Christmas Wish List

Hello Everyone! This is Debbie, Drew's Aunt. I have been asked by a few different people for a Christmas "Wish List" for the Ames family. I have asked Dayna to put together a list of things that would make the kids Christmas great this year! Please to do not feel that you have to buy anything but I did want to provide a list for those that have asked. Thank you to all for your generosity, support and prayers!

*I have included a list of specific items and also a list interests for each of the children.

*If you are interested in purchasing one of the specific items listed please email me at helpingdrew@yahoo.com and let me know so I can remove that item from the list! Thanks!

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Specific Items:

3-in-1 Inflatable Sports Game
FOUND AT: Learning Express for $29.99
FOR: Drew & Dallin

Team Sport Checkers Set
FOUND AT: Learning Express for $19.99
FOR: Drew

Marshmallow Camo Shooter
FOUND AT: Learning Express for $19.99
FOUND AT: Bed, Bath & Beyond for $14.99
FOR: Brooke, Drew & Dallin

Spooner Board
FOUND AT: Learning Express for $39.99-$49.99
FOR: Brooke & Drew

Bears Connect 4
FOUND AT: Jewel for $25.99
FOR: Drew

8-in-1 Sports Pack for the Wii Sports Resort (2)
FOUND AT: Bed, Bath & Beyond for $14.99
FOR: The Ames Family

Playhut 3-in-1 Sports Arcade
FOUND AT: Walmart for $19.99
FOR: Dallin

Ideal SuperShot Air Hockey Game
FOUND AT: Walmart for $21
FOR: Drew

___________________________________________

Brooke Likes:
Arts & Crafts things
Barbies
American Girl
Animals - dolphin, whale, cat, dog
iTunes

Drew Likes:
Legos
Games
Spongebob
Star Wars
Guns
Army Guys
iTunes

Dallin Likes:
Balls
Guns
Trucks
Animals
Spongebob
Bubble Guppies (from Nick Jr.)
Curious George
iTunes

Kelsey Likes:
Formula - Enfamil Infant
Diapers - Pampers size 3
Baby Food - Happy Baby Cereal and squeezable pouches
Robbeez Soft Soles Classic Booties - brown, pink, cream, or off white - size 6-12mo. or 12-18mo.
____________________________________________

The family is also still in need of gas cards, Jewel gift cards, McDonald's gift cards, etc. If you would like to make a donation to help with Drew's medical care don't forget that you can do that right here on this website!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Round 6

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

We started round 6 of chemo on time on Wednesday, November 9th. This round consisted of 3 days of inpatient chemo and then we were able to do the last 2 days at home. So Sunday, November 13th started with some chemo in the morning and then we finished it off with a Bears game in the afternoon! Thanks to my cousin Scott and Harris Bank, we were given quite the VIP experience.

They had some gifts for us and wouldn’t you know, the foam bear claw was the biggest hit!

Bear down!

It was a beautiful 70 degree mid November afternoon. It was a great day for a football game and Drew had an awesome time - until he puked in the 3rd and we called it a night.

We then spent the next couple of days playing “Bears Game”.

This particular day, he recruited Brooke to play too. They put their jerseys on and Drew came to me and said, “ok mom, now chase me and tackle me!”

I don’t know if you can see the football under his arm in this picture, but he insisted on posing like this and acting all fierce and intense.

Drew still has weakness in his right leg and some of the chemo affects his feet making it hard to lift his toes at times. Now this doesn’t really limit his getting around at all and he climbs and plays like normal, but we talk a lot about how when he gets better and stronger, he will be able to run again. Well he asked me to go find his little football and when I brought it to him he said, “mom, I want to run.” Then with such confidence he backed up down the hall and took off with the best stride we have seen since this all started!

Kelsey is 5 months old now and is rolling all over.

Drew & Dallin

Boys - somehow everything always turns into a "shoot" game. Good thing Dallin is such a good little actor, he keeps the game interesting each time he's "hit".

November 23, 2011

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we are so grateful to all be home together as a family for the holiday. We also wanted to take the opportunity to thank each and every one of you for all that you have done for us. Whether it has been bringing us a meal, shopping, helping with the kids, sending a card or picture, words of encouragement, prayers, volunteering and fundraising or other selfless acts of giving, we can't express enough our thankfulness. We are very humbled to know how many people care and love and support us. Please know that all of your efforts have been received and have helped to sustain us through this. We count our blessings every day as they are numerous and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Well we have officially made it through Round 5 without a fever! This is the first time we haven't had a readmit for a fever following a round of chemo, since the beginning.

Drew's protocol consists of 53 weeks of chemo and radiation. Every 3 weeks (21 days) he is inpatient for a round of chemo. For the first 13 weeks he also received chemo at home on the off weeks. Almost every round so far has consisted of a different combination of chemo meds. He usually starts puking on day 2 and just when it would start to let up he would get that next dose at home and would start puking again for another day or two. Then every time his counts would drop he would start puking again. For those of you familiar with the movie "Stand by Me", it has been a total barf-o-rama at our house.

Well, round 4 finished up 2 of the nastiest make you puke meds, so we couldn't believe it when during round 5 he only vomited 2 times total at the hospital! Then he didn't have to get the 2 extra doses of chemo at home on the off weeks either. We did have a couple of days when we knew his counts were bottoming out and he started throwing up a lot for 2 days straight. We held our breath as I thought for sure a fever was coming on, but he pulled through it and bounced right back and his counts started to recover and no fever admit!

We still made several trips downtown for blood and platelets, but it has been so nice to be home for 2 weeks. Drew has regained so much strength and he and Brooke have had so much fun playing together again. We were even able to start some physical therapy this last week too.

He will start Round 6 on Wednesday. This is our second time actually starting on time with no delay due to his counts being too low. It goes so fast when each round starts every 21 days and then 5 of those days consist of chemo, so it really feels like it's every 2 weeks.

Pictures from the last few weeks...

Halloween - the kids with Grandma & Papa
Brooke - Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Drew - Boba Fett (Star Wars), Dallin - Dinosaur, Kelsey - Kitty

We had to go get a platelet transfusion on Halloween, but we got there early enough that we were able to make it out in time to get home for trick or treating. Here's Drew with his scary monster teeth that they gave him at the hospital.

Just cute Kelsey

We had a beautiful warm fall evening the other day and my Uncle Scott called and said that he and my cousin Matt were thinking about going fishing and wanted to know if the kids were interested. The unanimous reply was, "YES!" We even caught a few big ones!

Typical day lounging around the house watching TV.

We had to go get blood the other day and no matter how hard we try, we always seem to get out of there just in time for traffic, so it has been taking us 2 hours to get home lately. Luckily Drew usually catches a nap, so I try to enjoy the quiet while I can, even if it is in nasty, bumper to bumper late Friday afternoon traffic.

Drew has been doing so good at the hospital with everything lately. He has made friends with the doctors and nurses and allows them to do what they need to do without putting up a fight at all most of the time. I’m sure not feeling so sick is a big part of it, but he has been just going about his business playing and having fun.

It has been so nice to be able to spend some time outside and enjoy the beautiful fall weather.