History

Journal History

Tuesday, August 19, 2003 9:11 AM CDT

Cody will have a surgical procedure done sometime this morning, scoping his sinus cavities. Melissa thinks she will have information later on this evening.

Friday, August 15, 2003 2:21 PM CDT

As I mentioned earlier Melissa's purse was stolen. Out of Cody's account has been written checks for over $300 and out of Chris and Melissa's account over $400. Cody's social security card was also taken as well as credit cards. Also the second try on getting the loan for the home they are currently leasing has been denied again. The lease is up the 30th of this month. Melissa said, "Everythings a mess. I just want to sit down and bawl." I share this so that you know how all this is affecting her and Chris. Please be praying for the whole situation Cody, finances and home.

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 1:46 PM CDT

Today I'm quietly playing in my hospital room. The night was not so good so Mom and I are tired. I was able to eat a piece of toast this morning, that is good progress towards being able to go home tomorrow. My blood work is not back yet. I don't know if I will have a blood infusion today or not, or have it on Monday. Uncle Eric, Mom's older brother, is getting married in Chicago next week so I need to be built back up before I can go to the wedding. John is going to be the ringbearer and will be traveling on Monday with Grandpa and Grandma to Chicago. If I'm doing well Mom, Dad and I will leave sometime on Thursday, July 24th.

On Sunday we had a combined birthday party for John and Dad at our new house. Family and friends came and we had a good time.

My next and FINAL TREATMENT is August 5th!! Will update you after the treatment. I'll have my final tests and see my specialists in Sioux Falls, August 26th. I'll let you know what the doctors have to say.

Bye for now and thank you all for praying for me. The doctors are amazed at how healthy I have been during this whole process.

Love,
Cody

Friday, June 27, 2003 10:12 AM CDT

I'm doing fairly well. Came home yesterday after my Big 3 dose, my hemo was down to 9 yesterday so they gave me an infusion before I left for home. The nurses and doctors here are great. Just think, I only have one month left of treatments. August 5th is the last one and it will be the Big 3. I go for testing and evaluation on the 26th of August.

Mom and John are going to the Trail Ride and Mom is really excited. It will be such a wonderful break for her. Dad will be taking care of me and taking me to my treatment that week. I'm a Daddy's boy so this will be great. I get to have Dad all to myself:):)

Mom said to tell you our new phone number so you can call:)
(701) 547-2538

Friday, June 20, 2003 7:17 PM CDT

I was able to come home from the hospital on Saturday. I'll give you more of an update on me when Mom gets back from fishing today. Cousin Lisa is babysitting me so mom and dad can have a little fishing time together with Cousin Adam. The wind was too strong to put up the metal roof Dad and the others were constructing so he didn't have work today. (Maybe they'll have a fishing tale to tell too.

Wednesday, May 28, 2003 4:55 PM CDT

Hi Everybody,

Remember I said Mom and Dad were up to something and nobody is getting much free time these days?? WE MOVED TO FESSENDEN, NORTH DAKOTA!! We were all packed up on Wednesday and were on our way in no time at all. Grandma Alice, Great Grandma Vivian and Aunt Amanda and Brody came and helped us pack all our belongings. Then during the weekend Grandma Vikki and Grandpa Ellery came, cleaned house and helped us get settled in (John went back home with them). Then Grandma Alice and Grandpa Gary came and helped us unbox lots of stuff on Monday. So I have a new home out in the country on about 8 acres. Don't know my mailing address or phone number but I'll give it to you soon. We are now 2 hrs. drive from each set of Grandparents and really close to Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Coombs, who spoil Mom all the time and love Dad lots:)

Don't know for a fact yet, but I think I will be going to Bismarck now for my treatments. The Sioux Falls Drs. work with an oncologist in Bismarck so it seems like it is going to work out. Will be a much closer drive for Mom and I, so we are praying it will all work out fine. The Sioux Falls Drs. would still be supervising my treatments and all my reports would be going back to them, too.

I'll tell you more as the days go along:) Thanks for praying for us.

Love,
Cody

PS I passed along the mailing address, but we don't have a phone yet. I was given 3 baby kittens and I love them all. And yes, I will be going to Bismarck Med Center One, my first trip and treatment will be Tuesday, June 3rd. Right now Dad is mowing lawn and Mom is unpacking more boxes. Dad starts work on Monday. He'll be employed with Triple A Construction, so he's trying to get lots done around the house and yard before next week.

Thursday, May 22, 2003 7:58 PM CDT

Seems like a long time since I've had much to say:) My last treatment went okay. I did have some trouble with blood showing up where it wasn't supposed too but they gave me some medicine and that flushed the bladder so that is all taken care of now. I guess the one cancer drug conflicted with my brain and didn't tell my bladder to empty so too much concentration irritated the lining. But like I said, I'm fine now. Mom says I'm not happy much of the time but I guess if you always had a tummy ache and other aches you'd get grumpy too. I'm tired of being sick. But I do have a break now for three weeks, my body can use the rest.

Speaking of rest, Mom and Dad are up to something and nobody is getting much free time these days. I'll tell you more about it when Mom says we can put it out for public view. In the meantime, pray for added strength, patience, and safety for all of us.

Love,
Cody

Sunday, April 27, 2003 10:38 PM CDT

Mom was disappointed with the news ... 12 more weeks of chemo. I am not bouncing back like I did before so they are giving me a large dose 3 weeks a part first then going back to my normal schedule. I like to be held just about all the time. I guess you'd say I don't feel really great.

Other family happenings, Mom celebrated her Golden birthday on the 24th ... OOops now you know how old she is:) Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Stanley came to visit. John is staying with Grandpa and Grandma Coombs.

Keep praying for us.

Friday, March 28, 2003 7:38 PM CST

Things have changed again in my life. Good news things like my face is a lot better, just barely pink, my sores are healing, my gums are tightening up again around my teeth, my eating is back up, my hair is 1/2" long (grew back during radiation), my energy is back to normal...moving, grooving Cody!! I'm not even taking naps, for awhile I was sleeping pretty much all day. My speech is doing really well, was some concern because of cutting through the muscles of my lip. I am not having any developmental delays and steriod drops for my eyes are making the healing process go faster.

I have 5 weeks left of chemotherapy. I'm back to two treatments in Aberdeen and then the 3rd in Sioux Falls. I'm so special they are making me a case study and will be following me thoughtout my lifetime.

I'M OFF TO A BIG BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR ME, AND A SPECIAL BENEFIT SUPPER GIVEN BY THE PRESBYTERIAN LADIES FOR ME IN ST. JOHN, NORTH DAKOTA. ALL TAKING PLACE THIS WEEKEND:):)

Sunday, March 16, 2003 7:54 PM CST

We've all had a wonderful week. I am feeling not quite so run down and the sores in my mouth are going away. Dad, John, Mom and I went to Sioux Falls together from Mon-Wed for my very last radiation treatments:):):):) We celebrated and enjoyed a swimming pool and being together as a family.

Grandma Alice and Aunt Amanda came down so Mom could go to a women's retreat with her cousin at a Nazarene camp. Mom says she was so blessed it knocked her socks off ... funny Mom. Mom says the women were so loving and welcoming. She could hardly believe it because none of them knew her. Mom said she was refreshed and emotionally and spiritually renewed. Isn't God good:):)

Tuesday I go for the day to Sioux Falls for my chemotherapy. What the rest of my schedule will be we don't know yet. Probably will find out on Tuesday.

Love you all and thanks for your praying for all of us.

Monday, March 3, 2003 8:00 AM CST

My treatments are wearing me out:( I'm kind of cranky. I have sores in my mouth, sunburn on my face, my eye is tender and I have pain. I want Mom to hold me or carry me most of the time. I take Tylenol with codeine at night and it is helping me sleep. I'm sure I'll be able to handle the daytime stuff better with a good nights sleep.

I have 8 treatments left of radiation, five this week and three the next. Then I have 8 more weeks of chemo to complete. John comes home this weekend, March 8. Dad, Mom, John and I are all going to be in Sioux Falls for my last three treatments.

Mom and I were on Health Beat on TV last week. We will be on Miracle Network in May.

My favorite thing to do is watch my Dumbo video, over and over again.

Monday, February 24, 2003 7:51 PM CST

News from Christopher - Melissa is sleeping, she's been sick this weekend; I asked Cody if he was tired and he said yes, trundled off to bed and went to sleep all on his own. The house is very quiet. John left this weekend to stay with Grandpa and Grandma Coombs for two weeks. Melissa hopes to be well enough to travel tomorrow to Sioux Falls.

Sunday, February 16, 2003 7:52 PM CST

Squeals of laughter and little giggles,... John is home again, and Dad, Mom and I are having a great time together. We had a big day today, Onaka had a special benefit for me and tons of people were there. John was on stage and wore his dragon suit while others sang Puff the Magic Dragon. I hung around the microphone too:):) John and Dad will be home together this week, some wonderful ladies of the community will take care of John during the day while Dad is at work. John gets lonesome for all of us.

My treatments are going okay but now I have sores in my mouth so I don't like to eat. Each morning mom and I show up at medical x-ray and they put me to sleep, then do radiation. When I wake up I'm grouchy Mom says but otherwise I really am doing very well. Each night we stay at the Ronald McDonald House, then return in the morning to go through the same procedure, put me to sleep then do radiation.

On Wednesday this week I have my combination, radiation and chemotherapy. They are doing it on Wednesday so I will be in the hospital that evening. They are doing it in the middle of the week so I am hydrated and ready to go home on Friday.

Remember I said something special was going on. Well, Monday The Miracle Network is taping my treatment. Yup, they are filming me:):) Mom will find out when they are going to feature my story on TV. I'll let you know:)

Friday, February 7, 2003 9:09 PM CST

Friday, January 31, 2003 at 08:53 PM (CST)

Hi, Everybody, I'm feeling great haven't been sick at all from my first dose of chemotherapy. It's about 4 PM and Mom and I are heading home here shortly. Nurse just finished taking my blood pressure again. Had an MRI and they put me to sleep during the process so they are checking me out to make sure everything is fine before we head out. The MRI shows everything is clear since my surgery and everything looks good. I like news like that.

I will have chemotherapy for 12 weeks again, and found out today radiation treatments will be 23 sessions, one every day, Monday through Friday for 4 1/2 weeks. Each session will last about 10 -15 minutes. Mom and I will be spending a lot of time in Sioux Falls starting Monday.

The doctor made an impression of my head and neck. He used something kind of like netting over my head and neck and shaped it. The mask will hold my head and neck absolutely motionless and put my head in the precise determined position every time. This makes sure the radiation is directed accurately each time. The doctor thinks he won't have to sedate me for radiation. He thinks I will hold still for the 10 - 15 mins. Mom laughs! The nurses laugh!

Next time I'll tell you all about the Miracle Network that Mom and I were involved with yesterday, today and will be involved with them again on Monday when I come to begin my first radiation treatment. I'll tell you soon how radiation goes too.

Tuesday, January 21, 2003 at 09:30 PM (CST)

Wish I didn't have to have radiation but it is necessary. The doctor says surgery went very well, they were able to remove all the cancer. They tested the mass and the cells they did find were not aggressive. So why the radiation? Because the cancer went into the sinus cavity so it was a Stage 3 cancer. Mom and I will be spending Mondays thru Fridays in Sioux Falls for 4 -6 wks while I have outpatient radiation treatments. We will stay at the Ronald McDonald House during the week and will go home on the weekends.

I go to Sioux Falls on the 29th for an appointment with the radiologist, who will decide how strong the radiation will need to be. He will pin point exactly where radiation will have to be focused. The next day, Thursday the 30th, I will again start my chemotherapy. Two of my former medications will be used but not the third, as it cannot be given when radiation treatments are administered. My blood needs to stay above 10 so they anticipate more transfusions for me.

I know you all are praying for me so here are some facts: Radiation affects bone growth as well as bone marrow. Radiation is being done on my face, it could affect my brain. How my body will respond to all of this is unknown but there are side effects.

February 2nd my town is having a special benefit for me. John is playing a part in it. It is going to be held at the city hall. After the benefit John will be leaving with Grandma and Grandpa Abrahamson to stay with them while I am receiving radiation treatments.

PS Doctors and nurses are so pleased to see how my face has healed from the surgery. Mom says I look like a normal little boy again:)

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 at 08:35 PM (CST)

Email from Melissa ... "We will move to Ped's floor and out of ICU about 6 PM tonight. Cody is feeling great, he is off morphine and on codeine for pain but he is not having a lot of pain. Everything else is going well."

Update after arriving on Ped's floor ... Awesome news from Cody ... I am back up and bouncing around since about 4 PM today. The doctor stopped around 7 PM tonight and ...
I GET TO GO HOME TOMORROW! ! !
probably about noon.. In the mean time I am keeping Grandma Vickie on the run:):) Mom has the night off, staying at the Ronald McDonald House, while Grandma takes the shift.

My face is puffy, can't see out of my eye, so can't see the spoon when Mom tries to feed me and I can't feel the spoon either:) I lick my lip a lot because it feels weird, can't quite figure out what has happened!

I am not happy with the nurses right now ... I'm tired of them, even the ones I usually like. I tell them "NO" even when they try to sneak a peek at me from the door. But I do have my energy and activity level right back up to normal. Mom told me today to slow down when I trucked up and down the hallway pulling the wagon, but I just told her, NO, and kept on moving.

Thanks for praying for me.

Tuesday, January 07, 2003 at 05:16 PM (CST)

News that was good was given to all today after my surgery.
I am kind of out of it yet and clinging close to Mom. She'll have to tell you about it today, I'm not feeling up to it:(

"What a change of news greeted us today after the surgery. They did NOT have to take the tear duct, they did NOT have to take a patch of skin, they did NOT have to take bone from Cody's hip. The incision was much, much smaller than they had expected and went from his eyebrow to his nose. For lack of better words, they used freeze dried bone to replace the bone in his cheek and nose and didn't take any from his hip. The mass was removed and now is being tested to find out if it is a dead cell mass. Thank you all for your prayers, love, and encouragement." ... Melissa

Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 06:47 PM (CST)

Testing wasn't so very awful but Mom had to hear some very hard news and it has not been easy for her and Dad. My surgery is going to be more extensive and invasive than they had previously thought. Mom said she wanted to put her hands over her ears or tell the doctor to stop talking, she just couldn't bear to hear anymore. She felt so numb, like her brain wouldn't compute or comprehend another thing. Today she is doing better but don't forget to pray for her and dad, and to send them words of encouragment.

Wednesday, December 18, 2002 at 02:13 PM (CST)

Monday, December 09, 2002 at 12:02 AM (CST)

I've been to ND for Thanksgiving, back home and another treatment. I was sick for about 5 hours but recovered really fast. I'm all done with the Big Three doses. On the 31st I have my tests and surgery is scheduled for January 7. They say it will take me 7 - 10 days to recover. Mom gave blood for me, a direct donor, so they know when I have surgery what good blood I'll be getting:)

My surgery doctor stopped in while mom was gone and woke me up. I told him I needed more of my bottle and wanted him to hold and cuddle me. My nurse just thought it was something else to see that big, burly doctor, feeding me a bottle and cuddling me right up. Tweren't nothing, I can wiggle my way into anyones heart. Besides that he thinks I'm really smart for my age. The other day when he came, I popped off my sock, poked my toe right out there, had him take a look and told him he needed to fix the problem. We understand each other just fine:)

Bye for now. Catch you later.

PS A new picture of me has just been added.

Monday, November 25, 2002 at 08:57 PM (CST)

Nibble, nibble, nibble, ... all day long, not much of an appetite but I've only lost about 3 lbs. and they say that is good:) I'm in a 2T now and John is just barely keeping ahead at 3T-4T.

Blood added went good. Mom says I'm just about back to my zippy stage, but still a little cranky. My big toe wakes me up at night, sure hope those antibiotics zap the infection soon.

John and Jane Hoffert live across the street. They came over and played with John and I so Mom and Dad could spend some time alone together. Know what they did:) ... went out to the ranch Dad works on and Mom ROAD A HORSE!! You know how that made her smile:) (Jane is taking Mom to Bible study too. Don't tell Mom but while she's gone Dad and us boys are going to have a wild time ...

Thursday, November 21, 2002 at 05:36 PM (CST)

MELISSA JUST CALLED - Cody's chemo treatment went well today and they are back home BUT his blood is not good, he will be having a blood transfusion tomorrow, Friday 22 at Noon. It will take about 3 hours to complete, receiving 110 cc. He is bruising because his blood is so low. Blood transfusion will take place at Aberdeen, Avera Hospital. Blood will be coming out of Fargo, they have to process the blood as various elements need to be extracted from whole blood before being given to Cody.

Monday, November 18, 2002 at 11:39 AM (CST)

Nurses think I am really smart. Could it be I have learned the system so well? When I'm out of my CAGE � you should see my CAGE, bars all around me and bars on top. A definite deterrent to sneaking out ... anyway, I have my mat I can play on, the end of my teether (IV line) is the edge of my mat. Slowly I inch my big toe over the edge, ... "Cody, stay on the mat." Tee Hee, I knew you were going to say that!

My doctor is sooooo impressed. The shrinking cancer is so apparent he isn't even going to do an MRI until the week after Christmas, December 31st. Then he will give me the works, an MRI, CT Scan, Chest x-ray, and Bone Scan. Within a couple days of assessment of the findings, he will do the removal surgery.

God gave the nurses a wonderful idea to try for me. They gave my last doses over a 9 hour period, like they do for older folks, and it worked for me. I never threw up at all. I have to be hooked up to an IV for 24 hrs anyway so there's no problem with a longer period of time. In fact, this last time most of the dose was given while I was asleep. Pretty cool, huh?:) Something else wonderful happened too - a town just 20 miles from home can do my Monday blood test so Mom doesn't have to drive all the way to Aberdeen on Monday's anymore:)

Thursday, November 14, 2002 at 08:09 AM (CST)

My blood platelets are acceptable so I have my "Big 3" today (Sioux Falls). Into the hospital I go again.

Monday, November 11, 2002 at 09:04 PM (CST)

I had a busy weekend seeing family in Valley City. John is staying with Grandpa and Grandma for another week. Grandpa only has two days of work this week so he and John are going to have a good time together. (They are good buddies.)

On the way home today Dad and Mom took me to the doctor in Aberdeen for my blood work. The doctor called Mom this evening and said I have to come in again on Wednesday morning for another blood test, somethings not right with my blood platelets. I'm supposed to leave on Wednesday afternoon for Sioux Falls for my third week, 3 chemo meds so I don't know what is going to happen now. I'll keep you posted as it happens. My white blood count is up and I'm feeling fine though. Thanks for praying for me.

P.S. It will be a busy day for me and Mom if we are on the road all day coming and going two different directions:)

Sunday, November 03, 2002 at 07:24 PM (CST)

Thanks everyone for your prayers for me this weekend. I'm home from St. Luke's hospital in Aberdeen. My fever is gone, my white blood count is coming up, and my energy is back up, too:):) Mom and I came home Saturday afternoon and were able to have supper with Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Coombs before they had to leave. Grandpa Ellery and Grandma Vickie brought Mom and I home and then they took John back to Valley City with them. Dad, Mom and I are planning to go see them after my treatment, leaving on Friday and coming home on Monday, bringing John back home too. While family was here Mom was able to take a nice big, long walk. She said it felt so good to be outside. Jesus meets our every need from the big scarry stuff to the needed walks in the open air. Again, thanks much for your prayers.

STOP BY THE PHOTOS AND SEE A RECENT PICTURE OF JOHN AND ME

Sunday, November 03, 2002 at 07:24 PM (CST)

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 at 09:53 AM (CST)

Wheeeeeeeeee! Yup that is me whizzing up and down the hallway and in and out of my room. Can't keep me down long. I was sick for one day then out came the IV and I was off and running. Came home Saturday.

Know what else, know what else !!! the plastic surgeon checked me out and and and the cancer has shrunk!! He checked all around my nose and eye and it definitely has shrunk. Next time I come to Sioux Falls, in three weeks, that would make it November 14th, they will do an MRI to see exactly how much.

While I was sleeping they told Mom to take a break. I woke up while she was gone and I went through 3 nurses and 1 volunteer, I wore them right out with all my energy. The nurses and volunteers love me and I take full advantage of all the attention:) I'm full of happiness, hugs, and kisses for all of them.

Of course, my white blood count dropped, so I am back on my daily shots. Last time didn't take too long before I was able to stop them so I'm expecting the same again.

Mom got her hair cut while she was out with Grandma and her two aunts. She really enjoyed her time with them and was so glad they decided to take their Teacher's break down in Sioux Falls this year to be with her and me. This weekend Great Grandpa and Grandma Coombs are coming to see us all. We'll have some good fun.

President Bush is coming to Aberdeen on Thursday. Mom is worried about all the traffic that will be there on my treatment day. Wouldn't it be something if they gave HER a police escort so she could get through the traffic!!

Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at 09:21 PM (CDT)

Off came the hair. It came out in patches every time my head brushed against anything so Mom used Dad's mustache trimmer and finished up the job. I carried the curls to the wastebasket and announced, "All gone!"

Brother John wanted the new look too. Now we are both bald. We'll send a picture soon so you can see.

My white blood count is up to 16,000 so I don't need a shot everyday. Those shots make me achy. I have to have them though anytime the count goes down. They stimulate the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells.

I've lost my hair and I've lost my appetite. Mom keeps good stuff around though so anytime I feel like eating I can. She makes healthy banana bread and raisin bread. It keeps me "going" which is very important with chemo therapy.

One morning I wanted hot dogs for breakfast. Guess what ... Mom let me have them! The doc's on my side. He said to let me eat whenever and whatever as long as it wasn't junk food like potato chips.

My Grandma Abrahamson is coming tomorrow. She's going to stay with John and Dad while my Grandma Coombs is going with Mom and I for the big "3" treatment and hospital stay in Sioux Falls. My brother John is showing signs of stress so the doctor told Mom and Dad to keep his life and routine as consistant as possible. So when Mom and I have to be gone for 3 days the third week family will stay with John at our house rather than traveling to theirs.

Guess what my mom says she needs? A "horse fix" ... Yup riding horse has always been her way of relaxing and she misses it alot.

P.S. You know what I absolutely hate ... BEING HELD DOWN ... and it seems they are forever doing it to me!?! You could pray about that for me.

P.S.P.S. Don't forget John when you send those special things to me. We love each other and are best friends and playmates. He needs to know he is loved too. Thanks bunches, I love my big teddy bear.

Wednesday, October 16, 2002 at 03:32 PM (CDT)

My first treatment made me sick but now I'm happy and glad to be home with all my family.

Wednesday, October 16, 2002 at 09:39 AM (CDT)

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