Day 122: Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am thankful for my family and my friends. So far, I have had a happy thanksgiving. I am most thankful that Austin was a match for me and I keep getting healthier. I am also very thankful for the 18 people who have signed up to the Bone Marrow Registry. 82 people to go to reach my goal. I hope you will join the registry and help me meet my goal.

Now I am going to watch a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Have a great night.

Day 115 - Please join the registry

Austin's bone marrow saved my life! I was lucky to have a sibling match. But some people do not have matches in their family. They have to have strangers that help them. Maybe you could be one of those strangers who saves a live. Please join the bone marrow registry. It is free from now until the rest of the year. It is my Christmas wish to get at least 100 people to join the registry. Please help me reach this goal. The National Bone Marrow Registry has set up a special link to help me reach my goal.

Here is how to do it:

1. Log on to http://join.marrow.org/ajchristmaswish

2. Follow the directions.

3. They will send you a packet to complete and swabs for your cheeks.

4. Mail it back. You are one the registry. It is easy.

Austin is only 5 and he did! So can you! Remember you can help save a life.

AJ

Day 100 - Yahooey!

Guess what day it is....DAY 100! Tonight we celebrated with dinner from PF Changs, and a cake that Mom and I made. The cake was very sugary but very delicious. Mom created the 100 but I decorated it. Here it is:

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. My line was removed on Monday. I am feeling a lot better without it. It is a little sore but I still feel pretty good. Here is me flushing my line for the last time, and what my chest looked like after surgery - don't worry that is just betadine.

This past weekend was filled with fun. Grandma and Pop Pop were here. I think you saw the pumpkins we carved, and our costumes. We also went to a drive-thru zoo safari. While we were there, a ram rammed Mom's car - she was mad, but it didn't leave any damage. We were followed by many Emu who just wouldn't leave us alone. We also saw a zebra, some alligators, a few buffalo, and some geese. It was lots of fun.

The rest of the week I am going to work, work, work to catch-up on schoolwork. But Mom is taking it easy on me this week. I go back to the Clinic next Tuesday and will also go to the Eye doctor to check my eyes for problems from the transplant. So far, all my tests have been normal.

Talk to you later!

AJ

Day 99: Hickman is gone

AJ did wonderful yesterday morning. It is so nice to not have the Hickman line in him anymore. It was a constant worry to Cindy and I. AJ also had a clinic visit with Dr. Frangoul. His numbers were again up and with his improvement and removal of the Hickman, they are going to start taking him off of some of the medications.

-Greg

Day 97: Halloween

We had a great Halloween weekend. Grandma and Pop-pop came for a visit this week and they helped us all carve some great pumpkins Friday night. Even Jack made a little one with a marker. Of course he also used the marker to draw on a few of mom's bowls and the table.

Yesterday, after watching the Hurricanes pull off a last second victory, the kids all went trick or treating with their friends Tyler and Ian. Cousins Jacob and Colby also came and everyone had a great time. Mr. Doug (Tyler and Ian's Dad) pulled everyone in his trailer which we had filled up with hay. AJ rode in the back of the truck. He wasn't able to go knock on doors, but he was able to watch everyone else and munch on the bowl of candy Cindy brought along for him.

Tomorrow is a BIG day. The Hickman catheter which AJ has had in his chest since July 21 is being removed. It is a minor surgery but he will be under general anesthesia. We'll be leaving home around 5:00am. Please say a prayer that everything goes well tomorrow for AJ. We'll update everyone tomorrow evening.

-Greg