Numbers

We decided to move up Riley's appointment with the Doctor so he wouldn't have to miss school. The appointment was for September 15. School starts on the sixth. I called and the Doctor had an opening on the first.

AWSOME numbers. Everything was low normal. Hemoglobin was 14.1. You can donate blood with this number. Riley laughed when I told him so. Platelets were 164,000. 150,000 was our goal. White cells were 6.7. Neutrophils were 4.8. Hematocrit was 41.1. No more low indicator arrows on the printout.

The Doctor was surprised and pleased at the positive bump. As a result, when I asked Tom's question if Riley could accelerate the dosage decline, he said "Yes". He normally wouldn't but these numbers show that Riley's body responds well to the dosage decline. The new dose starting today is just 50 milligrams in the morning and that is it. Still continue with the weekend antibiotics until we see the doctor again. He said giving up the antibiotics is a little like playing with fire while on cyclosporan. You can quickly go to pneumonia without the antibiotics, so continue with the weekend dosage.

Riley had been skipping so that was a good reminder of its importance. The missed magnesium was not so worrisome as symptoms present in aching joints and pain if you get low in magnesium. Since Riley has not had those symptoms the doctor was not worried about missed doses. Riley take multi vitamins which also have some magnesium, the gummy chews, which the doctor laughed at, saying Riley was 15 and still taking the chewables.

He said if Riley liked the chewable he ought to try Nutella, the chocolate hazelnut spread. We have had it at my Mom's and it is good. I guess on doctors recommendation I will buy it for our house now.

For one month Riley will continue on this 50 dose, then quit. No more cyclosporin in a month. We will do a local blood test, then in two months from now the doctor wants to see Riley. We will do a blood test then. So we have a blood test once a month for two more months then if all is going well and looking good we go three months between for a year then six months for two years. NO more drugs though in one month.

We were ecstatic. The doctor said long term there should be no reason to think the kidneys or liver were damaged. Riley had classic Aplastic Anemia and responded like a poster child to the treatment. Our friend who had everything possible go wrong is still struggling. His case was much more complicated as another condition in his liver caused the reaction. Having a bad liver to start put him at a disadvantage. I pray every day that he will eventually have as good results as Riley.

We got out of the doctor's office right during rush hour. The freeway was backed up from where we got on so I opted for the next exit and took the long way home. It was a lovely drive and beautiful evening. You can imagine what a positive mood we were in. The music played on the radio and nothing could dampen our mood.

Riley's face even looks pretty good considering he hasn't been putting his meds on it. He has been with his best friend on and off for the last few weeks, either at their house or ours. His friend's mom said they were having a grand time. She didn't want to give Riley up at first. She said they played like only old friends who have grown up together can play. They played Nerf wars and ran around in the woods. Romping around like a six year old.

Meanwhile on the home front, things did not run as smoothly as I would have wished. We found out that Trevor will be benched the first four games of football for academic probation. Those bad grades finally caught up with him. So Tom and I and Trevor went round again on the decision to push forward into high school. Don't tell me the arguments. I heard them all in the last week. As usual I lost. I am a little pissed off that my testosterone house hold can't seem to see the positives of getting a do over before high school. All they see the test of fortitude, the learning lesson.

The state and the district have rules. Pass five of six classes in the previous semester or you are benched on probation. Trevor is on double secret probation, which isn't really a secret as he stands on the side line of every game in shorts with no gear. He also went to a high school football bonfire kickoff at a cheer leader's house in the country. The camaraderie was strong and the company was good. He didn't want to give all that up for a repeat of eighth grade. He did announce his probation at the fire. He wouldn't be able to hide it while standing on the side lines. They all took it well. One young man even said he had been there himself.

Trevor made it to band practice also. He called his councilor to ask about band and was told the first practice had started 10 minutes earlier. We are five minutes from the school. He made the practice, which was being run by a senior. Introductions were still being made. Trevor will definitely be involved in high school.

Tom came home wondering where the boys were. I filled him in on Trevor's busy schedule. Trevor will need a tutor, which with budget cuts is not available at school. Football practice will also interfere with right after school tutoring. I need to find some student linked with school and similar classes so they can remind Trevor of what is due and when, mindful that if he does not have good grades in three weeks he misses the whole football season.

This is just the beginning. School hasn't even started yet and already there are issues. My thought is giving Trevor time to mature. He would be that much bigger and more experienced for football. Tom's attitude is this is a life lesson best learned now. I just don't think you can put a toddler in kindergarten and have him succeed. It has been my argument all along. Trevor is too young for his class.

At the bonfire. I found out that two other freshmen just turned 15 or will be turning 15 in the next month. Trevor just turned 14 two weeks ago. Riley's best friend is moving and they are going to have him repeat freshman year at his new school. He didn't even fail a class, they just want to give him an edge for success.

High school is hard enough, why make it more difficult. But I am only a female. I don't understand the male world, I am told. Tom and I are polarized on this issue. Trevor wants to be in high school so bad, with his father's support I can't win. The movie fantasy is alive and well in Trevor.

I am still doing all the driving. I thought about rebelling and letting Trevor and his father figure it out for himself and get to school himself. I just couldn't do it, punish Trevor any more than he already is being punished. The one thing he does well and is built to do well is be a line man in football. He is strong and big. He is only just 14 and you can't tell him apart from any of the other football players. He will not be a tiny boy to be hassled in the halls.

His bike has a broken break. The bonfire party was way out in the country. I don't want Trevor to have a high school experience like mine, overwhelmed by a giant school that I hid in my room for four years. If I can get him to an event, Trevor has no problem showing up and participating if I get him there. The key is I need to know about it. Trevor doesn't pass on information well. Organization skills are definitely on the list to be addressed for school success.

Tom lived in a community where he could bike everywhere and was self motivated. His high school experience was very different from mine. He is still in contact with his high school friends. I have no friends from high school. He doesn't know how miserable it can be. I just want my boys to have four wonderful years. You get one shot at life. To enjoy and live every day is a blessing. I want my boys to live every day. Why make life any more difficult than it already is. Testosterone wins and the boys are going to climb the hill the hard way.

So that is the reason there was a gap for a few days. I was fuming. I still am, but Riley's good news put me in a better mood. I will just do what I can, and enjoy every day. Off to cut more blackberries.