Ethan Herman

Welcome to Ethan's Web Page. It has been provided to keep people updated about our little boy who has ALL. He was diagnosed on July 26, 2001. Ethan had a stroke due to the chemotherapy on July 30, 2001. He is learnig how to talk and walk again. He needs every one's prayers.

Journal

Tuesday, February 8, 2005 10:54 AM CST

Well I know that it has been a very long time. We have had some crazy weeks. We took Ethan in for his counts on the 24th of January and they (his platelets) were really low again, so we decided to do a bone marrow biopsy. I had them do a CT Scan since we were over there anyway and have them check his shunt because he had been so tired lately. Well, the bone marrow checked out fine, but the shunt was not functioning properly, so we had to leave St. John's and drive him straight down to St. Louis Children's Hospital. They transfused him with platelets and did the surgery to replace the shunt the next morning. Pretty bad when you think brain surgery is a relief. I was just relieved that it wasn't both the shunt and a relapse. Ethan got a virus in the hospital and has been really sick these last few weeks. He finally turned the corner this weekend. We went in yesterday and his platelets went from 67 last week to 297 this week. They said his marrow was revving up. We have decreased some of the seizure meds that can suppress bone marrow and it seems to have worked. Being at Children's was a nightmare. Neurosurgery was great, but some first year resident who did not look at the whole picture with him started freaking out over his counts and wanted to keep him in the hospital and paged Hem/Onc, and scared me to death. Dr Bob called him a bozo, told him to hep lock his line and send him home. Ethan's counts were fine for Ethan. They are just pretty screwed up counts for a normal healthy child. That is one of the prices you pay for a teaching hospital. Usually the care there is great, but sometimes you run into over-zealous residents.

I know that I have many friends out there in caringbridge land and I appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers. I haven't updated or checked most of my friends in a while. I just had to stop. I was getting so depressed and I can't imagine how the parents feel. I had to kind of remove myself from the internet for awhile. I am sorry. It is not that I don't think of you every day and pray for you every day. I just wish the cancer in every child & adult was gone.
Thnks for all of your support.
Love,
Ronnie

Email address  : ronnieher@aol.com