Barach.com

It’s been an eventful month.  We had visits from our friends Ron and Jacque from Baltimore, my mom, Mimi Susan, and David’s dad, Saba Jerry.  David came home from a business trip to New Hampshire with a pinched nerve in his back and a bad cold.  Unfortunately, the cold was contagious, and Noah and Jesse came down with it.  They were miserable, and they made us miserable, for a good long while.  They are feeling better now, though, and last night, for the first time in a long while, slept all the way through the night again.  Here’s hoping they continue getting back to normal.

Despite their colds, Jesse and Noah recorded a few major milestones this month, and they’re all keeping us on our toes.

Teeth. Noah has 4 now, and Jesse has 8.  Yes, 8.  They are using those teeth coming in as an excuse to whimper, whine, and generally be grumpy (not to mention keep us up at night), and we are ready to be done with the whole teething experience.  I’m sure they are, too.  But the teeth are helping them mow down food they wouldn’t normally be able to…we’ve been feeding them nice big chunks of fish, fruit, cooked veggies, bread, pasta, etc., and they are loving it.  They’ve also learned to feed themselves their own bottles and sippy cups.  It gets messy sometimes, but it’s fun to think that I won’t have to keep making special baby food for them much longer.

Talking. No real words yet, but these guys are noisy!  They really vocalize a lot, and they mimic each other’s sounds.  They don’t say anything on purpose, but it’s fun to think they do.  “Mama” and “Abba” are in their vocabulary – if only they really meant it.  More importantly, they both understand the word “no” when we say it to them.  It seems that Jesse really gets it – perhaps because he hears it the most.  But he really responds – he knows what it means, and stops doing whatever it is that we’ve indicated is not okay.  He usually cries about it, too.  But the reality is…we are starting to discipline them already.  And so far, so good.  It’s all downhill from here, I’m pretty sure.

Crawling. Yep.  Our guys are mobile.  Noah’s still a little tentative about it, but they can both cover some serious ground when they want to.  Jesse even climbed two stairs the other day.  Needless to say, our busy lives just got busier, as these guys now require CONSTANT attention.  The days of sitting quietly on the floor playing with toys are over.  Now the toys are strewn all over the house, wherever the boys take them.  And it is not uncommon for one or both of them to quickly crawl up to David or me when we enter the room, pull themselves up on our pantlegs, and stand there looking up at us expectantly.  Bang to the heartstrings.

Standing and cruising. They both love love love to stand, and to pull themselves from one object to another.  They can’t stand without support yet, but they are close.  I can tell.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they are both walking in the next 30-60 days.  CRAZY.

I really can’t believe how quickly they went from lumps-on-a-log to mobile, communicative little humans.  The past month especially has brought so many changes.  They’ve even started interacting with each other now – laughing and smiling when the other is laughing and smiling, getting upset when the other is crying.  They do this really cute thing when they’re crawling near each other – they rub heads.  It seems to be affectionate, at least for now.  Some day, all too soon, someone will get a concussion.  Boys.  Sigh.

The Barach boys - Saba Jerry, Jesse, Noah, and David

Jesse loves Saba's beard

From Amy:

Can you pass along for everyone to keep praying for Jordan’s body to recoup as his counts are still too low to start this next round of chemo (his “immune system” ANC level is still at 280…needs to be above 750). His MD says this is normal as he just finished a really intensive round…and he is high risk ALL so they blast him harder. He is doing well other than that. =) Thanks for your prayers.

On another note…please pray for Cedar to get off her GI meds…she is almost 3 and it has been way too long. But every time we reduce them she really has a lot of trouble processing her food (ie she does not eat because her stomach hurts and is up at night crying as her stomach hurts). Pray her motility would learn what to do on it’s own (ie her intestines would know how to push food through so that her stomach does not hurt…get constipated, have acid reflux, etc). One of the preemie issues still remaining…but her labs are showing that the reglan is increasing her progesterone level so we are taking her off the med quickly. Pray she would not loose weight after coming off the meds and keep a positive relationship with food. In the past, she regresses when her stomach hurts and just wants to drink milk.

Thank you all for all your prayers!

We got the following email from Amy yesterday – good stuff – but keep praying!!

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Good news…Jordan just finished the second phase, Consolidation, of his intensive 7.5 months of weekly chemo treatment!  We need prayer for his counts to jump back up as they are still too low to start the third phase, Interim Maintenance.  Interim Maintenance is a 56 treatment day cycle, followed by Delayed Intensification, another 56 day cycle.  During the final phase of treatment, Maintenance, Jordan will go to the hospital less frequently, hopefully not have to have his PICC line, and will take a pill form of chemo more frequently.  So…we are counting the days until this intensive treatment is behind us!

We went to our weekly Monday clinic day (left the house at 6am for a scheduled spinal tap and chemo) and found out that his counts had not recovered and we are “on hold” until his ANC (Absolute Neutrophil Count:  a measure of the body’s ability to withstand infection) rises above 750…right now he is at 220.  To give you an idea of how low that is…Cedar just had labs and her ANC was 3,000.  His HGB (hemoglobin was only 8.1-Cedar’s is 14.1), WBC (white blood count was 1.24-Cedar’s is 9.62), PLTE counts (were 250-Cedar’s were 304) are slowly on the rise, but we had to take him to the hospital last Wednesday as we were concerned about his side effects from such a low HGB.  We are so thankful for all the blood and platelets that have been donated!  They are there waiting for him…but it is still a balance for the MD to determine when to give blood/platelets as Jordan’s numbers indicated he needed them but they really look at the volume of side effects he is experiencing to determine whether to transfuse or not.  So it has felt a little like when he was first home from the hospital as his counts have been so low and he hasn’t been himself.  We are so thankful for his ability to push on and take advantage of times to play like a 2 year old!

My Grammy Parsons died on Feb 9th and we had planned to drive up to her funeral after his hospital day this Monday and spend the night in Turlock at Phil’s parent’s house.  His oncologist felt it was not wise to have him away from the hospital with his counts so low.  So Phil stayed home with Jordan and my brother Todd and I drove up with the other kids to my Grammas’ funeral.  Phil often tells people to pray for God’s grace on Jordan and I felt the results of this prayer in this situation.  The kids were really excited to spend the night at Teta’s house (Phil’s mom) and then a few kids were going to go to the funeral the next day with me.  I was not able to go to my Grandfather’s funeral (3 yrs ago today) as I was on hospital bed rest with the kids…so my wonderful husband told me we all needed to go to my Grandma’s funeral.  I did not know how to tell Jordan that he could not go now…even though he was originally going to just stay in Turlock by major hospitals with Phil and not go to the funeral.  I just told the kids that sometimes Jordan gets special treats from going to the hospital and sometimes the other kids get special treats.  I told them I know it is not fair…but that we needed to let Jordan know how proud we are of him for being so brave and fighting the baddies in his blood.  Then Jordan started screaming that he wanted more fish nuggets (obviously he was not really screaming about the nuggets) and I asked if any of the kids wanted to show kindness to Jordan and share their nuggets.  Cedar said “here you go Jordan” and then Jeremiah followed her lead and shared his (Jonah was already done =) ).

Last Saturday was the official 9 month mark…and on Wednesday, Megan (our fearless nanny) and I took the boys to the pediatrician for their well-baby check-up.  The doctor actually laughed at how big the boys are, and the nurse told us to be careful picking them up so we don’t hurt our backs.  Fortunately, they are both tall for their age, too, so they’re not just fat.  But seriously – they are enormous.  I’m so proud.

In celebration of the 9-month mark, we have been giving them some new foods to try out, finger foods, especially.  They LOVE raisins, cheerios, pasta and biscuits, and aren’t so fond of rice cake and craisins.  We’ve also introduced egg yolks, and lots of herbs and spices, as well as making their food really chunky.  Even though they don’t have very many teeth yet, they are doing a great job gumming stuff down.  My goal is to have them eating what we’re eating by around 12 months, and so far, things are going according to plan.  It’s really fun to watch their faces when you put a new food into their mouths – sometimes they are so disgusted, and sometimes they are pleasantly surprised and start to open their mouths for more before they’ve finished the last bite.  Jesse seems to be more particular than Noah, which is why Jesse weighs a little less…  Noah rarely spits anything out.  He’s totally the kid who, when he’s a bit older, will eat dirt to win a bet while his brother looks on in horror and explains to him condescendingly that the bacterial composition of the soil will do such and so to the chemical properties of the immuno-gastro-intestinal system blah blah blah.  I can’t wait for that.

In the meantime, Jesse is fully crawling.  Fully.  He still goes slowly when he’s on his hands and knees.  His military crawl is faster, and since he’s too impatient to go so slowly most of the time, he still relies on his military crawl a lot.  But when he wants to, he is up on his hands and knees cruising around the room.  Our lives are over.  This weekend, I filmed my two baby boys, each doing what they do best…  Enjoy.

From Amy:

Hello All!  Happy New Year!

I know it has been forever since I have sent an update.  I think I was hibernating a bit and kinda didn’t know what I was thinking….and knew my mood impacts the “tone” of the update.  Also you feel like once you say he’s “doing good”, it will all turn on you and then you will be disappointed that he is doing worse or people will think this 3 year journey is over as he is in remission and “doing good”. I know it is not about how I am feeling…but it’s hard to simply report Jordan’s symptom’s/adjustment to chemo.  Also, retelling how Jordan is doing makes it all the more real so sometimes it is easier to just move onto the next day.

So to finally get to how Jordan is doing…he is doing great!  We were prepared for Jordan to be “bad” over Christmas like he was when he first came home from the hospital in November.  We were really thankful that he did not have to end up back in the hospital like 50% of the patients during this treatment phase.  It was an amazing Christmas present to be together for Christmas!   He had more energy than we anticipated and has slowly gained back some of his strength and energy to be able to play outside (of course we avoid the dirt because his counts are still really low).  My good friend who is an oncology nurse helped me understand that Jordan was really sick from cancer when he was admitted to the hospital in November.  Now that he is in remission, all the bone pain/cancer pain is gone and he is dealing with the effects of chemo.  We didn’t know what his pain, difficulty breathing, etc was coming from prior to being admitted to the hospital and so he was left without treatment and suffered greatly.  When I look back, I am so thankful that the long time of miss-diagnosis did not lead his cancer to spread.  I did not clue into any of that initially…but another reminder that God had His hand on Jordan in protecting him from the cancer spreading.

So the info we got at the hospital was correct, the first month is horrible and it gets better from there.  I held onto that hope but also did not want to get discouraged if it got “horrible” again.  There is comfort now that comes from experience of knowing how to manage Jordan’s side effects from chemo. Unfortunately, the lack of info/communication from the medical team is often the most difficult piece to deal with as your child suffers while you try to figure out what pieces of his medical puzzle were not handled and try to put them back together.

The kids are rough housing together again and Jordan holds his own.  I am hovering less over Jordan as he has a fairly stable gait.  We are more comfortable with the PICC line after 4 episodes of not being able to get it to flush and all the drama that ensues after that.  Now we are at a stage of weighing pros/cons of Jordan getting out and wearing his mask…but the busyness of of quads leads you to the comfort of a familiar routine at home.  I envisioned the 7 months of intensive treatment to require help like we needed when the kids were babies.  So I am thankful to be in a stage now that I can handle/keep them safe on my own if I need to (ie before we needed one person assigned to Jordan).  But mostly, I am so gratefully Jordan is not suffering as he did in the first month which made him want “mommy care” 24 hrs a day.

I am thankful to be out of the stage of wondering if another one of our kids will get ALL, wondering if our kids will be able to do the things I remember doing as a child (camping by the beach seems a long way away), wondering when every symptom that Jordan experiences does not have to analyzed/taken so seriously (ie rosey cheeks don’t freak me out that he has a fever and we will end up in the hospital), or not think about germs so much and worry about the impact on our kids in hearing “don’t touch that, it’s dirty” and using hand sanitizer all the time.  Wish I could say I put my trust in God each step of the way…but really…I am challenged by Jordan’s example of living life like a kid…not a kid with cancer.  Jordan’s example of not being fearful, not bummed that he can’t go out on special outings with mom and dad like the other kids go to the store, etc, or mater of factually saying “Grammy I did not spit-up today”…challenge me.  Watching him go up my parents stairs this weekend 3 times amazes me…a kid who came home from the hospital in Nov. so weak that he couldn’t even get himself off the floor, now pushing on his atrophied legs to get up the steps…challenges my faith, hope, and moves me once again to be so grateful for God’s protection and making Jordan into who he is.  What amazing children Phil and I are blessed with…I am challenged to be a better mother/wife/person through their personalities/character.  My main prayer is that my peace/mood would stop being based on how the kids are doing.  It is too crazy on Phil, kids, and grandparents, etc.  I should have learned these lessons already…but I know I need to mature into a woman who is modeling to her family where her confidence, hope, trust comes from.  I so want to be free of the anxiety that comes so quickly the minute his PICC line does not flush, when he is squirming and looks like he is going to throw-up, when failed scheduling causes you to wait until 2pm to allow a 2 year old to eat after having to have a scheduled spinal tap.

At night we sing Jesus Loves Me and it makes me cry because Jordan and Jonah sing “little ones to Him belong, they are weak but HE is strong.”  I so badly want that to be my confidence…Jordan is weak but God is strong…no matter if it is a “good day” and Jordan is able to be a 2 yr old or “bad day” and he is suffering like a child with cancer.  Jordan is a really shy, insightful, interested, direct, and determined kiddo…I am so thankful for the character I see in him and all of our kids.  I am so thankful for Phil’s strength, empathy for Jordan, example, hard work and sacrifice to take care of all of us and provide for the many needs.  I am so thankful for the 1,112 facebook members that are praying for Jordan.  I am so thankful for the meals that have come that have encouraged us to sit down as a family and eat together…and the amazement of seeing the kids eat things I gave up on trying to get them to eat and the veggies they have eaten so they can have the yummy dessert at the end=)  I am thankful for the guys that cut our lawn and rental houses lawn and took a load off Phil.  I am thankful for all the bald cold heads out there that think of Jordan when they touch their fuzzy heads=)  I am thankful for  all the thoughtfulness and creativity in finding ways to support us.  I am thankful for the meal/blood/information coordination…wow!  Thankful for all the trips down to CHLA, finding your way, paying for parking, and successfully or unsuccessfully (we know it is a crazy process!!!  thank you!) giving platelets or blood for Jordan or other kiddos that need it.  For all the encouragement cards, calls, emails, prayers.  Wish Jordan could understand more about all the people that deeply care about him and are praying and rooting for him.  But your support helps Phil and I and our families be filled so that we can give Jordan what he needs.

I feel like the hallmarks of the weeks are when Jordan’s episodes of poop issues/nausea decrease.  Also when we are able to stay on top of dehydration as he often does not want to eat or drink.  The HUGE relief in both of our eyes when we see our car in the parking structure at the end of the weekly clinic day and hearing Jordan say “I did it”.  Then finally being able to let him take his mask off and finally seeing him taking a nap on the ride home and knowing his guards are down and can relax as we are heading home.  Another high of the week is going to my parents house for a “special treat” to celebrate how brave Jordan was at the hospital that week and how well the other kids helped Jordan and mommy.  The other hallmark is when Jordan can say “no band aid today” which means…”I didn’t have to have a spinal tap this week and not be able to eat before anesthesia”.  Also the relief that comes in his eyes depending on the color of the liquid medicine as he knows which ones “taste yucky” and which ones “don’t make me spit-up”.  He looks forward to sitting on his Dad’s lap when he needs chemo meds or PICC line chemo as he gets to watch dinosaurs on Dad’s phone.  He will repeat “mommy and Dr. G can touch the PICC line but not Jordan or other kids”.  He is an amazing boy and we are so thankful for the balance he shows in understanding what is going on, but not letting it phase him.

Thank you so much for your sincere care, love, and prayers for our courageous little boy and for our family.  We are deeply touched, grateful, and blessed by you!  Continue to pray for his bodies strength to heal, endurance through chemo (3 years of treatment) and to be protected from sickness and bacteria infections.  So far no mouth sores…keep praying!

much love from our family,
Amy

Sincere apologies to those of who come back to this blog often in hopes of something new, and have been disappointed.  David pointed out to me last night that it’s been a month since we last posted.  Sorry about that.  It has truly been a busy time, and I hope you’ll forgive us.  Please enjoy the following updates.  I’ve included lots of photos.

We haven’t heard anything recently about Jordan.  My brother reported a week or so ago that the Shahbaz family is keeping on keepin’ on, adjusting to their new normal.  And at this point, no news is good news.  Please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.  Jordan’s treatment is far from complete…

We had a beautiful holiday season with friends and family, capped off by a New Year’s Day wedding on the beach here in San Diego.  My sister Gwen married her sweetheart David Vigil in an intimate ceremony followed by a fun family dinner.  The festivities were graced by, quite possibly, the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.  We wish Gwen and David all the very best, and eternal marital bliss.

Mr. and Mrs. Gwen and David Vigil

A kiss at sunset

Meanwhile, our boys have gotten bigger, more mobile, and ever more interesting.  It’s so fun to watch them develop into little people.  They have started expressing preferences about food and toys and when they want to be left alone and when they want to be picked up.  They now give us kisses – the open-mouthed slobbery kind.  They love to stand on their legs, supported, of course, and Jesse has started cruising a bit.  Jesse has also almost mastered crawling.  Noah could if he wanted to, but he just doesn’t seem interested.  I think he much prefers it when other people do his bidding and he doesn’t have to expend any effort.  Which is how I know he’s his father’s son.  Both Noah and Jesse talk a lot, and the sounds change all the time.  Currently, they are into “Da – da – da – da – da.”  I don’t think it’s intentional, especially because in our house, David goes by “Abba.”  But it’s adorable.  Oh, and, did I mention BIG?  David weighed them the other day — Noah was 25 pounds, and Jesse was 24.  These are unscientific figures, but still!  They’ll be 9 months next week, and they are outgrowing their 12-month clothing.  I’m not complaining though, because they are making my arms really buff.

San Diego in the wintertime - life is hard.

With cousin Nadia the day after Gwen's wedding - and Jesse guilty of trying to steal Nadia's pacifier.

First time sitting up in the Costco cart

Oh, circles of neglect - we bless thee.

Hi mama!

May I help you?

Play time - Jesse likes to roll around and try to knock Noah over.

Happy New Year everyone!  Much love to all.

I got this on Christmas eve – so sorry for the delayed posting.  The following is from Tracey:

I talked to Amy yesterday on her way home from Jordan’s weekly hospital appointment. She hasn’t been able to get to her email and send out an update on what she’s been thinking to friends and family because it’s just been too crazy.

Jordan had another spinal tap, chemo, lots of fluids, and then more chemo (if I heard correctly). She said that the appointment was a little crazy – lots of waiting without a private room, which meant that she struggled to keep the mask on Jordan all day. But, she keeps saying that Jordan is just a trooper! She said that she’d finally been able to get him to eat something when they got in the car, and then he just crashed! He was asleep the whole time we talked. Amy sees that he finally lets his defenses down once he’s in the car – he’s still not a huge fan of the hospital.

This last week was the first week of Amy having to give Jordan chemo at home (4 days through his PICC line (IV) and 3 in pill form) – and Amy said that it was the first week she was really starting to feel the emotion of the whole situation. We had a bit of a chuckle about the ‘Chessum mode’ we go into during a crisis – how it is a remarkable gift to have because it allowed Amy to focus on her role and job in Jordan’s treatment and recovery – allowed her time to pull together at the outset and focus on hope and what Jordan needed. But, it seems that now is the time Amy is working through some of the grief – trying to give it completely to God, learning to rest in Him, and accepting His peace in the midst of overwhelming circumstances (She quoted John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.).

One of the things I keep hearing her say is that she is really struggling with the fact that it’s “ok” to put poison in Jordan’s body, but she has to wear thick gloves and keep everyone else away from it, etc. She says that all the meds are marked to the extreme – “CAUTION” all over them. She gets tearful about his little bald head at times because it is a constant reminder of the poison in his body. She said that she’s really wrestling with this and doesn’t really know how she feels about it. I know that the Moms reading this will be able to identify and pray for her effectively!

This last week had a bit of a medical learning curve attached to it. She said that Jordan only threw up twice last week (Hurray!), and that it was mostly due to anxiety over meds rather than the chemo. He’s very leery of the meds and cries when he has to take them – he gets so upset, he throws up, and then he has to take them all over again. Jordan’s a good kid – and he takes them, but how do you explain this to a little guy? He only knows that they make his tummy and body hurt. I can only imagine what that does to you as a mom. On top of the oral meds, Amy is still working with the IV chemo Jordan gets through his PICC line. She said that there were bubbles in the line at one point, and it took quite awhile to get them out without getting the chemo all over the house (all this with a 2 year old on the end of the IV). Jordan also isn’t getting enough fluids at home – he will only drink 3 or 4 oz. a day. Amy’s just trying to get fluids in him, but all of the only stand-bys aren’t working right now because all of his taste buds have changed – and because he thinks she may have hidden meds in them. She’s resorting to buying juices in different packaging (like soccer ball shaped Gatorade bottles), popsicles, etc. just to get him to drink something. The problem is that with 3 other 2 year olds in the house – they want these new fun drinks too! Amy said that they all had red and blue Gatorade all over the floor the other day – the kids were having fun but no fluids were getting into Jordan, and a lot of sugar was getting into the other 3 (another thing that Moms can identify with)!

Last Friday they had their head shaving party – the hair falling out constantly was bugging Jordan and it just had to come off that night. Amy is such a great mom! She was trying to explain what was going to happen to the kids – showing them pictures of when they were babies with no hair and how cute they looked. Telling them that daddy was shaving his head too and they would do it together! Trying to be smiley about it…but, she said that it was hard to be smiley and make sure the kids understood because they were having what Amy termed “a fear ridden night” that they were going to have to take him back to the hospital because he was starting to run a slight fever (which meant he would be in the hospital for at least 7 days), and his PICC line wouldn’t flush for an hour. After, the boys were running around touching their heads – still a bit confused about what happened to their hair. She says that Cedar keeps asking “what happened to his (Jordan’s) hair?” Amy said that she didn’t feel like she could prepare them for this, and that weighed on her. They did end up taking Jordan to the hospital the next night because of fever – but, miraculously, he didn’t technically have a fever when they arrived at the hospital, so they filled him full of fluids and sent him home.

Please Pray:
• For Amy as a mom – that she would be able to meet all the kids needs. For Phil as the provider – that God would grant him peace. For the kiddos – that they would continue to be flexible and understand what is happening around them.
• That Jordan will make it at home over these next weeks (and especially through this weekend). He does so much better at home simply due to the anxiety – but these chemo meds are really supposed to kick in this week.
• That Jordan’s hemoglobin numbers stay put (he was at 8.6, and they transfuse at 8).
• That the church finds enough donors to meet Jordan’s need for blood and platelets. To find out if you can help – please see my last note!
• That Jordan and the family will ride through this cold they’ve gotten. She said that Jordan’s nose is still running a bit, that Phil has a cold, and Cedar is congested. Amy said that she knows that she’s done everything she could possibly do to keep him at home, and that if he goes back into the hospital she won’t be as disappointed as she would have been – but, we’d all still rather he be at home.
• That Amy would know Jordan’s meds, how they affect him, how much he needs, when he needs them, etc.

Since it’s Christmas – may we remember that God sent us peace and mercy through the birth of Christ. Please pray that God would give the whole family an extra portion of that peace and mercy. The “oldest” of the Shahbaz quads was named Jeremiah Emmanuel (God with us) as a reminder that God truly was with this family and these kiddos – pray that they would continue to feel God’s presence and that they will always continue to see “God with us” in their lives.

If you live in or near Los Angeles, please read the following note from Tracey, Amy’s cousin, to see if you can help:

Jordan was released from the hospital late Monday night.  Thank you for your prayers!

And now, he needs platelets!

We need to have platelets available for Jordan every Wednesday for at least the next few months, so we need at least one platelet donor every Monday (to ensure that the hospital has time to process them before Jordan’s Wednesday appointments)! Platelet donations only last 4 days, so we are can only ask for one donor each week.

You can donate blood platelets for Jordan if you are:
• At least 110 lbs and 5′5″ (you will receive specifics when you sign up)
• Have blood types: AB+, AB-, A+, A-, B+, B-
• Available on Mondays and have 2 hours to give. The platelet procedure takes approx. 2 hours – and appointment times on Monday are: 7:30 am, 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:00 pm, and 3:00pm (we will assist you in getting the appointment and the preliminary screening).
• If you are not on an aspirin or anti-platelet drug 48hrs prior to your donation (if you are on Plavix, Ticlid, or Clopidogrel – these must be out of your system 2 weeks prior to your donation).
• Able to donate at the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital – this is the only way to earmark these donations for Jordan.

If you would like to sign up for a Monday donation, please visit the Blood Platelet Donation for Jordan Shahbaz website at: http://www.my.calendars.net/jordanshahbaz. Click on the date of the Monday you can donate, input your name and email address into the “Calendar text” field and click submit. Someone (either Monica Lucero or Jessica Fabela – who are coordinating – thanks you two!!!) will contact you with screening information and to assist you in making the appointment, etc.

If you have a broader availability and can offer to be on the list of people we can call on a reasonable moments notice (for example, if a donor gets sick or if Amy thinks Jordan will need platelets on a day other than Wednesday), please let me (Tracey) know via facebook. I’ve enlisted a lot of family for this, but as many of them are helping to care for the other kids – some ‘on-the-spot’ donors from outside the family are needed.

If you have any questions about the process, etc. Please let me know, or visit the CHLA website.

If you have O+ or O- blood…
We can use your help in donating red blood cells. Please send Monica Lucero an e-mail at molucero at verizon dot net if you are able! Again, donations must be made at Children’s Hospital.

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Phil, Jonah, and Jeremiah all shaved their heads in solidarity with Jordan…and now, many other friends and family are following suit.  I’ve posted the photo of the Shahbaz boys below.  For pics of others who are supporting Jordan by shaving their heads, visit this Facebook page.

Jordan, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Dad

Thank you for continuing to pray!!

From Tracey:
All – Jordan is back in the hospital due to a low-grade fever. Please pray for him and Amy. Will update as I get more details!

Amy sent this for all who are interested in what his treatment plan looks like for the next 2 months.
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Amy:
Jordan will get iv chemo at home (Ara-C) for 4 days for a total of 4 weeks within the next 63 days of this treatment cycle, called consolidation. He also gets a pill form of chemo, 6MP, for 14 days, then a break for 2 weeks, back on for 14 days. He had cyclophosphamide (chemo), today and will get it again on day 28 of this cycle.

Jordan is doing amazing…up at 5:30am…got anesthesia, a spinal tap and chemo, methotrexate…then 4 hours of hydration, 2 more chemos, then 4 hours of hydration and home to bed by 7:30pm! A lot in a day for a 2 year old with no nap! Thanks for your prayers! =) The new chemos main side effects are low blood counts 1-2 weeks post treatment, naseau, appetite loss, hair loss, and bladder irritation (ie watching for blood in urine). He will be back on vincocristine and peg asparaginase between day 14 and 28. Too much info…but I thought some people are interested in his treatment road map.
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Thanks for praying – don’t stop!