There is an article about Heath in the local section of today's Bradenton Herald, Sunday 8-20-06.
Donna Wright came to our house several weeks ago and interviewed Heath. She also made several phones calls and interviewed some of the doctors over the phone, one of which was Dr. Letson. The article is titled 'Network' helps with teen boy's cancer.
If you are unable to buy a copy, here is a direct link: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/15315962.htm
I don't think the link above shows pictures. The article in the paper shows three pictures of Heath: one with Allen and Mike, one with his dad Gary and one with his mom Karis and myself. If I can find the pictures, I'll try and post them here.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Back at Moffitt on 8/20/2006
Heath is back at Moffitt for Methotrexate chemo until Wednesday. He will only have a couple days off before he has to come back next Sunday for another round of Methotrexate.
Thursday, August 3, 2006
Update
Heath is back home resting now. He just got home yesterday, 8/2/06, from Moffitt. He went in on Saturday. Karis's birthday was Sunday, guess what she wished for.
This round was delayed by a week due to his throat being very sore from the previous round of Methotrexate. This round was the Adriamycin & Cisplatin chemo, which is the beginning of his 4th cycle, so he is still very tired and a little weak.
During his time off Karis and I took Heath, Karissa and some of their friends to Busch Gardens. Heath also went fishing with his dad a couple of times. I'm not sure what they caught but they had fun.
Karis is trying to make arrangements for us to fly up to Ohio to visit her family, especially her Dad. He has not been well and she hasn't been up there since last October and the kids have not been up for 2 years. She needs to time it around Heath's treatments and doctor appointments. We are concerned with exposing Heath to the germs from flying on a commercial airline so Karis did a little research and found this info about CAIRFlight. Their "goal is to eliminate distance as a barrier to accessing essential medical resources or reuniting families in critical times". I'll put the link on this blog in case anyone ever needs something like this or if anyone would like to give them a donation.
Please continue to pray for healing for Heath and for his grandpa Bill in Ohio.
This round was delayed by a week due to his throat being very sore from the previous round of Methotrexate. This round was the Adriamycin & Cisplatin chemo, which is the beginning of his 4th cycle, so he is still very tired and a little weak.
During his time off Karis and I took Heath, Karissa and some of their friends to Busch Gardens. Heath also went fishing with his dad a couple of times. I'm not sure what they caught but they had fun.
Karis is trying to make arrangements for us to fly up to Ohio to visit her family, especially her Dad. He has not been well and she hasn't been up there since last October and the kids have not been up for 2 years. She needs to time it around Heath's treatments and doctor appointments. We are concerned with exposing Heath to the germs from flying on a commercial airline so Karis did a little research and found this info about CAIRFlight. Their "goal is to eliminate distance as a barrier to accessing essential medical resources or reuniting families in critical times". I'll put the link on this blog in case anyone ever needs something like this or if anyone would like to give them a donation.
Please continue to pray for healing for Heath and for his grandpa Bill in Ohio.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Quick Update
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.
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.
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.