Spencer Rocket Caserio

October 2008 - Spencer enjoys Cub Scouts.

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Welcome to Spencer's web page. He loves all his friends and wants to keep in touch with everybody. He really appreciates that you are here cheering him on. On September 2, 2003, at 2 years, 10 months old, Spencer was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). This is a somewhat rare and aggressive form of childhood leukemia. At Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford he was put on an intense chemotherapy and radiation therapy protocol (POG 9404) that was to last 2+ years. Spencer quickly went into remission during a six week "induction" chemotherapy phase and we were 4 1/2 months into the 6 month "consolidation" chemotherapy, about to start radiation, when Spencer had an isolated relapse in his central nervous system on Feb 26, 2004.

This relapse forced us to abandon our old protocol and begin preparation for a transplant of some kind. His disease has shown that it has some resistance to the chemotherapy so a radically different approach was necessary. After a difficult struggle to get the leukemia back into remission at Stanford, we jumped ship the day we got out of the hospital and headed across the country. On May 5, 2004 Spencer received an Unrelated Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant at Duke University Medical Center. Spencer's transplant doctor is Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg who pioneered cord blood transplants in the United States. A transplant is the most extreme form of cancer treatment available but Spencer responded extremely well, engrafting quickly and with very few complications. We spent 7 months in North Carolina in 2004, returning home to Cambria just in time for Halloween. We have returned several times to Duke for periodic checkups. Spencer has done so well that now, 4 1/2 years after his transplant, he is off all medication (and has been for 2 years) and only returns to Duke once per year for his yearly studies (and will continue to have to for the rest of his life). It’s the least we can do. Spencer is truly a walking miracle.

And you may or may not be listening to Spencer Rocket's Song, music and vocals by Gail Swanson from Maui, Hi. She is one of many great musicians who write songs for the Songs of Love Foundation. Many thanks to them for Spencer's great song.

Also, for more detailed and specific info on Spencer's journey please visit:
spencerrocket.com

Sometimes you just run out of words, so here's a few thousand in these new transplant photos. You'll also find all the archived photos that have appeared on this site in the past.


Spencerdude shredding it up. Stoked.

Journal

Saturday, October 18, 2008 2:47 AM CDT

No update since July. I guess that's pretty good. But sorry for being so boring. Actually, life has been anything but boring, what, with your typical 7 year-old wandering around. First off, Spencer has been doing great. We are living fully immersed in the world of normal healthy people, having emerged from the wardrobe quite a while ago. The only issues Spencer has, besides sensitive skin, is at this time of year he gets a lot of pretty bad bloody noses, usually at about 5 in the morning. This is due to his medical history, particularly the radiation messing up his sinuses, combined with the extremely dry Fall air. Spencer gets quite upset when he gets them, but he does a good job getting them under control.

Otherwise Spencer had a great end to his summer, highlighted by his first-ever trip to Baja California with dad (see photos). Now there's proof that Spencer has been doing well. It wasn't too long ago that even the thought of taking Spencer to Baja seemed ridiculous, particularly to some desolate spot 40 miles down a dirt road. But we did it and Spencer had the best time of his life. He cannot wait to go again next summer.

And now Spencer has been enjoying 2nd grade, playing with all his friends and doing fairly well in school, despite having quite a distaste for homework. Must be pre-programmed in their brains. He's quite good at reading, okay at math, and struggles a bit with his writing, no doubt due to treatment messing with his fine-motor skills...and being a boy. But he gets through it and continues to improve at everything he does. He is a very happy kid and can light up a room with his presence.

Spencer is looking forward to another ski season, which is just around the corner, but not before his birthday and Christmas, neither of which can come soon enough for him. I try to tell him not to be in such a hurry, but he doesn't listen. Must be pre-programmed in their brains.

Thanks so much for checking in and hope everyone has a great Holiday Season.

And go Jimmie!

The Caserios

Read Journal History

Hospital Information:

Patient Room: Home in California

Children's Health Clinic
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC

Links:

E-mail Author: spencer@sideoff.com