Matthews Cancer Adventure

Cutest Couple

Well, after much rain and flooding postponed the Band Banquet it was rescheduled and finally happened.

Matthew had a great time due in no small part to the fact that sweet Emma, who is also in the band, was sitting by his side.

Amongst the many awards given out by their classmates Matthew and Emma were voted “Cutest Couple” and Matthew was voted “Band Beau”!!

It made us so happy to see Matthew enjoy this special day and be honored by his piers. All on the heals of having such a great time at Prom and SNAPP.

NEXT UP – Graduation!

Sweet and Sharp

What an exciting time! Matthew and sweet Emma put on their Prom best and headed to the pre-Prom photo session with a group of their classmates. It was so great to see all of them in their formals and big smiles.

Then they were off to the Prom and some dancing!

After the Prom the school put on something called SNAPP (an After Prom Party) where the kids got to go to a venue called Main Event, where they could bowl, shoot pool and play arcade games, and were locked in until 5am. Matthew, sweet Emma, and their friends had a great time! When they were picked up everybody else was getting sleepy and Matthew still had energy left over. We guessed that since he hadn’t had such good hemoglobin numbers in a while and was used to operating at such low numbers that it was like he had just woke up from a long nights sleep.

We are so thankful to God that since he started the Immunotherapy that his labs have been really good.

NEXT UP – The Band Banquet

Peg’s Poker Face

Yesterday we arrived for our clinic visit, had blood drawn and then waited for Peg to come bring us the results. This wait left time to dream about lunch and Matthew decided a California Burger at Café Express would satisfy very nicely! (Which it did)

Anyway, when Peg entered the room she was clutching the printout close and said she was trying to put on her poker face! She couldn’t hide her smile and after having us guess what the numbers were she proceeded to give us another great report. Very good hemoglobin and platelets and an ANC showing that his immune system is good!

(ANC is the white cell number that says your immune system is good or low and determines your ability to be out and about.)

Peg says these good numbers will only get better so Matthew is excited to go to his Graduation events, go to school and take a few exams, attend his band banquet, take sweet Emma to the Prom and walk across the stage at Graduation to receive his High School diploma!

We continue to be humbled by all the prayers, love and support all of you are showing Matthew and us. May the Lord bless you all!!!

Permission Given!
Matthew’s doctor approved of him going to the driving range … and even playing a round of golf so we are getting his clubs cleaned up and ready.

I can’t tell you how big his smile is, knowing that he can go enjoy this activity.

Yes, he’ll take it easy since he hasn’t swung his clubs since before his Adventure began, but what a joy to be able to participate in this sport once again. Maybe Matthew has his eyes set on joining the Texas A&M golf team?

Thank you all for your ongoing support and prayers!

A Great Mother’s Day Gift

What better way is there to spend Mother’s Day than being released from the hospital and getting to spend some quality time at home.

Every cycle is different. This time the pain management started off good and stayed there. And the same with the diarrhea. Last time he hardly felt nauseous even though he had episodes of vomiting. This time there has been more nausia and occasional vomiting. We are doing our best to manage that on schedule at home and pray that Matthew will be past that soon and back to his customary eating and gaining weight.

We came home with great bloodwork and pray that this will only improve during the week before.the next clinic visit.

Honestly, even with the bumps in the road we feel thankful and blessed.

Matthew believes that since these cycles are a little more hard hitting that they are doing what they are supposed to do.

The next three weeks are filled with great senior and graduation activities and, without a doubt, many sweet Emma days, and that’s good medicine!

We remain thankful to all of you who follow Matthew, praying for him, keeping him in your thoughts and supporting him.

Best Clinic Visit Ever!

Well, first of all I apologize for such a long delay since the last update.

Matthew’s journey through the first cycle of Immunotherapy started out smooth as silk. However, after a few days he started experiencing the nerve pain they had mentioned would happen. He actually seems to have a pretty high pain threshold but even with that he needed to take advantage of the on demand pain medication periodically to keep things at a manageable level. Then a few more expected symptoms came along. Everything seemed to happen a little later than the doctors expected, but it came along none-the-less. We thank God that Matthew fared well. He did develop a fever from one of the meds that took a few days to go away but once it was gone it was GONE!

Then the rains came!!!!!

Most of you may have been aware that Houston got its share of rain not that long ago. A storm front just kept the rain coming until much of the Houston area was under water or the threat of being under water from flooding. Sadly this kept me from being able to get to the medical center to pick Matthew and Mom up and also affected the ability of the pharmacy to make home delivery of a necessary post chemo medicine. Combine all these factors and Matthew ended up with a few extra days stay in the hospital. A Saturday release turned into a Tuesday release. Matthew wasn’t overly happy with the extra time but he dealt with it like a champ.

Then came the drive home. Wow! He was so excited and his “going home” music mix seemed extra special this time.

The time at home has been great. Matthew has been able to get more homebound schooling done and he even got to invite sweet Emma out to his uncles house as we all gathered to visit his Uncle Craig who was in town on business.

And in due time we had to have another clinic visit. As you can see from the picture at the top (with his Physicians Assistant) all went very well. His hemoglobin numbers were higher than they have been since we started this “Adventure”. And the P.A. was smiling when she saw his platelet number since this treatment usually has an effect on those and his have actually gone up since treatment ended and not down. We couldn’t be happier and give God all the glory for these great numbers!

Thank you all so much for your prayers, love and support.

Immunotherapy Begins

We go in for the 1st cycle of Immunotherapy today. It lasts 5 days.

The blessing is that there shouldn’t be any nausia this time!

However, during the treatment could cause some nerve pain and possibly diarrhea. They will thankfully be keeping Matthew on pain meds and they have preemptively had him on something for the possible diarrhea.

When Matthew heard what this treatment entailed he responded with his usual “down for the adventure” attitude. We thank God for the faith and strength he has given our remarkable young man.  And we pray for God to make this part of the “Adventure” as smooth and effective as possible. May the Immunotherapy target only the cells that need to be ellminated and leave all the healthy cells and tissue alone! May He bless Matthew with little or no pain and no other side effects!

The great news!!! … as soon as treatment is over whatever pain and diarrhea will go away immediately.

2 cycles of this, more MIBG scanning, and if the immunotherapy is effective they can decide to do up to 4 more cycles, if needed, before considering the radiation treatment in Ft Worth.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

And … Happy Eastertide! He is Risen, Indeed. Alleluia!!!

Happy Easter. He is Risen Indeed. Alleluia!

Many people have been asking how Matthew is doing since we came home Sunday. I have figured out that the words I might use to describe how he is doing pale in comparison to showing a picture. This picture is when Emma’s family invited us all over for a wonderful Easter dinner (awesome people – lots of fun, food & games) the day we came home!! That says it all. It says exactly how he is doing!

Since then Matthew’s gone places with buddies, fished at our lake with friends,  gone to the movies with Dad & is currently cooking dinner with Emma.

Thank you all for the continued prayers & support!

May the Lord bless you and keep you!!!

The Bass Brothers 

After a long 12 day stay in the hospital for recovery from his 11 hour tumor removal surgery Matthew was excited, as always, to get home however this return home came with the added excitement of getting to open his birthday present that arrived just after this 12 day stay started.

Big brother Jesse came over to help Matthew get oriented to the bass. Many thanks to Jesse, Christi, Kelly and Meemaw for helping to make this birthday wish come true.

We are thankful that, though there were a couple of minor hiccups at the end of the stay, they did release us to come home. Now a few more weeks of ‘taking it easy’ aND then on to the next steps.

Matthew will be moving on to 2 cycles of what they call Immunotherapy before we head up to the Dallas area for the radiation therapy. This is a different order than originally planned due to the longer recovery from surgery. But this is the will of God so we thank Him and praise Him and give Him all the glory!!!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. This is quite the Adventure!

Should He Stay or Should He Go?

That is the question we are asking and (not so) patiently awaiting an answer to.

It has been quite the adventure getting through the post surgery recovery. Many expectations exceeded and then a little concern about Matthew’s hemoglobin. But the last two checks of his bloodwork have been quite good, as far as we can tell, so we are understandably curious when he will be released to go home. What are the doctors looking to have happen before they will discharge him? We hope to find out shortly.

Sweet Emma has stopped by for a visit and good friend Ross is on his way for a visit too. These visits mean so much to Matthew and are such good medicine.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!