My last post certainly wasn't meant to offend anyone, and I hope it didn't. I'm just trying to point out that society needs to be more supportive of nursing mothers, so that more mothers nurse.
Also, it certainly is not necessary to show your breast while nursing in public. In fact, you can almost do it so that no one knows you're nursing. Personally, I do not nurse in public because I feel like I'll make someone uncomfortable, which of course, is part of the problem. If pictures of mothers nursing make Facebook uncomfortable enough to remove them, I'm quite sure that a real-live nursing mother is going to make someone uncomfortable. I'm also afraid that I'll get a disgusted look from someone, a look meant to make me feel like I'm doing something shameful. And, I certainly do not want to feel shame about doing what's best for my baby.
Monkey see, monkey do.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Some Thoughts I Just Can’t Keep to Myself
There’s been a minor little story in the news lately about a group of mothers, women and other supporters that have banned together on Facebook to protest the required removal of pictures from Facebook that contain any portion of the areola, including pictures of mothers breast-feeding their children. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an ardent supporter of breastfeeding, and anytime I read something like this it really fires me up. I hope you don’t all think I’m beating a dead horse here, but I need to say some things.
First of all, breast-feeding is the absolute best thing you can do for your baby. It is the gold standard. Anything you give your infant that is not breast milk is inferior. These days, that little bit of knowledge is pretty common, and yet, many, many women in the United States choose not to breast-feed their babies. Why is this? I have a theory, and of course, I’m going to share it.
American society and our economy are consumer-driven. Formula is a consumer product that is sold, marketed, and, shamelessly advertised as an acceptable alternative to breast-milk. People will buy anything, and they think that if they are buying something for their baby, then they must be doing something good. Now, you may have noticed that every formula commercial ever made has a little disclaimer at the bottom that says, “Breast-milk is best,” or something very similar. Yes, they actually admit that breast-milk is best, but convey that if you can’t breast-feed, then formula is acceptable. I guess my definition of acceptable does not include babies that are sick more often, constipated, more likely to develop childhood diseases, more likely to be allergic, more likely to get diaper rash, and a whole host of other things that I’m leaving out. (And those are just benefits for the baby – the mother gets a whole host of them, too.)
I am well aware that a very, very small percentage of women truly cannot breast-feed their children, and for them, I feel awful. To me, not being able to nurse my baby would be devastating. However, most of the excuses that women give about not being able to breast-feed or choosing not to breast-feed are just that – excuses.
American society has told them it is okay to give their babies formula, and what I’m saying is that it is not okay. Our society needs to change some things so that women can feel more confident and empowered and make the right choice. We have to accept that a naked breast is not just a symbol for sex, but a symbol of nurture, nutrition and motherly-love. People have to stop being uncomfortable around a women that is nursing. If a nursing mother becomes a more widespread site in the public arena, then women will begin to feel as comfortable nursing their babies in front of others as they are giving them a bottle. Nursing would begin to become common place, and more and more mothers would just believe, recognize, acknowledge and accept that when you have a baby, you nurse a baby. These basic, simple changes need to occur so that we can do what’s best for our babies and for society.
First of all, breast-feeding is the absolute best thing you can do for your baby. It is the gold standard. Anything you give your infant that is not breast milk is inferior. These days, that little bit of knowledge is pretty common, and yet, many, many women in the United States choose not to breast-feed their babies. Why is this? I have a theory, and of course, I’m going to share it.
American society and our economy are consumer-driven. Formula is a consumer product that is sold, marketed, and, shamelessly advertised as an acceptable alternative to breast-milk. People will buy anything, and they think that if they are buying something for their baby, then they must be doing something good. Now, you may have noticed that every formula commercial ever made has a little disclaimer at the bottom that says, “Breast-milk is best,” or something very similar. Yes, they actually admit that breast-milk is best, but convey that if you can’t breast-feed, then formula is acceptable. I guess my definition of acceptable does not include babies that are sick more often, constipated, more likely to develop childhood diseases, more likely to be allergic, more likely to get diaper rash, and a whole host of other things that I’m leaving out. (And those are just benefits for the baby – the mother gets a whole host of them, too.)
I am well aware that a very, very small percentage of women truly cannot breast-feed their children, and for them, I feel awful. To me, not being able to nurse my baby would be devastating. However, most of the excuses that women give about not being able to breast-feed or choosing not to breast-feed are just that – excuses.
American society has told them it is okay to give their babies formula, and what I’m saying is that it is not okay. Our society needs to change some things so that women can feel more confident and empowered and make the right choice. We have to accept that a naked breast is not just a symbol for sex, but a symbol of nurture, nutrition and motherly-love. People have to stop being uncomfortable around a women that is nursing. If a nursing mother becomes a more widespread site in the public arena, then women will begin to feel as comfortable nursing their babies in front of others as they are giving them a bottle. Nursing would begin to become common place, and more and more mothers would just believe, recognize, acknowledge and accept that when you have a baby, you nurse a baby. These basic, simple changes need to occur so that we can do what’s best for our babies and for society.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Merry Christmas
Well, Christmas is winding down, and I thought I better wish everyone who still reads things a Merry one, and a Happy New Year. Our Christmas Eve party was lots of fun, and we enjoyed our first holiday season as a three human family very much. (In reality, we're a 5 member family, because I can't forget about my first and second babies, Hallie and Chance.)
JD did a great job on Christmas morning opening his gifts one at a time, and very slowly. He played with each one, toyed with the paper, tugged on the bows and tortured the dogs in between gifts. He had no idea why he was opening boxes, but it was very entertaining for Jeff and me.
My Dad headed to Vegas on Christmas Day so I'll have to be posting more often with lots of pictures. I don't know how he's going to leave the little bugger for so long, so I guess I'll have to keep him informed. You gotta love the internet.
I got Jeff an electronic drum set, which was a huge surprise for him. He's been playing it non-stop, so I'm pretty sure he likes it. He got me a locket with two tiny little pictures of JD...it's the best gift I've ever gotten.
JD got lots of toys, but our best gift this Christmas was watching him learn to walk over the holidays. He's hobbling from room to room now, after only being able to take a few steps a week ago. What a boy!
JD did a great job on Christmas morning opening his gifts one at a time, and very slowly. He played with each one, toyed with the paper, tugged on the bows and tortured the dogs in between gifts. He had no idea why he was opening boxes, but it was very entertaining for Jeff and me.
My Dad headed to Vegas on Christmas Day so I'll have to be posting more often with lots of pictures. I don't know how he's going to leave the little bugger for so long, so I guess I'll have to keep him informed. You gotta love the internet.
I got Jeff an electronic drum set, which was a huge surprise for him. He's been playing it non-stop, so I'm pretty sure he likes it. He got me a locket with two tiny little pictures of JD...it's the best gift I've ever gotten.
JD got lots of toys, but our best gift this Christmas was watching him learn to walk over the holidays. He's hobbling from room to room now, after only being able to take a few steps a week ago. What a boy!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Big Boy
We got a video camera for Christmas, so I wanted to show everybody my big boy! I'm sure I'll write more about things later.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmastime
Let me just say that I love Christmas. I love the parties, the food, the presents, the drinks, the coziness of sitting in a warm room on a cold night with my whole family in front of a twinkling tree. I love the music and I love getting dressed up in a pretty sweater. Maybe I'm sounding a little weird now, but I remember absolutely loving the various traditions that my family had around the holidays when I was little. I guess I still love them, but now we have to start our own traditions so that JD (and any other future little Eckert babies) can cherish his holiday memories.
So, I guess we're starting with our first Christmas Eve party tomorrow night. There are lots of people coming, and hopefully, everyone has a great time and will look forward to coming to our house for many years to come. It's especially important for us to enjoy Christmas this year, because if you remember, or if you just take a look back to December of last year in this blog, you'll see that we spent the entire holiday in the hospital. Jeff was stuck inside his room last year with no appetite, and no desire for much of anything but getting his hospital stay over with. My Dad, Rich, Nicole and I ate a free Christmas dinner in the hospital cafeteria, which nice as it was, is a horrible place to be on Christmas.
Sometimes after thinking back on something bad that happened, you can sort of say to yourself, "well, it wasn't that bad..." I'm still not able to say that about last year. In fact, the more I think about it, the more horrible and real it all is, and the more I can be thankful that we made it through and that Jeff is doing great. Enough said about that.
Lately, JD has been taking 3 or 4 steps at time from one spot to another. This morning, he basically went almost the whole way across the room before falling at my feet. He was so darn proud of himself, and so adorable that I just can't stop thinking about him.
So, I guess we're starting with our first Christmas Eve party tomorrow night. There are lots of people coming, and hopefully, everyone has a great time and will look forward to coming to our house for many years to come. It's especially important for us to enjoy Christmas this year, because if you remember, or if you just take a look back to December of last year in this blog, you'll see that we spent the entire holiday in the hospital. Jeff was stuck inside his room last year with no appetite, and no desire for much of anything but getting his hospital stay over with. My Dad, Rich, Nicole and I ate a free Christmas dinner in the hospital cafeteria, which nice as it was, is a horrible place to be on Christmas.
Sometimes after thinking back on something bad that happened, you can sort of say to yourself, "well, it wasn't that bad..." I'm still not able to say that about last year. In fact, the more I think about it, the more horrible and real it all is, and the more I can be thankful that we made it through and that Jeff is doing great. Enough said about that.
Lately, JD has been taking 3 or 4 steps at time from one spot to another. This morning, he basically went almost the whole way across the room before falling at my feet. He was so darn proud of himself, and so adorable that I just can't stop thinking about him.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
I Don't Know Why I Do This
When Jeff was first diagnosed with AML last October, I spent a lot of time scouring the internet for any information I could get my hands on. I read technical papers about transplants, GVHD, chemotherapy drugs, platelet recovery time and its connection to survival rates, and just about anything else that I thought might tell me whether or not Jeff was going make it.
In addition, I also searched and found blogs of others going through the same thing that we were. These were the hardest to read, but also the most helpful. I remember one blog in particular that I followed from October when the author received his transplant. He ended up dying right around the time Jeff received Mark's stem cells. I can remember sitting at the computer in the hospital, staring in disbelief at the screen with tears running down my cheeks, crying for someone I had never met, but whose life had touched mine so deeply.
I've recently, for reasons unknown to me, felt compelled to read more leukemia blogs, and occasionally I make a comment to let the author know that my blog is out here in cyberspace just waiting to be read. Anyway, to make a long story short, by posting on someone else's blog, I've stumbled across many more blogs and have just read the stories of a young man named Derrick and a young woman named Erica. Both of them passed away earlier this month, and in reading about their battles, I can't help but count my blessings. AML is a nasty, relentless disease and Jeff is so lucky to have come through things so well. I certainly don't want to be overly optimistic, but after all we've been through, I need a little optimism to help keep me sane.
Derrick's story started out similar to Jeff's, but unfortunately for him and his family, he didn't end up nearly as lucky. He did his induction chemo in Hershey with Dr. Claxton as his attending, and followed with a stem cell transplant (which he chose to have done at Sloan-Kettering in NYC). Derrick made it to the 100 day post-transplant mark without too many problems. Unfortunately for him, he relapsed shortly after that and his body couldn't handle any more harsh chemo. Basically, his organs stopped working properly and he never made it to a second transplant. He was 23 years old when he died.
Erica's story starts with ALL, relapses with AML, and after a slightly mis-matched stem cell transplant, her body once again succumbed to some form of the disease and too much graph vs. host. I think she was only 28 at the time of her death. Both of these young people were so full of life and incredibly beautiful, both inside and out.
Sometimes I just don't understand the unfairness of it all.
In addition, I also searched and found blogs of others going through the same thing that we were. These were the hardest to read, but also the most helpful. I remember one blog in particular that I followed from October when the author received his transplant. He ended up dying right around the time Jeff received Mark's stem cells. I can remember sitting at the computer in the hospital, staring in disbelief at the screen with tears running down my cheeks, crying for someone I had never met, but whose life had touched mine so deeply.
I've recently, for reasons unknown to me, felt compelled to read more leukemia blogs, and occasionally I make a comment to let the author know that my blog is out here in cyberspace just waiting to be read. Anyway, to make a long story short, by posting on someone else's blog, I've stumbled across many more blogs and have just read the stories of a young man named Derrick and a young woman named Erica. Both of them passed away earlier this month, and in reading about their battles, I can't help but count my blessings. AML is a nasty, relentless disease and Jeff is so lucky to have come through things so well. I certainly don't want to be overly optimistic, but after all we've been through, I need a little optimism to help keep me sane.
Derrick's story started out similar to Jeff's, but unfortunately for him and his family, he didn't end up nearly as lucky. He did his induction chemo in Hershey with Dr. Claxton as his attending, and followed with a stem cell transplant (which he chose to have done at Sloan-Kettering in NYC). Derrick made it to the 100 day post-transplant mark without too many problems. Unfortunately for him, he relapsed shortly after that and his body couldn't handle any more harsh chemo. Basically, his organs stopped working properly and he never made it to a second transplant. He was 23 years old when he died.
Erica's story starts with ALL, relapses with AML, and after a slightly mis-matched stem cell transplant, her body once again succumbed to some form of the disease and too much graph vs. host. I think she was only 28 at the time of her death. Both of these young people were so full of life and incredibly beautiful, both inside and out.
Sometimes I just don't understand the unfairness of it all.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Boy and His Dog
JD likes to head butt just about everything, and Chance is no exception. He'd also like to give Hallie a good knock on the head, but she runs as soon as she sees him coming. My beautiful little boy is a bit of a roughneck. He finds delight in diving head first off of just about anything, hitting himself in the head with a coaster, biting and wrestling with Chance, ramming his walker at top speed into the kitchen cupboards and repelling off of my bookcases. He is definitely a contrast in character...sweet, laid-back, and happy, but very, very busy, and like I said, a bit rough.I can't believe he's almost 1! He'll be walking any day now, and it makes me sad to think how fast his first year flew by me. I guess we'll just have to get working on another baby.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Happy Halloween!
JD's first Halloween was a happy one, and I can't believe he's already 10 months old. I know this post is a few weeks late, but better late than never. Enjoy the picture!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Visit to Hershey
Jeff just walked out of another good visit with Dr. Claxton. He's being weaned off of his anti-rejection medication, and with any luck, he'll be completely off that and his anti-biotic in a few months. In the mean time, we don't have to go to Hershey again until February. Yay!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Shingles and Chickenpox
Well, the dull moments are few and far between for us. Jeff came down with a very mild case of shingles (very common in the first year post-transplant), and just a few days after we figured that out, JD started sprouting the pox. Luckily, my happy little 9 month-old was not too bothered by them. He ran a mild temp for a few days, and was a little cranky, but overall he handled them like a champ.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Another Good Check-up
Jeff had another good check-up in Hershey. We're almost a year away from the day when we found out that Jeff was sick, and only about 3 months until he hits the one-year from transplant mark. As I may have mentioned before, as we get further from transplant, the likelihood of a relapse continues to drop. Doctor's appointments are getting a little bit easier for Jeff, but the nightmare of everything is still a little too close for comfort. I guess that time should continue to help us heal.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Busy Summer
We've hardly been home enough to blink, so I obviously haven't had much time to keep up with the blog. So, for a quick update - Jeff is still doing great. His June check-up went well, and he doesn't have to go back to Hershey until late August. He continues to add his regular activities back into his life, and seems to be more and more like himself every day.JD is getting bigger, sweeter, and a little rougher. He loves to eat, and sometimes screams when his fruit or cereal is all gone. He can sit and play with some of his toys now, and occasionally sleeps through the night. He'll be in his first wedding next month when Rich and Nicole get married on the 16th. I have the cutest tuxedo you've ever seen hanging in the closet.
I'm busy trying to balance working and being a good mom. I have trouble leaving the baby every morning, and love it when lunch time arrives and I get to spend some time with him. He already has an amazing personality, and loves to laugh, smile and flirt. He wakes up with a twinkle in his eye that shows me he can't wait for another day to begin. I get a twinkle in my eye just thinking about him.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
Jeff, JD, and a Couple of Trips
Well, it's been a while since I've written anything, so I guess I have some catching up to do. First of all, Jeff is doing great. He's been back to work full-time for about a month, and isn't scheduled to go back to Hershey until the 30th. His blood work has been looking good, and I can see his stamina steadily increasing. Enough about Jeff....
Did I ever mention that I have the cutest baby ever? Paula, Danielle and I took him to Baltimore in May, and Jeff and I took a trip to Virginia Beach to attend a wedding and have a mini vacation. To convince everyone that I have the cutest baby ever, I'm going to post a few more pictures.
Did I ever mention that I have the cutest baby ever? Paula, Danielle and I took him to Baltimore in May, and Jeff and I took a trip to Virginia Beach to attend a wedding and have a mini vacation. To convince everyone that I have the cutest baby ever, I'm going to post a few more pictures.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
JD - 4 Months
JD is now 15 lbs 8 ounces and 26 inches long. He's in the 90th percentile for his height and 65th for his weight. He's the most amazing little person I've ever met.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Another Good Check-up
Jeff had another good check-up today, and doesn't have to go back to Hershey for another 5 weeks. A break from the doctor and hospital scene will do us all some good.
Friday, April 04, 2008
No Leukemia
Jeff's bone marrow was biopsied again yesterday, and this time, Dr. Claxton looked at it himself. He saw no leukemia present, and we can now say, officially, that Jeff is in remission. Normally, I would be much more upbeat in my post, but I can't stop thinking about the tragedy in Brockway. It seems that any good news we get is accompanied by something rotten.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Jeff's Results
Jeff's biopsy results came back at a borderline level, which, given the rest of what we know about his blood counts, probably means that everything is still okay. The doctor is still convinced that everything is on track, and he told us not to worry.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Long Time, No Talk
We're getting closer and closer to Day 100, which is an important milestone for a transplant patient. Jeff had his bone marrow biopsied on Thursday, and now we're waiting for the results. Dr. Claxton thinks everything will be just fine. His blood counts are holding pretty much steady, and he finished up his radiation treatments early last week. Jeff is even starting to grow hair. I'm thinking he may pass up JD in that category some time soon.
Speaking of the little guy...he's doing great! He's getting so big and he is just so darn beautiful that I can barely take my eyes off him.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Stuff
Jeff had another doctor's appointment this week, and everything is still looking good. On Dr. Claxton's suggestion, we visited Jeff's nurses on the 6th floor and in Day Hospital. According to the doctor, the nurses love to see patients that are doing as well as Jeff after transplant. Although I do think they were excited to see Jeff, they were especially thrilled about seeing JD.
On, March 20, Jeff will have his bone marrow biopsied, and although the doctor expects everything to look good, we're still going to worry until the results come back. If the marrow is clear of any leukemia, they'll call it a remission - it will be 2 years until Jeff can be deemed cured. Jeff still has bad days, but hopefully someday soon, the good days will become more plentiful and the bad ones will disappear.
Last week JD had his first doctor's appointment in St. Marys. He weighed in at 12 lbs, 8 ounces and is 24 inches long. He also got some of his first vaccinations. He screamed a bit, but overall handled things like a little trooper.
I'll be going back to work at the end of March. I'm not sure how I feel about that right now, but I know I'm going to miss the baby a LOT. Being that I cried for two hours after taking the dogs to the kennel before our last vacation, I'm thinking I'm probably going to have a tough time dropping JD off with Nicky. Luckily, I know he'll be in good hands, and after all, I only have to leave him for 4 hours at a time. With JD being so close to work, I can easily run for a lunchtime feeding.
On, March 20, Jeff will have his bone marrow biopsied, and although the doctor expects everything to look good, we're still going to worry until the results come back. If the marrow is clear of any leukemia, they'll call it a remission - it will be 2 years until Jeff can be deemed cured. Jeff still has bad days, but hopefully someday soon, the good days will become more plentiful and the bad ones will disappear.
Last week JD had his first doctor's appointment in St. Marys. He weighed in at 12 lbs, 8 ounces and is 24 inches long. He also got some of his first vaccinations. He screamed a bit, but overall handled things like a little trooper.
I'll be going back to work at the end of March. I'm not sure how I feel about that right now, but I know I'm going to miss the baby a LOT. Being that I cried for two hours after taking the dogs to the kennel before our last vacation, I'm thinking I'm probably going to have a tough time dropping JD off with Nicky. Luckily, I know he'll be in good hands, and after all, I only have to leave him for 4 hours at a time. With JD being so close to work, I can easily run for a lunchtime feeding.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Big Jeff and Little JD
Today, the phone rang and when I answered it, without any introduction, the person on the other end asked me if I was Jeff Eckert's Mom. Well, I said, "No, I'm his wife." Then she said, "It says here that he's only 8 weeks old..." Well, duh...I guess I am Jeff Eckert's wife and his Mom. Funny. I told her that we call him JD to avoid any confusion. Anyway, it was someone from Dr. Schmidt's office confirming the baby's appointment for tomorrow. Had she introduced herself to me, I would have realized that I was Jeff Eckert's Mom. I suppose that won't be the last time I'm confused by my two Jeff's names.
JD was pretty cranky and really hungry all day today. I got a little frustrated with him, but when he woke up from his nap (after I finally got him to sleep), I walked into his room and could not believe how beautiful he looked. It's amazing how one little smile can erase a whole day of crying.
JD was pretty cranky and really hungry all day today. I got a little frustrated with him, but when he woke up from his nap (after I finally got him to sleep), I walked into his room and could not believe how beautiful he looked. It's amazing how one little smile can erase a whole day of crying.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Day + 57
Jeff was back in Hershey yesterday for his bi-weekly checkup, and Dr. Claxton said that Jeff's blood counts are the best he's ever seen at this stage in the game. Although this is great news, we still have to be diligent in preventing him from getting sick. Jeff also had his Hickman removed, which means I don't have to play nurse anymore. The next step for Jeff is a few weeks of radiation in Du Bois, as a prophylactic measure against any remaining cancer cells. This will get him up and out of the house for a few hours every day, which I think, will help to him to regain some of his strength and stamina.
Speaking of strength and stamina, I'm pretty exhausted. JD eats about every 3 hours now, although occasionally I get 4 hours between feedings at night. He's also sleeping in his crib, which is helping me to get a few extra minutes of sleep. Wow, I never thought I'd be measuring my sleep in minutes! Anyway, exhaustion aside, I'm loving my time at home with the baby. Especially, the time we spend all alone in the middle of the night. Crazy as it sounds, I think I'll miss the late-night feedings once he's sleeping through the night. Not that I'm going to try to delay it...
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Weird Comments
I don't know where all these weird comments are coming from, but I'm deleting them as fast as I can. Here's another picture of my little boy...
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Friday, February 08, 2008
Jeff's Blood
Mark's cells seem to be working full force in Jeff's body. His counts are all near normal and the doctor says he's doing great. In a few weeks, Jeff will get his central line removed. One more step toward recovery...
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Home
Usually, the anticipation of something ends up being better than the actual event. This wasn't true in the case of coming home. Jeff, JD and I have been trying to settle into a sort of normal life again, although with 2 doctor's appointments this week, we are easily reminded that life is far from normal. Jeff is feeling better, but on Tuesday, we traveled to Du Bois to see the radiation oncologist. Because chemotherapy doesn't reach all parts of the body equally, and Jeff's leukemia presented with tumors, he is probably going to need some follow-up radiation. Because of the unique situation, the oncologist needed to do some research before prescribing a plan for us. So, once again, we wait to find out what happens next.
Today, Jeff is in Hershey with his Mom for an appointment with Dr. Claxton. Due to some mix up with his scheduled appointment and the fact that Jeff felt a little funny on Monday, he's there a few days early. Hopefully, the funny feeling was nothing, but the doctors err on the side of caution for quite some time following an allogeneic stem cell transplant.
JD is growing like a weed, and gets visibly smarter every day. Today is the first day that the baby and I will get to spend alone together. It's about time. The dogs are taking to the baby slowly. Hallie is a little jealous, but likes to sit with us in the middle of the night while I'm nursing. Chance is a little more aloof towards him, and really likes to the smell the diaper pail. Neither of them have shown the least bit of aggression, so I think they'll eventually learn to love the little guy as much as they love us.
I'll try to get some more baby pictures posted soon.
Today, Jeff is in Hershey with his Mom for an appointment with Dr. Claxton. Due to some mix up with his scheduled appointment and the fact that Jeff felt a little funny on Monday, he's there a few days early. Hopefully, the funny feeling was nothing, but the doctors err on the side of caution for quite some time following an allogeneic stem cell transplant.
JD is growing like a weed, and gets visibly smarter every day. Today is the first day that the baby and I will get to spend alone together. It's about time. The dogs are taking to the baby slowly. Hallie is a little jealous, but likes to sit with us in the middle of the night while I'm nursing. Chance is a little more aloof towards him, and really likes to the smell the diaper pail. Neither of them have shown the least bit of aggression, so I think they'll eventually learn to love the little guy as much as they love us.
I'll try to get some more baby pictures posted soon.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Coming Home
Well, after 4 very long months, it looks like we may be able to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Dr. Claxton thinks that Jeff is in pretty good shape for Day +32, and he gave us the go-ahead to go home...on Thursday, after one more round of blood work. Of course, there will be lots of follow-up. We'll have to come back to Hershey every other week to see the doctor, and have labs drawn at home on the opposite week. Jeff has to be extra careful for the next few months to avoid sick and recently vaccinated people, or else we could easily end up back in the hospital. Like I've mentioned before, Jeff's immune system isn't going to be fully functioning for quite some time.
This whole ordeal has been our worst nightmare, and sometimes even though I'm living it, I don't believe that it has happened to us. That being said, I also am completely overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends, families, and also plenty of strangers. I'm sure that without all of the help, our nightmare could have been much worse, and for this, I am very thankful. I know we could never pay back all of the gifts and favors that we received, so at the risk of sounding a little cliche, we'll just have to 'pay it forward.'
I know that being home will help Jeff begin to heal in ways that he can't here in Hershey. I also think that I might be able to let go of some of the bitterness that I have been harboring all of this time. We'll also be able to feel a little more normal, and at least some of my maternity leave will feel like it's about the baby.
This whole ordeal has been our worst nightmare, and sometimes even though I'm living it, I don't believe that it has happened to us. That being said, I also am completely overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends, families, and also plenty of strangers. I'm sure that without all of the help, our nightmare could have been much worse, and for this, I am very thankful. I know we could never pay back all of the gifts and favors that we received, so at the risk of sounding a little cliche, we'll just have to 'pay it forward.'
I know that being home will help Jeff begin to heal in ways that he can't here in Hershey. I also think that I might be able to let go of some of the bitterness that I have been harboring all of this time. We'll also be able to feel a little more normal, and at least some of my maternity leave will feel like it's about the baby.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
JD at 24 Days Old
JD gets bigger and more lovable everyday. I can't wait to bring him home and show him off!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Blood Counts
Jeff's white and red blood counts are nearing normal, but his platelets still have a way to go. While he hasn't needed any transfusions, and Mark's cells are making some platelets, they haven't yet showed a complete recovery. Although this isn't all that unusual, it is still frustrating for us. Hopefully, there is nothing out of the ordinary causing the problem, and the cells will recover on their own...in the mean time, we wait and hope that Jeff's body is healing the way it is supposed to.
Visits to Day Hospital have been reduced to every other day, and on Monday we'll go to clinic to see Dr. Claxton. If he thinks that Jeff is stable enough, visits will be reduced even further, and we may be able to commute back and forth from home.
Visits to Day Hospital have been reduced to every other day, and on Monday we'll go to clinic to see Dr. Claxton. If he thinks that Jeff is stable enough, visits will be reduced even further, and we may be able to commute back and forth from home.
Monday, January 21, 2008
A Trip Home With JD
JD made his first trip home this weekend, and was greeted by not two, but four dogs. Yes, my Dad brought Hallie, Chance, Brady, and Oz to my house to meet the baby. Being in house with four dogs is pretty crazy, so you can imagine four dogs plus an infant. After getting over the excitement of being home for the first time in month, Hallie and Chance eventually started to wonder about the smelly little creature that their Mom was holding. They both gave him the smell-over and a few licks. Neither of them showed any sort of aggression towards JD, and both managed to sit on my lap (at the same time) while I was nursing. This only lasted a few seconds, but was quite comical. I figured out that if Hallie sits at my feet, and Chance by my side, I can pet one of them with my free hand, and the other with my foot. I can't let my first two babies feel too neglected!
Overall, it was a successful trip home...but I really couldn't enjoy it too much. It's hard being away from Jeff, even if only for a day. Hopefully, all three of us will be home together within a few weeks.
Overall, it was a successful trip home...but I really couldn't enjoy it too much. It's hard being away from Jeff, even if only for a day. Hopefully, all three of us will be home together within a few weeks.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Day +22
Jeff was discharged yesterday and is feeling much better. His counts are on the rise again...hopefully, they'll stay that way this time. Although he is feeling okay, he is still pretty weak and can't help much in the area of diaper changing. Oh, well...there's lots of time for that.
JD and I are probably going to make a trip home this weekend. Unfortunately, it will be a short trip, and Big Jeff can't come with us. The bright spot of the weekend will be Hallie and Chance meeting the baby. I'll report on that later!
JD and I are probably going to make a trip home this weekend. Unfortunately, it will be a short trip, and Big Jeff can't come with us. The bright spot of the weekend will be Hallie and Chance meeting the baby. I'll report on that later!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Re-Admitted
Jeff was re-admitted yesterday because of continued diarrhea and vomiting. His counts also dropped, but the docs say that this is nothing outside the norm. They aren't sure yet whether or not his symptoms are due to the C-Diff, GVHD, or something else. They may scope his stomach and bowels tomorrow to find out.
On the bright side, the IV fluid seems to have helped him out, and he's feeling much better today. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring some good news.
JD weighed in at 8 lbs, 12 ounces today. That means he's gained about 2 ounces/day for the past week...the doc says this is excellent and that JD is perfect. I agree.
On the bright side, the IV fluid seems to have helped him out, and he's feeling much better today. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring some good news.
JD weighed in at 8 lbs, 12 ounces today. That means he's gained about 2 ounces/day for the past week...the doc says this is excellent and that JD is perfect. I agree.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Day +17
Jeff's counts are all on the rise, which means (knock on wood) that he shouldn't need any more blood or platelet transfusions. As of now, it looks like Mark's stem cells are doing their job. Graph vs. Host Disease probably won't manifest itself in clinical symptoms until around Day +30. We just have to hope that nothing too serious crops up.
Unfortunately, Jeff still feels pretty badly. His body is working overtime to heal itself...the transplant coordinator compared it to running a marathon every day. We can expect him to lose 15 - 20% of his body weight over the next month or two (in addition to the 25 lbs he has already lost).
Unfortunately, Jeff still feels pretty badly. His body is working overtime to heal itself...the transplant coordinator compared it to running a marathon every day. We can expect him to lose 15 - 20% of his body weight over the next month or two (in addition to the 25 lbs he has already lost).
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Discharged
After 25 hellish days in the hospital, Jeff has been discharged. He is still very weak, but his counts have recovered to a level that gets him out of the danger zone. We'll have to follow up in Day Hospital until his white count, red blood and platelets are all at normal levels. They'll also be measuring lots of other stuff and keeping an eye out for symptoms related to graph vs. host disease.
JD is really, really glad that his Daddy is home....Mom is pretty happy about it, too.
JD is really, really glad that his Daddy is home....Mom is pretty happy about it, too.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Big Jeff
Jeff caught a hospital-borne infection called C. Diff, which causes some nasty vomiting and diarrhea. This delayed his discharge by a couple of days, but he's feeling better now, and we're hoping for tomorrow. I'll be very happy when he comes home...the trips to the hospital with baby in tow are exhausting.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
White Cells
Jeff's counts are on the rise and he feels substantially better today. He has been taken off just about all of his IV fluids and medicines. As long as he is able to eat, drink, take pills orally and doesn't have a fever, he'll be discharged tomorrow. I can't tell you how excited we are about this. We'll be in Hershey for a while for follow-up at Day Hospital, and most transplant patients end up back in the hospital for a fever, but that's all just stuff we'll have to deal with for a while.
JD is doing great...I am just thrilled with being a Mom, and Big Jeff is loving his job as Daddy. (I can't wait till Jeff gets to change some diapers in the middle of the night!) As unorthodox as this whole situation is, we are making the best of it, and I am enjoying every second of my new baby.
JD is doing great...I am just thrilled with being a Mom, and Big Jeff is loving his job as Daddy. (I can't wait till Jeff gets to change some diapers in the middle of the night!) As unorthodox as this whole situation is, we are making the best of it, and I am enjoying every second of my new baby.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Discharged (Jamie this time)
Thanks to Danielle for keeping the world updated! I think she did a great job.
Okay, so here's what happened...
Early Wednesday morning around 2 am, I awoke to my water breaking. This occurred without any other warnings that labor was imminent, so I was quite surprised and wasn't even really sure what was happening. Anyway, I managed to get myself checked into the hospital, and called Jeff in his room to let him know what was up. Luckily, Jeff was feeling okay and managed to make his way down to the delivery room. I pretty much breezed through the first 10 hours of labor and was fully dilated by about noon. Unfortunately, after 2 hours of pushing, Little JD was stuck in my inadequately sized (from front to back anyway) pelvis. The doctors decided that with a little more pushing, they may be able to get him out with the vacuum, but after 2 more hours it was obvious that Little Jeff wasn't going to fit through. So, off we went to the operating room, where Jeff and I heard for the first time, "it's a boy, and he's a big boy!"
Oh, what a feeling! After 3 months of the worst stress you can imagine, we finally have something to feel amazing about. Little JD is the most beautiful little thing I've ever seen. I don't think that we realized what sort of emotions we would feel after the baby was born, but I know that I am still not down off of the high that I've been on since Wednesday night.
Jeff has had a couple of pretty rough days...he's now on a morphine drip and being fed intravenously, but the next couple of days should see his counts rise and his body will start feeling as good as his heart.
Okay, so here's what happened...
Early Wednesday morning around 2 am, I awoke to my water breaking. This occurred without any other warnings that labor was imminent, so I was quite surprised and wasn't even really sure what was happening. Anyway, I managed to get myself checked into the hospital, and called Jeff in his room to let him know what was up. Luckily, Jeff was feeling okay and managed to make his way down to the delivery room. I pretty much breezed through the first 10 hours of labor and was fully dilated by about noon. Unfortunately, after 2 hours of pushing, Little JD was stuck in my inadequately sized (from front to back anyway) pelvis. The doctors decided that with a little more pushing, they may be able to get him out with the vacuum, but after 2 more hours it was obvious that Little Jeff wasn't going to fit through. So, off we went to the operating room, where Jeff and I heard for the first time, "it's a boy, and he's a big boy!"
Oh, what a feeling! After 3 months of the worst stress you can imagine, we finally have something to feel amazing about. Little JD is the most beautiful little thing I've ever seen. I don't think that we realized what sort of emotions we would feel after the baby was born, but I know that I am still not down off of the high that I've been on since Wednesday night.
Jeff has had a couple of pretty rough days...he's now on a morphine drip and being fed intravenously, but the next couple of days should see his counts rise and his body will start feeling as good as his heart.
Friday, January 04, 2008
1 Jeff, 2 Jeff, red fish, blue fish
Danielle here:
I'm proud to inform you the baby has a name, Jeff David Eckert Junior!! Jeff Junior, or JD as Jamie likes to call him, is a wonderful addition. He brings a smile to everyones face that looks his way. He's the talk of the Hospital, a heart-breaker in the making. Due to some technical difficulties, pictures will not be posted until late tomorrow. Check back, you do not want to miss these pictures.
Jeff Senior is feeling the effects of the transplant. He is at the lowest point right now, but not for much longer, a few more days should bring him more strength. I'm not up with all of the scientific jargon like Jamie, but Jeff (Senior) has a bad sore throat and a slight fever that is being controlled. So far, this is all par for the course. As always, he is still has a stellar attitude.
I'm proud to inform you the baby has a name, Jeff David Eckert Junior!! Jeff Junior, or JD as Jamie likes to call him, is a wonderful addition. He brings a smile to everyones face that looks his way. He's the talk of the Hospital, a heart-breaker in the making. Due to some technical difficulties, pictures will not be posted until late tomorrow. Check back, you do not want to miss these pictures.
Jeff Senior is feeling the effects of the transplant. He is at the lowest point right now, but not for much longer, a few more days should bring him more strength. I'm not up with all of the scientific jargon like Jamie, but Jeff (Senior) has a bad sore throat and a slight fever that is being controlled. So far, this is all par for the course. As always, he is still has a stellar attitude.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
BIG news
First things first....To settle any confusion on bad grammar, this is booger (Danielle) typing, I'm doing a bit of a celebrity post.
Jamie got a jump start on things today. She gave birth to a very big baby boy this evening. Some may say he resembles a gorilla with the size of his hands and feet, but upon further inspection this is indeed Jeff Eckert's child.
If I may say so myself, baby Einstein (Eckert) takes home the most adorable baby award. As long as I'm giving away awards, I would like to name Jamie Mrs. Iron Woman. She had to go through countless hours of painful contractions and unsuccessful efforts to push giant Einstein out. In the end, a sea section was performed. Having Jeff in the delivery room with Jamie made all the difference.
Jamie and Jeff are now the proud parents of an 8.0 pound (20.5 inches long) baby boy. He is yet to be named, and as far as I know Einstein is still a possibility.
Jamie got a jump start on things today. She gave birth to a very big baby boy this evening. Some may say he resembles a gorilla with the size of his hands and feet, but upon further inspection this is indeed Jeff Eckert's child.
If I may say so myself, baby Einstein (Eckert) takes home the most adorable baby award. As long as I'm giving away awards, I would like to name Jamie Mrs. Iron Woman. She had to go through countless hours of painful contractions and unsuccessful efforts to push giant Einstein out. In the end, a sea section was performed. Having Jeff in the delivery room with Jamie made all the difference.
Jamie and Jeff are now the proud parents of an 8.0 pound (20.5 inches long) baby boy. He is yet to be named, and as far as I know Einstein is still a possibility.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year
Hopefully, 2008 will prove to be a better year than 2007, but I'm not going to get all philosophical today. Jeff just wanted me to let everyone know that the spot in his eye is completely gone. Enjoy the bowl games and have a great day off!
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