.