Quinn’s Story

Site created on May 23, 2018

On May 17th, we received the news that our little boy has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He had been running a fever on and off since May 9th, but it wasn't until after a couple of trips to Quick Care and starting on antibiotics and not seeing any improvement that we went to see his regular doctor. His pediatrician told us we needed to bring him to the ER at St Luke's in Boise, so that they could run tests and admit him if needed. He was admitted that night with very low red blood cell and platelet counts, and high white blood cell counts. He also had step throat and pneumonia that took some pretty strong antibiotics to beat.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Rachael Tiegs

And I'm so sorry.

Great news though, Quinn has been handling the maintenance phase of chemotherapy really well. His oncologist was looking at the results of the most recent clinical trial, and based off of her understanding of it, and Quinn's standard to low risk, plus, as she put it "favorable chromosomes" (meaning his leukemia cells respond to the chemo well, by dying) we can reduce just how much IV chemo he is getting, and no longer have to have 5 days on steroids every month. Which is awesome news, on a purely practical point, we won't have to deal with a roid-raging 10 year old every month.

Other recent big news for Quinn, he broke his arm at the beginning of summer jumping on the trampoline. Landed just wrong, broke it up near the elbow, and had to have a "long cast" for 6 weeks. That lead to a not fun summer with no summer camp field trips (no swimming, roller skating and definitely no indoor trampoline parks). He survived that, albeit, somewhat grumpily.

Also huge in his world, once he turned 10, he has been allowed to come home after school, rather than going to an after school care program. A neighbor reported him dancing down the street singing "I'm FREE, I'm FREE" on his way home shortly after he started being allowed :). Immediately after being allowed to come home after school, he tried to convince me that he was ready to "walk" to school as well (walk for him at that time meaning to the bus stop, lol). He thankfully was satisfied with baby steps towards more responsibility and freedoms, with the knowledge as well that if he breaks the rules, he will go back to daycare's after school program.
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