Brody's Home.....YAY!!!!

Brody surprised us all with a great big improvement in his white blood cell count this morning (Monday morning).  His counts were high enough for him to come home!!!  He was sooo excited when he got the news this morning.  And he was one busy little boy playing and running all over the house when he did get home.  He did make his brothers take "rest breaks" but he was up and playing hard with them again after each little rest.  Wonderful to see him feeling so much better.  And, it's so good to be home, finally. 

 

Brody will continue with his normal at home meds including his daily chemo that he had been off of for awhile due to the infection.  But he will now be taking Neupogen injections at home twice a week to help keep his white blood cell count from bottoming out again.   Brody will be back at the hospital next on Friday for IV chemo and labs.   We will be enjoying just being home this week. 

 

 

 

 

Brody is feeling better today but still has to stay in the hospital for now

Brody has been feeling much better today.   He has had much more energy,  laughing and goofing around with his brothers,  sitting up on couch most of the day (rather than lying in bed),  and even took a fairly long walk through the halls at the hospital today.   I enjoyed seeing Brody return to his usual self today.   The urine cultures are still negative from Friday and Saturday.   And,  Brody has not had anymore high fevers since Saturday morning.   So that's all good stuff.   Brody's white blood cell count is still extremely low though (pretty much zero).   He can't go home until he has an ANC of at least 500 and so he's not anywhere close to that yet.   Brody will be continuing with the IV antibiotics and Neupogen injections (to help increase his white blood cells).   Brody is greatly missing being home.   So hope the white blood cell count starts heading in the right direction soon and that the infection stays away.  

Brody is still in the hospital

Brody spiked another temperature this morning (Sat morning) and his urine cultures (urine collected from his nephrostomy tubes) that were collected on Thursday came back positive for bacterial growth.   And,  his white blood cell counts have plummeted to virtually nothing.   So he is still not able to come home.   He needs to have at least 48 hours with no high fevers,  no positive cultures,  and an ANC of at least 500 before he can come home.   I am always worried about Brody but of course now I am really worried about this infection that does not seem to want to go away on top of everything else.   Scary.   The plan is to continue with the slew of antibiotics and also the Neupogen injections to help increase his white blood cell counts which are so important for infections.   Let's hope things start kicking the infection soon and that Brody can finally come home.   Despite the infection and fevers and the surgery to replace the tubes and wanting to go home very badly,  Brody has remained in good spirits.  Overall he has been feeling ok too and basically tolerating everything pretty well.    I am quite thankful for that.  

Missing Brody

I am laying in my own bed for the first time in over a week.  It feels so comfy compared to the air mattress I have been sleeping on at the hospital this week or the "couch" in the camper I was sleeping on during the camping trip we were on just before Brody started spiking his high fevers.   I'm cuddling up with Chewy and Tori (our dogs) I've been missing all week too.   But it just doesn't feel like I'm home though without Brody here.   I know he really wants to be home and cuddling with his dogs and sleeping in his own bed too.   So wish he could be home.   At least Bill is getting the chance to spend some one on one time with Brody tonight before Bill heads back to work tomorrow to make-up some of the hours he missed while at the hospital this week for Brody's surgery.   I love you and miss you already Brody even though it's only been a few hours since I saw you.  

Making Play-doh Snakes

Painting Wooden Airplanes

Brody's in there somewhere, lol!

Fri Night

Brody feeling ok,  Got some chemo today...  No issues.  Still getting IV antibiotics for a few more days and Neupogen shots to help raise his counts enough to continue his oral chemo Cyclophosmide.  Mom and brothers just left for night. Brody is chillin' with some chicken nuggets and Spongebob in Netflix. He generally has a good appetite about bed time...  Asking for more so I have to cut this short.

Bill

Team Brodinator Walk to Conquer Childhood Cancer T-Shirt Fundraiser to Benefit CureSearch for Children's Cancer

Order your TEAM BRODINATOR T-Shirt today to show your support for Brody Pizzifred and all children battling childhood cancer.  All proceeds generated from the sales of TEAM BRODINATOR T-shirts will be donated to CureSearch for Children's Cancer.

TO ORDER:  Contact Tricia Pizzifred (Brody's Mom) with the following information no later than August 29^th, 2012. 

1.  Name
2. Address
3. Phone
4. E-mail
5. Number of T-shirts and sizes needed
6. Indicate if you would like to have your T-shirt shipped or if you would like to pick up at the Toledo CureSearch Walk from Tricia or indicate other preference.
7. Indicate your preferred payment method.  Tricia can e-mail you an invoice so that you can pay via credit card, Paypal, or check.  Or Tricia can mail you an invoice so you can pay via check in the mail.  Or you can pay Tricia in cash or check in person.
   

All Team Brodinator T-shirts will be Royal Blue with Gold and White print.  The Gold ribbon represents Childhood Cancer Awareness.  Let's help make Gold the new Pink!  The back-side of the t-shirt will have TEAM BRODINATOR printed in white lettering.  We designed the t-shirt for the walk this year during one of our recent home school Art classes. 

PRICE:

1. $12.00 if not shipping

2. $17.00 if shipping within U.S

3.  $12.00 plus shipping costs for outside U.S

Tricia's Contact Info

Phone or Text: 419-304-6784

E-mail: triciapizzifred@yahoo.com

Fax: 888-363-3695

TEAM BRODINATOR will be participating in the Curesearch Walk in Toledo, Ohio again this year. We are seeking friends and family willing to join our team and/or donate to Curesearch.  TEAM BRODINATOR was started to show support for Brody Pizzifred and all children who have been affected by Childhood Cancer.  Brody was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in March of 2010 a few days after his fourth birthday. He was treated for about a year with a combination of chemo, multiple surgeries and radiation treatments. He enjoyed a year of remission from the disease. Unfortunately, the cancer has recurred. We received this devastating news on April 30^th, 2012. Recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma has an extremely poor prognosis. CureSearch for Chidren's Cancer supports children's cancer research.  Brody is one of many children battling one of the many types of childhood cancer in great need of more research.   Join us at the Toledo CureSearch Walk on Sept 8th, 2012 as we celebrate and honor children from the Toledo area who have been affected by children's cancer. This very special day will include prizes, music, food, and fun activities for the entire family! Please encourage your friends and family to join us as we raise funds to reach the day when every child with cancer is guaranteed a cure! Register for the walk today or donate to Curesearch to support children's cancer research!

For more information on the Toledo CureSearch Walk, to join Team Brodinator, and/or donate to CureSearch for Children's Cancer, please go to:

http://www.curesearchwalk.org/toledo/Brodinator  or http://www.curesearchwalk.org

Brody Had Surgery Today to Replace Both Nephrostomy Tubes

Brody had surgery today to replace both nephrostomy tubes.  He was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night for very high fevers.  They did blood cultures and urine cultures on Sunday night and Monday.  This morning we got the news that he was positive for Pseudomonas and Enterococcus in the urine collected from his nephrostomy tubes.  We were told that it can be very difficult to erradicate these organisms and that the nephrostomy tubes had to be replaced.  He had the surgery this afternoon and he is feeling very good now.  He is having only very minor pain this evening.  He has also been eating fairly well tonight.  Brody was started on IV antibiotic on Sunday evening.  They have added on a couple more IV antibiotics today to provide even broader coverage against the bacteria.  We do not yet know the exact strains of bacteria nor when Brody may be allowed to come home.  Fortunately Brody has not had anymore high fevers since Monday morning.  So at least it seems he is responding the IV antibiotics that have already started.  Brody has not been able to take his chemo that he normally takes at home everyday since his white blood cell counts are low and he has bacterial infection.  This evening he is starting Neupogen injections to help boost his white blood cell count.  They plan to give Brody his IV chemo on Friday even if his counts are still low.  The ones he is due for Friday do not tend to drop his counts as much as the one he normally takes at home everyday.  Brody having serious bacterial infection is scary and so is holding his chemo so that he can fight the infection.  Do not want the tumor to have a chance to make head-way again in the wrong direction. At least Brody's infection does seem to be susceptible to the antibiotics so far though and the Neupogen should help us be able to get back on track sooner with his chemo.