Troy Wendt

Troy's final chemo at home!!!

2011-05-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

T-2.5 Months left of chemo!!!

2010-06-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is finally happening. We have about 2.5 months left of chemo and we couldn't be happier about that. Even Troy is jazzed to be done although I don't think he minds it either way. It has been a long 3+ years and we are just ready to be done and move on cancer FREE. I don't know if anyone reads this blog anymore but just in case you do we are planning on having a big end of treatment party. Probably in August at a Jr. High swimming pool. We would love to invite everyone that has helped us throughout the years. I know there are people out there and we would love to have you come and celebrate with our family. If you would like to come please email me or leave a comment so I can send you an invitation. It is going to be a PARTY so don't be shy!!!!
hwendt23@yahoo.com

London's Run/Ride

2010-03-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

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Another wonderful time was had at London's Run/Ride this year!!! Each year I love it more and more. All the training and hard work pays off for me when I run it. The day started with the opening ceremonies given by Heather Solomon (London's Mom). I stood there with Troy and all the other children that have benefied from London's Run throughout the years. To stand next to these parents and kids was very difficult for me but yet I felt so grateful to be a part of it. Heather talked about how much these kids go through on a daily basis. She said the reason they wanted to have a 1/2 marathon was because that is something very hard to do. Just like what these children go through is very hard too. By the end of the opening ceremonies I was a crying mess but I got myself together to run. My favorite part of the race was all the pictures along the course. Seeing my Troy boy on the posters gave me all the motivation to keep going. My family and friends at the water station is always a treat as well. Seeing them cheer me on is something I look forward to. At every corner I saw a Troy's Army shirt and I loved that. From the beginning of this journey I have recognized how blessed my life truly is but on a day like London's Run it is nice to be reminded. Thank you all so much for being a part of Troy's Army this year. It was a journal entry day for sure. I love all the people that organize this event each year and I look forward to next year already. It is amazing how many lives one little girl named London has changed. Thanks again everyone!!!

Like mother like daughter

2010-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

If any of you know my mother you know that she has a difficult time throwing things away. Seriously, she has old check books from the 80's and just can’t part with much. I usually am quite the opposite of that but the other day I realized I am more like her than I thought. As I was cleaning out some files I found all these cards and notes that I didn’t realize I had kept. They were from when everything "went down" back in June of 07. At that time I remember thinking I wanted to throw everything out that I got. Not because I didn’t appreciate it because I certainly did, but because I didn’t ever want to be reminded of that time in my life. I took NO pictures of Troy in the hospital what so ever simply because I didn’t want to remember at all. To my surprise finding these gems was kind of fun and humbling. I was reminded how blessed I was and am to have truly remarkable people in my life. Not only family and friends gave cards and gifts. Even parents of friends and strangers took time to send us a note and let us know they were thinking about Troy and my family. As we are in the serious count down from this journey I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with all the support throughout the years. Thank you, thank you, for EVERYTHING!!! And, thank you mom for giving me the don’t thrown anything out gene. I am glad that gene comes out every now and then. By the way, we will be having a huge end of treatment party when we are done in August so clear your calendars for that.

Turkey Waddle Anyone?

2009-11-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Yes, this picture is from 2 years ago but I just love it. It was taken at the 1st Turkey Waddle which was held at Harmon Elementary School. Since then the Turkey Waddle has been a new tradition for my family and many others. This year will benefit 2 amazing young ladies. Natasha is a mother of 3 who has been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She is only 33 years old and has such a remarkable outlook on life. A true rock star!!! Hana is a young student at Combs High School who is in need of a heart transplant. Being a teenager, I can’t imagine going through that. What a fighter!!! 100% of the money raised will go to these two families. So come on out and run/walk a few miles before your Turkey dinner. I promise it will be worth it. http://www.turkeywaddle.com/

Summer is Over

2009-08-06T17:46:00.001-07:00

Well the summer is over and school is back in. Time just keeps racing by us. We had a great summer with lots of swimming, camping, summer movies, hanging out with family and thankfully no ER visits. Troy is always healthy in the summer and for that I am so grateful. The dude loves to swim and I do enjoy watching him jump in the pool saying, "Cannonbunga". It just never gets old hearing that. We did find out that Troy now has 1 year from August 13th left of treatment. I never thought the time would come but I am so ready for the down hill part of the 3 plus years. Sometimes it feels like yesterday this whole journey started and sometimes it feels like forever ago. Either way I will feel a lot better when he is done. I look forward to the day he doesn’t need to take medicine every day and go to the clinic. But for now we will keep doing what we have been doing and keep being grateful for every day. Troy started Kindergarten and couldn’t be happier about that. He loves going to Abby’s school and even more he loves being in his cousin Vinny’s class. (Yes, Troy has a cousin named Vinny.) The school has been so wonderful about Troy’s whole illness and is working with us to keep him as healthy as possible. I will keep my fingers crossed for the fall and winter which are always harder on him. Thanks for all the continued support and concern for our family. We are doing great!!!!

Cousins camping

Tired from swimming

Troy and his cousin Vinny on the 4th of July

Pre-school graduation

When you WISH upon a star.....

2009-04-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

When Troy was asked what he would wish for if he could get or do anything in the world he wished for a new car. Not a car to actually drive but a play .97 cent car. We knew we needed to think a little bit bigger for his Make-A-Wish so we decided as a family to go on a Disney Cruise. Never would we be able to afford that so we thought that would be fun and it turned out to be the BEST VACATION EVER!!!! Here are some of the reasons why we love Disney and Make-A-Wish:

Killer send off party at Amazing Jakes. Here is Troy with his Wish Team. Most of our family was there and it was a PARTY!!!

A limo took us to and from the airport. Yeah, we felt like rock stars.

Safety drill before the boat set sail. I always think this looks so funny when everyone has these life jackets on.

The kids loved the pools on the boat. One had a slide and two Mickey Mouse ears that Troy thought were jacuzzi's.

View from our rooms. Ahhhh, I want to go back.

Dolphin encounter which was Troy's favorite part of the whole vacation.

Cruises usually have great service but nothing can compare to the service you get on a Disney Cruise. First class all the way!!!

Disney has it's own private island and we were able to ride bikes around the island, eat a wicked good BBQ, snorkel, and just hang out on the beach. (This was my favorite day!!)

Pirate night on the boat was so fun. Too bad it was at 10:30 at night so the kids were beyond tired and grouchy but my dad and I had a great time. Can I just say they had a firework show off the boat. It was pretty amazing to see that.

Every time we got into our room there was a little something for Troy from Make-A-Wish. Just something a little extra for him and our family. One day they gave us gift cards to use at the arcade on the boat.

By the way, we stuffed our faces the whole time. 24 hour ice cream, soda pop, and room service, pizza till midnight, fruit galore, just food, food, food. I was in heaven!!!

All good things must come to an end. This is the limo ride home and Troy still had a smile on his face.

I knew we were going to have a fun vacation but both Chris and I said it was the best vacation ever and we will never be able to top it. Everything was over the top amazing from the shows every night to the kid play centers. I wish our whole family could have come and shared this experience with us but I am grateful my parents could go. We had so much fun with them there.

If and when we ever make a lot of money we are donating to Make-A-Wish. I love the idea of Make-A-Wish. We were able to have fun as a family and forget about leukemia for a short while. Memories were made that we will never forget thanks to Make-A-Wish!!!

It's Over!!!

2009-02-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

I hope you all enjoy this slideshow. I think it pauses too long on each picture so just click through them if you like. ENJOY!!!

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Well London’s Run/Ride was once again an amazing day! We had shirts made this year for all of our friends and family that would be there. It was so cool to have so many Team Troy members. I wish I had pictures of everyone that was there but just know we thank you for sharing this inspiring event with our family. Troy had no idea why we all had shirts on that said his name but one day he will understand. I am proud to say that I finished the race and didn’t stop at all. I sure wanted to stop at about mile 10 but then I saw a picture of Lorrin Merkley that made me want to keep going. He was a grown teenager lying across both his parents laps. It was just such a fun picture that made me want to keep going. Pictures of Troy were posted along the course that I wasn’t expecting to see. I knew they had pictures of him last year but I didn’t know they would use them again. It was a pleasant surprise to say the least. After I came around the corner to finish, my dad was there and ran with me into the finish. Then I saw Heather Solomon (London’s Mom) and she gave me a big hug and I just started crying. I didn’t think that I would be emotional but it was such an accomplishment for me. I can honestly say I am considering running it again next year. This event takes many many volunteers and I am grateful for the people that plan this entire day. Thanks to all our family and friends for your support and lets do it again next year!!!

Londons' Run 09'

2009-01-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

London’s Run is only 1 week from tomorrow and I am very excited/nervous. I have been training for the ½ marathon and I am so ready to just run it already. Our family will be running 2 water stations so look out for them as you run by. If you haven’t signed up yet it is not too late. The 2 mile fun run/walk is sounding really great right about now. Even if you don’t run they have all the same activities going on like last year. Here is a list of the events:

Saturday Jan. 31, 2009
7:00 am — On site registration and packet pick-up.
8:00 am — 1/2 Marathon begins.
8:10 am — 10k Begins.
8:20 am — 2 mile fun run begins.
7:00 - 11:00 am — Silent Auction
7:30 - 10:30 am — Pancake breakfast (for purchase)
10:30 - 11:30 am — BBQ lunch (for purchase)
8:30 - 10:30 am — Kids Corner Activities (parents must supervise)• Rock Wall• Bouncy• Face Painting• Crafts• Toddler races• Mechanical Bull Riding (for purchase, parents must sign liability waiver for minors)
9:30 am — Awards Ceremonies.• 9:30 am — 2 mile run, top tree finishers only• 9:45 am — 10k• 10:00 am — 1/2 marathon to finishers, additional awards given as runners finish
8:00 - 12:00 pm — Blood Drive (see qualifications below)

This is such an amazing event and I am so grateful to all the organizers. I’m sure it is a TON of work and yet they do it every year. What awesome people!!!! I hope they raise a lot of money for the children’s hospital and the Merkley family. So come and run or eat or just hang out. It will be an incredible day!!!

www.Londonsrun.org

Andrea's Closet

2009-01-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

In the very beginning when Troy was diagnosed with leukemia Andrea's Closet was something I had never heard of before. After his IV was put in at the hospital he was able to go into a room full of brand new toys and pick any one he wanted. Then came his first bone marrow aspiration and again he was able to pick out of the closet. This repetition continued with each new procedure and soon Troy looked forward to (in a way) getting poked because he knew he could pick a toy from the closet. Andrea’s Closet has made a HUGE impact on Troy and how he deals with getting poked all the time. He knows that if he gets a “beep”, as we call it, in his chest he gets to pick out of the closet. The moment he gets to pick out of the closet he forgets about the pain of the poke. I love, love, love Andrea’s Closet. On their website they say, “A toy is only a small gift, but it can go a long way to help a sick child get through a painful medical procedure. That's why Andrea's Closet was created. When children face frightening medical treatments, such as procedures to treat cancer, burns or other life threatening illnesses, Andrea's Closet brings them comfort and distraction from their pain by allowing them to choose a special gift from a toy-filled closet.” If anyone has 6 minutes to watch a video about Andrea’s Closet here is it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRqO55Dk7g&eurl=http://www.andreascloset.org/&feature=player_embedded They say it so much better than I could.

So, this year for Christmas our two families decided to buy a whole bunch of toys for Andrea's Closet. This was such a great way for our family to help out and seeing the pile of toys grow was truly humbling. We continue to be blessed with the most amazing family we could ask for. Thanks to everyone for the toys and for thinking of this idea to help out other sick children.

Turkey Waddle Anyone?

2008-11-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

Last year our friends ,the Packers, started the “Turkey Waddle” out here in Queen Creek to benefit Troy. It was a 5K run and I am happy to say we are going to have the 2nd annual Turkey Waddle. Abby’s school, Jack Harmon, got totally involved and it was such a huge success. This year the Turkey Waddle is going to benefit the principal at Ranch Elementary. He was diagnosed with renal cancer and is doing well. I understand he is at St. Joe’s rehabilitating. He was able to try walking with a walker this week so he is making hugs strides to heal. I just wanted to get the word out that yes we will be having another Turkey Waddle on Thanksgiving morning at 8:30. We are super excited for the Turkey Waddle and the chance to help out another family struggling with cancer.

Troy is still doing so great and we couldn’t be happier about that. He had a spinal tap 2 weeks ago and this one was not bad at all. Tomorrow we head to the clinic again for another count check. They want to make sure his counts are still good since they upped one of his chemo’s. I’m sure his counts will be fine but they just like to make sure. Thanks once again to all of you who continue to think about Troy and our family. We are truly blessed.

'IRON TROY'

2008-10-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Troy’s friend Cooper told his dad that Troy was going to be Ironman for Halloween and his dad made this poster for Troy. I just thought it was so thoughtful and Troy truly loved it. All is well with our little Ironman these days. We had a quick trip to the ER last week for a fever but other than that Troy is still doing amazing. It is crazy to think where we were a year ago and I am so glad not to be at that place anymore. Life is good but cancer still stinks. Still we can’t complain about a thing right now. We are so excited for London’s Run again in January. If you haven’t registered yet go to the website and register now so you can’t back out. I’m sure it will be another inspiring day. Look for our family at a water station again this year. Thank you all again for your love and concern for our family and especially for our Troy boy!!!!!!

Troy Boy has turned 4!!!!

2008-09-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Our family had such a great summer. We were so lucky to not have any issues health wise for the entire summer. Then the first week Abby went back to school she got sick which, made Chris sick, which made Wyatt sick, which finally made Troy sick. After a night with 103 temperature we had to be admitted into the hospital. Troy felt miserable with wicked diarrhea, no appetite, dehydration, and a bad tummy ache. Finally 4 days later his temperature got better and we found out he had bronchitis. The whole situation was stressful to say the least but now he is doing great. They put a hold on all his chemo till his counts went back up. We just went to the clinic today and his numbers look good so we are starting the chemo again but only at half the doses he was receiving. We have another clinic visit next Monday to check his counts again and possibly give him another IVIG (or antibodies) to help him. Fevers are so scary for Troy to have with a suppressed immune system and I am so grateful that he is doing so well now. He was able to have his birthday party the day before the fever so that was a blessing. Also, last week his Make A Wish team came over to discuss what he would like to do for his wish. At first when we were told that we should talk to Make A Wish I though it was for kids that are terminal. I said NO THANKS, we are not even talking about that. But then I found out that it was for only terminal kids but now it is for kids with life threatening illnesses as well. They came over with balloons, gifts for all my kids, dessert, pop, plates, forks, etc. We did not have to provide or do a thing. They were amazing and everything was over the top. I’ll write later about the details of his wish but it is going to be a great time for the whole family. The Make a Wish team is a married couple with a family of their own that was just looking for a way to volunteer together so they decided to work with Make A Wish. I admire that and think they are awesome. Thanks to all of you for your continued love and support. Everything is appreciated and nothing goes unnoticed. We recognize how blessed we are everyday! Thanks again!!!!

Diamondbacks Game

2008-05-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight we were able to attend the Diamondbacks game thanks to the American Cancer Society. They have a partnership with the Diamondbacks and a few times a year they have seats available for the American Cancer Society. We certainly had a blast and we felt like we received the star treatment with our seats being in one of the party suites on the Diamond Level. Free Diamondback hats were handed out and free duffle bags also. They also gave us a $20 voucher for concessions and even a parking pass. A great time was had by all and we realized the cancer has some perks. Very few but I’m trying to look on the bright side here. Tonight was amazing and the best part was just hanging out as a family together (minus Wyatt). He is just at way too crazy of an age so he will have to come with us next time. If you have a 1 year old you know what I am talking about. Anyway, we are coming up on our year anniversary of Troy’s diagnosis and I am so happy to have the first year under my belt. Troy started off the summer with a spinal tap and another round of maintenance. This start hasn’t been too bad and he really is doing so great. I love that you can look at him and not even know what an ordeal he has been through. Thanks for all the continued support and concern for Troy and our family. We are still so grateful to you all.

Quick Update

2008-04-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give a quick update on Troy since it has been such a long time since I last posted. Yes, the cast is off and we are so grateful to have that behind us. Bagging the arm in the bath is never fun. We had a to take Troy to the ER a couple weeks ago due to a fever. If he gets a fever at all of 100.5 or above we are to take him directly to the ER. Fevers are never good for someone going through chemotherapy. Luckily, we only had to stay for a few hours. They think he had some crazy virus or something. He is doing so awesome right now!!!! I can't complain about a thing. Chris and I are getting so good at the medicine routine. We remind each other and not to brag but we have not missed a dose yet. Actually, I am going to brag about it because it is dang impressive to remember and keep track of all these drugs. Mostly, becasue we realize missing is not an option. He HAS to have these life saving drugs. Literally, these are life saving and it is our job to make sure he gets them. We have realized that the first week of each course of maintenance is the toughest. Starting with the spinal tap, vincristine in his port, and the steroid at home just does a number on him. It is hard at that time because he doesn’t want to do anything and just feels like crap. At least it is only every 3 months. I can’t believe it has been almost a year since this all started. I am beyond grateful that Troy has responded so well to treatment and I feel like he is one of the lucky ones. Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

BROKEN ARM TAKE 1 & 2

2008-03-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, Troy broke his arm AGAIN!!!!! Last week we were walking and he tripped over his own feet and landed on his wrist. Thus, another cast for a new year. After crying my eyes out for a day I am dealing with it much better now. Troy, on the other hand, is once again a little trooper and adjusting to the cast with ease. He will have to wear it for 4 weeks and we are already down 1 week. Yea!!! Of course, Troy wanted a red cast since Lightning McQueen is red. The dude is obsessed with cars and now even points out sports cars on the freeway and says he wants one of them. He better start saving his money now.

We headed to the pediatric outpatient treatment center (POTC) on Monday for another spinal tap. I can’t believe we made it through our first course of maintenance already. Time is finally started to move instead of crawl by. His hair is coming in so great and most days I have to comb it because it sticks up. For some reason Troy's hair coming back is just a wonderful thing for me. I think he was darling bald, but I am glad he is getting hair. All in all, things are going pretty good and the doctors and nurses are taking great care of him. We are so grateful for modern medicine. Thanks to everyone for your constant concern for Troy.

DISNEYLAND WITH "THE PASS"

2008-02-26T14:34:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we took the whole family to Disneyland and California Adventure. Troy had never been before so we thought this would be a good time to go. The best part of the whole thing was being able to go on the rides through the exits. We went to guest services and told them that Troy was battling leukemia and the less people he is around the better. So they wrote us a "pass" to go on the rides through the exits. There should be some advantages to having leukemia right? It was just pure fun walking past everyone in line and having them stare us down. As fun as it was, I would gladly wait in line on every ride if it meant Troy wouldn’t have leukemia. But since he does it was a great perk. We all had a great time and I look forward to many many more Disneyland vacations with him.

LONDON'S RUN

2008-02-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry, for the length of this post but it had to be said. I wish I was a writer to express this day better but here is my best.

Wow, wow, wow!!!! London’s Run was everything I thought it would be and much much more. The moment we arrived I knew this was going to be a special day. Once I got a look at the tribute tables with pictures of Troy, London, and Tucker the tears were flowing. One picture in particular was of London’s mom Heather and London cheek to cheek. London is bald as can be and yet they both have big smiles on their faces. That picture touched me a great deal because I think it just shows so much about them and their love for each other. Then to watch all the runners take off for the run was inspiring. People of all ages showed up to run the ½ marathon, 10K, and 2 mile fun run. The youngest person I saw was a little 6 year old girl who ran the ½ marathon. Her dad cried when she came through the finish line and so did everyone that saw her. I was inspired by her and what great people she must have in her life. What 6 year old decides to run 13 miles? It was pretty incredible. We also had a group of girls from Snow College in Utah come down just for the run. They all had t-shirts on that said Snow College runs for Troy. Then the back said miles ran……13, miles traveled……1160, saving a child’s life……priceless. Now come on, those girls were awesome. TaLisha and Jen you are amazing. I have to mention my sister Juliet who ran the 1/2 marathon with great determination. The Tyler's by nature are not athletic so that was a great accomplishment in itself. The Wendt side of our family is certainly athletic and Angie did awesome at the 10K.
Abby worked at a water station with Chris’s parents and loved handing out the water to the runners. I hear the water stations were quite a party and we appreciate all those that helped work those. Troy loved riding the mechanical bull, jumping on the bouncies, and getting his face painted with a spider. Wyatt on the other hand just wanted to wander anywhere he could and pick up every last piece of trash and put it directly in his mouth. I just love his devilish attitude. It was awesome to have our whole family out to support and a great thank you to them. We would not be able to accomplish anything without your help. To the Solomon family, we were honored to have been a part of this event and know that it is truly inspired. We will certainly attend every year from now on. Thanks to all those friends, and friends of friends, for coming out to London's Run. It was mind-blowing to see so many of you.

I could go on and on about these stories and some day I could write a book about this whole experience. Although, I hate Leukemia with all my heart and wish Troy didn’t have it, I am forever changed by this experience.

Abby handing out water.
Jules running the 1/2 marathon. Thanks for all the hard work!!!!

6 year old that ran the 1/2 marathon. That's over 13 miles people!!!!!
Angie and Alyssa ran the 10K. Way to go girlies!!!!
Snow College girls. Love em!!!
The whole crew.
Grandma Donna, Val, Don, Nat, Abby, and Jill working the water station!!!

Troy on the BULL!!!
Tribute tables

Leah, Lynn, and Holly B. Way to go girls!!!

London's Run coming up

2008-01-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

So, we got to come home from the hospital the next day after Troy received his blood transfusion and IGIV (antibodies) to boost his immune system. Once that was completed we were able to come home. The cat scan showed he does have a sinus infection so he is on an antibiotic for that along with zyrtec for decongestion. These two drugs on top of all the others which is throwing me off a little bit. They will check his IGG level again in about a month and a half to make sure it is looking good. We have made it through half of our first phase of maintenance and things haven’t been too bad. Only 1 fever is something I have to feel lucky about. Once he gets over this sinus infection and we get his numbers looking better maintenance should be a lot better. He continues to take all his medicines and go to the clinic like it is just part of his life. Troy never fights us to take his medicine and sometimes when I get my shoes on to go somewhere he will ask, ”Mom are we going to the doctor?” How sad, but it is what it is. We are all still adjusting but life is going great.

So, I am soooooo excited for London’s Run coming up next weekend on SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2ND. The Solomon family, here is Queen Creek, lost their beautiful daughter London to Leukemia and started this run. They have turned their heartache and sorrow into inspiration and hope for others struggling with cancer. I want to send a personal invitation to all those reading Troy’s blog. Please, please come and be part of this event. Even if you are not a runner there are so many activities to do, even for children. Just coming by to donate blood/platelets would be awesome. I know that when we do service for others our problems seem less important. If you haven’t had a chance yet click on the link up in the right corner for London’s Run or just go to http://www.londonsrun.org/ to see all the awesome events going on that day.

Here are some of them:

Running, ½ marathon, 10K, or 2 mile fun run/walk
Breakfast & BBQ lunch ($5 per individual, $20 per family)
Kids Corner (Free)
Mechanical Bull (SWEET!!)
Silent Auction (awesome items up for auction, check them out at the london’s run website)
London’s Ride (equestrian trail ride)
Blood Drive (don’t forget your driver’s license)

Seriously, this is going to be an amazing day and we are so grateful to the Solomon family and everyone who has taken the time to put this event together. We truly feel honored to be a part of it.

Short stay in hospital

2008-01-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Troy was admitted to the hospital for a short stay of 23 hours for a fever. His red blood counts are down so they will give him a blood transfusion. The doctors also did an IGG test (a component of your immune system) which was also down so he will have another transfusion of antibodies to boost that number back up. They also want to get a cat scan of his sinus area and a chest x-ray to see if anything is going on since he has had an ongoing cold. All of this should help him feel better since yesterday he felt like crap and threw up all over on the way to the clinic. So, hopefully by this evening we should be able to go home and Troy will be feeling better. He is in good spirits and had no qualms about going back to the hospital. Wish the same could be said for Chris and I. We know we have been so lucky to not have any major problems for this entire 7 months. I count my blessing daily and know how blessed I am. Still, it is difficult to go back to the place where it all began. I remember every detail of that time and what a whirlwind of emotions that was. Luckily, the nurses are still amazing and knowing it is just a short stay makes things easier. Thanks to my Jay Circle sisters (Holly and Heidi) and Holly B. for taking on my kids at the drop of a hat. We appreciate you so much and are thankful we live so close. Thanks to everyone for your support and concern.

TURKEY WADDLE!!!!

2007-12-31T09:23:00.000-08:00

The whole Tyler Family that came out to run.

Check out Nate Braunhut's shirt. Is he awesome or what?
Getting ready to start.
Chris and Troy after the run.
My sister Holly stopped to pose for a picture. Check out her sweet headphones.
My dad running. What a great grandpa.

I finally got around to these pictures and I just had to post them because this was truly an amazing Thanksgiving morning. Once again, our friends the Packer’s put this all together and we had such a great time. The Dad’s club and PTSO at Abby’s school sponsored the event and sent out flyers to every student in the whole school. We so much appreciate all the time and effort that went into organizing, and running this event. Harmon Hawks rock!!!! A great big thank you to everyone that came out to run, we hope you enjoyed it. Start training for the London’s Run in February.

Future Doctor???

2007-12-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

These days Troy likes to give himself his own medicine and chemo all by himself. It is just too funny and I’m glad he is so great at taking his medicine. The other night I was taking him to bed and he said, "Mom you forgot my medicine." Good thing the 3 year old is on top of things when I'm not. Almost every time we go to the clinic Troy has to get his finger poked and he just watches the blood go into the little tube. For every spinal tap Troy is put to sleep with anesthesia and this last spinal tap the anesthesiologist let him push the medicine into his port that puts him to sleep. He loves to watch the magic white stuff go through his tube. All these things are a little strange to me, for a 3 year, old but hey this his how he is dealing with all this. Anything that makes him feel more comfortable with all this change is just fine with me. He goes back to the clinic on Christmas Eve to check counts and then not again for 2 more weeks. Yea!!!!

Maintenance Here We Come!!!!!

2007-12-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

We have finally made it to the maintenance phase and we are sooooo excited. Last week Troy’s numbers were back up and they approved him to start maintenance on Tuesday. He had a spinal tap and chemo through his port along with the steroid for 5 days. We started another oral chemo that he will take everyday for the remaining 2 ½ years. What a champ this dude has been and we are so proud of how tough he is. I know we still have a long way to go but I am just grateful to have come this far. We will go to the clinic every 2 weeks to check his numbers for the first few months and then just once a month!!! Thanks again to all our family and friends for your love and support. We could not have made it this far without all of you.

Gift Basket at PapaRazzinis

2007-12-09T14:51:00.000-08:00

Christine and I with the check from the Penne a la Troy meal!!!

I did want to let everyone know that our friends down at PapaRazinnis are raffling off a gift basket full of great stuff as another fund raiser for Troy. Is this family awesome or what? Take a moment from this crazy time of year and have a nice dinner at their restaurant. You will not be disappointed. Here is a list of the items in the gift basket and the breakdown of the ticket prices. ENJOY!!!

Ticket prices:
1 ticket: $5.00
5 tickets: $14.00
8 tickets: $20.00

That's $2.50/ticket when you buy 8! It's like half off :)

Raffle Tickets available at:
PapaRazzini's Italian Eatery
1825 E Guadalupe
Tempe, AZ 85283
for reservations call 480.345.6560
Closed Mondays :)

Gift Basket Goodies!

Gift Certificates:
Jamba Juice
Starbucks
Bikram Yoga of Tempe
Salon Va Bella
Route 66 Salon
Frys Food and Drug
Changing Hands Book Store
All Night Auto
Mac's Broiler
Papa Razzini's

Wine Vendors:
Southern
Republic of Arizona
Action Wine
Valley of the Sun
Alliance Beverage

Gift Basket valued at over $500.
Raffle tickets available through 12/24
Drawing will be held on Christmas day

Weekend over!!!

2007-12-09T14:42:00.001-08:00

Well we seem to have almost made it through this weekend without any fevers or issues. (Knock on wood.) I took Abby to the Polar Express and she had a blast while Chris stayed home with the boys. I was super sad that Troy could not come with us but hey there is always next year. Troy will go to the clinic tomorrow to check his counts and I am so curious to see what they are. I am hoping he will not be severely neutropenic, at least. If he is still neutropenic that’s ok as long as his numbers are improving. He is just bouncing off the walls still running around like crazy. I would think when his counts are low he should fatigued or tired but that is not the case at all. (Knock on wood again). Although, I still have a ton of Christmas things to get done, I truly think what does it matter. Chris and I realize what does mean the most to us and that is all that matters.

Homeward Bound

2007-12-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

Well Troy had another clinic visit yesterday and we found out he is severely neutropenic. That means his ANC # is below 500 and he is very susceptible to bacteria. If he were to get sick he doesn’t have much of what your body needs to fight it off. We are washing our hands like mad and I have decided not to take him anywhere till his numbers are back up. The doctors told me last week that he was probably on his way to being neutropenic so I didn’t take him anywhere last week either. We have played Candy Land, made Christmas ornaments, looked at Christmas lights and played cars. Any other suggestions for stay at home fun would be great. Really, it is not bad and I am grateful that we have gone this long without him being neutropenic. The only real bummer is that we had a couple of fun events this weekend that we will not be able to do. We had tickets for the whole family to go on the Polar Express train ride this weekend and Troy was suppose to ride on the London’s Run float at the Queen Creek Christmas parade. I am just heartsick about him missing both events but Chris and I decided it is just not worth it. If Troy was to spike a fever up north we would have no hospital near by and that would just be stressful. I would love to have him ride on the London’s Run float but with all those people around that is also just too big of a worry. So home we will stay until his numbers come back up. They think that could take a few weeks so I am a hand washing Nazi. I know we have been so lucky thus far to have Troy do so well with all his chemo. We recognize our blessings daily and thank everyone for your support.

Poker Night and 45 days down!!!!

2007-11-28T19:32:00.000-08:00

Abby, Troy and I, Kelly Bray (Dean of Students), Chris Lineberry (Principal), Nate Braunhut (5th Grade Teacher and member of the awesome Dad's club) You guys are amazing!!!

We have made it through 45 of the 56 days and we are thrilled to be almost done with this phase. I thought this phase was 60 days but, yeah, it is only 56. Monday Troy went to the clinic for chemo and we found out his numbers were pretty low. Tuesday he had a blood and platelet transfusion that took about 6 hours. Luckily, at the pediatric outpatient treatment center (POTC) they have a portable DVD player so he just watched movies and colored on cars paper of course. The blood transfusion will help him get more energy and give him a little color back. I didn’t even think he looked pale but the doctor could see it right away. The platelet transfusion helps his body with clotting. He seemed to be doing fine until last night. Troy was up coughing and gagging in the middle of the night. We had a bowl in his bed thinking he was going to throw up but he never did, thank goodness. Abby and Wyatt are sick with a cold and Troy has gotten it also. Luckily, no fever so he is doing pretty good. The doctors expect his numbers to drop even more, so this is the critical stay home and go nowhere time. Once his numbers come back up we could be in the maintenance phase as early as December 10th. Maintenance will consist of spinal taps once every three months, an oral chemo at home every day, the steroid drug 5 days a month, another oral chemo once a week at home, and visiting the clinic for chemo once every 4 weeks. It sounds like a lot but it is certainly less than what we are doing now. Yes, his hair has fallen out and there is something strange about washing your child’s head and feeling only skin. Although, I don’t like it because now he looks like a cancer patient, I still think he looks darn handsome.

A couple of weeks ago Abby’s school (Jack Harmon) sponsored a “poker night” to help pay for Troy's medical bills and prescriptions. The PTSO and Dad’s club put it on and it was a great success. Chris didn’t even know how to play poker but still had such a great time. Abby’s principal & faculty has truly embraced our family. They have taken on so much just to help support us. What remarkable people we are surrounded by. We are so grateful that people still want to help and we are touched daily by their generosity.

If anyone out there is looking for a way to help we ask if possible to donate blood or platelets. Donating blood does not take very long while donating platelets does take about a hour. How grateful we are that people out there take the time to donate. This week Troy has benefited from their small sacrifice of time. Next week it might be another child battling cancer who will benefit from your time. I truly never thought about donating blood or platelets until all this happened back in June. What an easy way to help out. Go out on a date and make it a “blood and dinner” date. Just kidding but I thought it was pretty funny. Once I get pictures of the Turkey Waddle I will post those but that was awesome also. Thanks to everyone, we love and appreciate all you do.

More Spaghetti Dinner/Silent Auction Pics & Troy's Update

2007-11-14T08:39:00.001-08:00

Maren who seriously put the word out and collect a ton of items for the silent auction. Another MVP!!!
The guest of honor eating his spaghetti and loving it.
Justin was the auctioneer and did a wonderful job. He could have a career as a MC.
Jennifer and Jeff Stout who put so much time into the whole night. Jeff was the one who designed the website and he did a fantastic job. We love it. Yet two more MVP's.
Troy at the end of the night. It was quite a success.

RACAP:

There are no words to express how wonderful the spaghetti dinner and silent auction was. It was absolutely amazing how it all worked out. We were able to raise close to $7000 dollars for Troy. Every bit of it will go to pay for Troy’s growing medical bills, copays, and prescriptions. What a relief to have that burden taken off of us. Even if it is only for a little while, every little bit helps. So many people that I had never met before were there, and the kindness of strangers was truly fascinating. We had people in our neighborhood come over and say they had just eaten dinner and forgot about the dinner but still wanted to donate. My heart melted as I opened an envelope from a little sister and brother with a few dollar bills and change. What wonderful children with remarkable parents. Although, I hate to be on the receiving end of things, I have learned so much about people and their genuine concern for my family. That is how it should be, everyone taking care of each other. Alright enough of that or I will start crying. We must give a colossal THANK YOU to Susie and Dave Packer, Maren Urkov, Jeff & Jennifer Stout, Janae Heath, my family, all those that donated items for the silent auction, those that came out to the dinner that night, and anyone else that I might have forgotten. We truly appreciate all the hard work and planning that went into that night. . Get ready for the Turkey Waddle on Thanksgiving morning, the Harmon Dad’s club basketball tournament December 1st, and London’s Run in February. These are great opportunities to help and we so appreciate those who organize all these events. I know I sound like a broken record but we truly do appreciate everyone's kindness.

Troy's Update:

Well Monday was quite a long day at the Peds Outpatient Treatment Center (POTC). Troy had another spinal tap along with a shot of another chemo drug called cytarabine in his arm and another chemo drug called cyclophosphamide that was on a drip into his port. The cyclophosphamide is a very strong chemo drug that had to be diluted in Troy’s body. We had to hydrate him for 4 hours since the drug can’t sit in his bladder or else that causes bleeding. I am glad we are done with that for this week. A home health nurse comes for the next 3 days to give him the shot in his arm and then next week we do it all over again. Spinal tap on Monday followed by the shots for the next 3 days. I am happy to say we are done with 30 days and half way through this phase. Also for the next 14 days he will be on an oral chemo that we give him at home called thioguanine. Taking medicine has become a normal routine for him. Troy just might be the bravest little boy to go through all of this. He gets better and better at tolerating all the pokes and chemo. How grateful we are for the doctors and nurses who take such remarkable great care of Troy. Thanks again to all of you for your concern and support.

Spaghetti Dinner Pics

2007-11-13T19:44:00.000-08:00

My sisters Kelli, Heidi, and other sisters Leah and Holly B. (A)
My twin sister Holly taking the money at one of the entrances.
My niece Emma serving salad.
Dave Packer, worked incredibly hard on the dinner night and all throughout the preparation of this event. You are a MVP Dave!!!
My sister Nat, Janae, Susie, and Brianna. These ladies worked so hard to put this night into action and it was Susie's idea for the dinner. I am so glad she has such a huge heart and wanted to do something to help. It was a "magical" night.

25 days down!!!! / Spaghetti Dinner Tomorrow

2007-11-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

So we are 25 days down of the 60 in this phase and I am so excited. Troy is doing great despite the eating constantly and mood swings. Seriously, he is eating non-stop but that should wear off soon. We go on Monday for another spinal tap and several different chemo drugs so I am not looking forward to that. Then the next week we do it all over again. The later part of this phase is pretty intense and the doctors say he should be pretty tired. I can’t imagine him anymore tired than he already is. The dude wants to go to bed so early every night and I find him asleep throughout the day also. I guess the more rest the better for him. Almost half way through and we are so lucky to not have had too many issues. I can’t believe it has been 5 months since this all began. It sure has gone by slow but hopefully time will fly once we are in maintenance. We know in the end everything will be just fine.

Tomorrow is the big day for the SPAGHETTI DINNER/SILENT AUCTION. So much hard work has been put into this & I hope everyone who reads this can attend. There is so much awesome stuff up for auction and even more that has not been added to the website. Check out the items on the benefit link on Troy’s blog under spaghetti dinner. http://www.wendtfamilybenefit.org/ We are talking Suns tickets, zoom teeth whitening, photo sessions, and much much more. We are so excited for this event and appreciate all the hard work that has been put into this.

Tough Week

2007-10-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

We have had quite a difficult week. The chemo drugs are really starting to wear on Troy. He is crabby, tired, and just feel like crap most of the day. I can tell he really is trying to be a good boy but he just feels so miserable. The other night we took him to the ER after he had been throwing up every 10 minutes for 7 hours. He then got a slight fever and blood in his throw up that we decided that is enough we need to take him to the ER. They re-hydrated him and gave him a different nausea medicine that seemed to work. After a horrible night of no sleep he finally slept for 5 hours and then took another nap later that day. He is just so tired right now and wants to go to bed so early. It is truly heartbreaking to watch your child in pain and not do anything to help take the pain away. We are going to try the new nausea medicine now at home and see if that works better for the tummy aches. I knew this phase was going to be tough but I truly hate it right now. Why do lifesaving drugs have to make you feel so crappy? For now we are just trying to get through this difficult phase and we look forward to the up and coming maintenance phase. Thanks for all the support from everyone. We are and will forever be grateful.

START OF FINAL PHASE

2007-10-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we will be starting the final phase before we are in the maintenance period. This phase will last 60 days and is the most intense we have had since the beginning. We start tomorrow with a spinal tap, back on the steroid, and several other drugs. Troy will be getting 18 does of drugs a day and his face will get plump again. He will be looking nice and chubby for Christmas. Good thing he looks great with chubby cheeks. We just want to get through these next few months and make it to the ever coveted maintenance phase. That will be a miracle in itself. Cars continues to be Troy’s obsession and every time we go to the doctor he gets to pick a toy from the closet or treasure chest and what he gets just about every time, a car. He truly loves them all and never gets tired of playing cars. One of the child life specialist got Troy started with a bead necklace that shows every time Troy has had a surgery, blood transfusion, chemo, days in the hospital, pokes, access of the port, and several other things. The necklace is already full and I can’t imagine how long it will be when we are done with all this. Troy wasn’t very interested in the beads so Abby finished it for him but they offer so many great programs for these kids. Any little thing helps in my eyes. Thanks to everyone for your support.

New Website

2007-10-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

This picture was at his birthday a few months ago but he looks so great. Anyway, an awesome website has been set up for Troy with info about the spaghetti dinner or to donate to the silent auction. It is so great and the finishing touches are still being added but it looks amazing. Check it out at wendtfamilybenefit.org. Once again, many many thanks to all our support and to Jeff Stout for designing the web page. You did an incredible job.

SAVE THE DATE

2007-10-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

Some friends of ours are planning to have a benefit spaghetti dinner for Troy. This will be on FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9th from 6:00-8:00. It will be $5 per person or $20 per family. Please spread the word and more info will be coming soon. As if a spaghetti dinner wasn’t enough they will also have a silent auction that night. If you would like to donate one of your talents, goods, services, or theme baskets that would be awesome. I know a lot of people with many talents to share so please sign up. I have also set up a Benefit Fund at Bank of America for Troy. If anyone can not come that night but still want to contribute you can call or go into any Bank of America. Just give them the name TROY TYLER WENDT LEUKEMIA BENEFIT FUND and you should be good to go. This of course will help Troy in his fight against leukemia. We appreciate everyone and their willingness to help. Once I get more info I will let you know so just keep that date open.

Very Grateful

2007-09-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

I usually like to post a picture of Troy along with an update on how he is doing but he is taking a nap right now and I wanted to post this while I had the chance. Our family has been so lucky to have such wonderful people around us that are so willing to help at the drop of a hat. We have received so many cards, gifts for Troy and Abby, loving notes, meals, and just a genuine concern for Troy and all of us. If I wrote thank you notes to everyone I would be writing for days. I have been truly overwhelmed with how kind people have been. I know we have been so lucky to have Troy do so well with his chemo and all the love and prayers I believe has been a great help. This sounds cheesy but seriously I can’t help but be grateful for such amazing people around us. Thanks to you all.

VACATION

2007-09-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Well we made it back from vacation and boy did we have a blast. We are so lucky that we had no issues or problems with Troy since he had chemo 2 days before we left. The beach was certainly the highlight for Troy. Abby and Troy could stay all day and night if we let them. Most of the time they would just run from the waves and it made me tired just watching them run. The weather was perfect and everything went just great. We know that was a small miracle to not have any problems.

Troy did have an allergic reaction to one of the chemo drugs a week before we left. He got hives all over his body the day after he had a PEG Asparaginase shot in both legs. The drug that is substituted for that is not approved yet so at this time he will not have that chemo drug anymore. This was the first snag we have run into since this started so I can’t complain. I asked the doctor what that will do are far as his progress goes. He said we don’t know what the effects are when you don’t receive the shots but we do know that when the PEG shot is given in the high doses that Troy was receiving it is very effective. Kind of a bummer but what can you do? He only has one more of those shots on his protocol so that is ok. He goes this Thursday for some more chemo and then we start the intense phase which will last 2 months. By Thanksgiving or Christmas we should be in maintenance which will be heaven. I can’t wait.

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!!!!!

2007-08-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

We have to send an enormous thank you to the family owned Italian restaurant PapaRazzini’s. For the whole month of July until Troy’s Birthday, August 20th, they have been doing a fundraiser for him. Customers could donate money and receive a picture of a car to color or just write on and in return they would receive a free dessert. The response was overwhelming to me. We went to the restaurant a few weeks ago and all the walls were covered with the cars with well wishes written on them. My sister in law Angie had put posters around the restaurant with pictures of Troy and we were amazed. It literally brought tears to my eyes to see all the cards and pictures. What a truly KIND family to do this for us. We were just strangers to them but once they heard about Troy they jumped in and wanted to help. PapaRazzini will be on News Channel 3 on September 4th at 11:50 to promote a special dish in Troy’s honor. They plan on picking the fundraiser back up in October. Could they be the nicest family ever? Not to mention the food was outstanding. If any of you are ever in the mood for some yummy Italian food with an awesome atmosphere head down to PapaRazzini’s. We are so lucky to know them and thanks to Angie and Courtney for getting the word out to this incredible family. Here is a picture of Christine from the restaurant with Troy and the check and Troy with all the cards that were hanging in the restaurant. GRAZIE!!!!!

Paparazzinis.netfirms.com
1825 E. Guadalupe Rd., Ste. F-110
Tempe, AZ 85283
Ph 480-345-6560

TROY'S HAD A BIRTHDAY SHOUT HOORAY!!!!

2007-08-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

Troy’s birthday was today and I am happy to say he is now 3 years old. We had a party on Friday and he had so much fun. Grandma Val got him some race cars and he has yet to put them down. How can one boy be so obsessed with cars? He truly loves them. We also had a friend that ties balloons come over and boy did all the kids eat him up. He did an awesome job for us. Troy had, of course, a cars birthday cake and loved opening his presents one tiny piece of wrapping paper at a time. It was a fun night.

Well, we started another mini phase of phase II about a week ago. We go to the doctor every 10 days for 41 days, plus a couple days in between those for different chemo drugs, plus 2 spinal taps. Everything is so precise and I have an enormous calendar to keep it all straight. One of his doctors said, "he is breezing right through this." Easy for him to say, but really Troy has been doing great. I just wish I could 'breeze' right through this.

Our family had a vacation planned the week this whole ‘journey’ began that we had to cancel, so we are now going to try and go in a couple of weeks. I hope Troy is feeling good and he does ok. The doctors are going to give us a couple different phone numbers of oncologist in San Diego just in case we need anything. All in all, he is doing amazing and we couldn’t be happier about his progress. Troy is a tough little guy who is adjusting to all of this like a champ. Thanks to all of you who still pray and think about our family. We truly appreciate every one of you and all the support. We couldn’t do this without you.

2 weeks off from doctors!!!!!

2007-07-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to update everyone on Troy’s progress. We have had 3 weeks of spinal taps once a week, plus clinic visits every week and now we get a little break from that. He is really quite the trooper I must say. The nurses are great and Troy is even giving them smiles when they talk to him. This is a vast improvement from not talking to them at all for fear of what they were going to do to him. We sat down with the lady at the bank and Troy said really scared, “What are they going to do to my arm?” He is just leery of anyone. The protocol Troy is on will get more intense as the months go by. In about 2 months he will have be having a lot of chemo drugs. I just want to get through this phase and onto the maintenance phase. Everyone says that the maintenance phase is a piece of cake. We are enjoying the break and loving having our old Troy boy back. I do have to tell about a lady we met while Troy was getting his spinal tap last week. Her name is Trish and her daughter Sammy was diagnosed with the same kind of Leukemia as Troy (ALL) in March. This lady was so bubbly and happy telling us that she spend a lot of time in the hospital so if I need to know where the good toys or good treats are just ask her. She went on to tell us that her husband passed away in September of Leukemia so she is doing this on her own. Trish said that she does not think “woe is me,” she is just grateful for everyday she has with Sammy ( her only child ). I could not believe what I was hearing. I though what the heck does she have to smile about but somehow she has found a way to deal with all of this by herself since she just lost her husband to Leukemia. It just goes to show when you think you have it rough it could ALWAYS be worse. I am so grateful that Chris and I have each other and our seriously AMAZING support system. We love all of you.

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

2007-07-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

Are these 2 related? Some people in the fam have said that Troy looks just like Nat. I just don’t see it. Are they talking about the nose, lips, or possibly the brown eyes, because I just don’t know? Troy has been SOOOOOO happy these last few days. He has been like himself , laughing, smiling, talking, playing and tormenting Wyatt like he used to. I never thought I would be so happy to peel Troy off of Wyatt. I used to spend most the day telling Troy to get out of Wyatt’s face and now I am just so happy to see him enjoying his brother again. Poor Wyatt has to feel the brunt of that situation. Good thing he is such an awesome baby. Troy has starting walking again which is great because carrying around a nearly 40 pound toddler has done a number on my neck and back. He even tried to run a little today which is really funny to watch. Troy just looks so great and life feels some what good again. Thanks to you all for your support. We appreciate everything that has been done for us.

YEA Troy's cancer is in remission!!!!!!

2007-07-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

Well we got some awesome news yesterday. Troy’s cancer is in remission!!!! We could not be happier. The surgery to place his port went great and he is doing so super good. We have seen Troy’s smile emerging again and even him belly roll laughing. I can’t tell you how wonderful it has been to see a smile on his face again. Ever since he had his PICC line removed and we have been back home he has been so happy. Don’t get me wrong he still has his screaming spells but I know that will taper off eventually. I am just happy everything is happening just as it should. We could not hope for anything better at this point. Life is hard but things are looking up. Troy’s next clinic visit is on Wednesday and that is when we find out what protocol he has been randomized into. We will start a whole new set of chemotherapy in phase II, which will last 6-8 months. I know all our prayers have been answered and we just need to have a little faith.

Back in the Hospital

2007-07-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Troy had a PICC line in his arm that they have been using to draw blood, give anesthesia, and give chemo treatments through. This has been great since they haven’t had to stick him with an IV because they could use the PICC line. Well, on Friday his arm that the PICC line was in got very swollen. About double the size of his other arm. I did not call anyone about this problem until Saturday when the home health care nurse told me to take him to the ER right away. They did an ultrasound and luckily found no blood clots and he has not been running a fever so they didn’t think it was an infection either. All of this was good news. The doctor decided that the PICC line was doing more harm than good so they removed it and today the swelling had gone down some, enough to let us come home. I am so glad to be back home and what a horrible weekend it was. I know he will end up in the hospital every now and then but it still stinks to have your child in the hospital. I absolutely hate it. We go back to the clinic tomorrow and Thursday is D day. He will have all his procedures and have his port put in. For those who don’t know what a port is here is the definition. A port-a-cath (IVAD-Implantable Venous Access Device)- A small reservoir connected to a flexible tube which is surgically placed under the skin leading to a major blood vessel. This may be used for drawing blood or giving blood products, fluids, or medicines. Once the port is in they will be able to access it to give him chemo. Yes, I feel like I am talking about Star Wars with all this access port lingo. Hopefully, the next phase will go by fast and we will have our old Troy Boy back, which is all Chris wants. I will update after we hear the results from Thursday. Thanks again to everyone.

Big Cheeks

2007-06-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe how slow time is going by. It has only been 3 weeks since this whole “Journey” began and it feels like a year. Well Troy is doing OK so far he is on a steroid that makes you grouchy and hungry ALL the time. I tried to take a picture of his cheeks while he was looking in the pantry but he was not having that. He looks like a different child and has gained 5 pounds in 2 weeks. When you start out at 28 pounds 5 more makes a huge difference. I can’t help but laugh when I look at him which precedes him covering his face saying, “Don’t look at me!” Chris and I have got to learn to just get used to this plump faced Troy. We go back to the clinic on July 3rd to make sure all his numbers look good for another spinal tap and bone marrow aspiration on July 5th. Hopefully all the Leukemia cells will be gone and into phase II we should go. Phase II will last 6-8 months. As I understand it he will have highs and lows in Phase II. We could possibly end up back in the hospital if he gets sick at all. I am not looking forward to that but I won’t be surprised when it happens. We know Troy is in excellent hands since these doctors and nurses are seriously unbelievable. Even down to the gal taking my insurance card at the clinic, they are all incredible. I still wish every second of the day that this in not happening but I know this is reality and I just have to deal with it, no matter how much both Chris and I HATE it. I will let you all know after the result from the July 5th procedures come back. Thanks to all of you friends and family.

GREAT NEWS!!!!

2007-06-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we got some great news from the doctor. Troy's bone marrow came back and he only shows 4.5% Leukemia cells left. This is amazing new to us but just what the doctors had expected. They hope to see only 5% or less by day 8 of chemotherapy. Troy is right on track and still considered a standard patient. We also found out he is a rapid early responder meaning now they know what path of chemotherapy to go down and how intense it needs to be. This is certainly an educational experience for our family but I'm sure by the end of the 3 years we will all be experts on this subject. What I do know now is that the cause of Leukemia is unknown. Contrary to what some have thought, you can not get Leukemia from eating bad meat or drinking bad water. I don't know why Troy has this disease and I will have to ponder that question later, but for now all I am focusing on is taking care of him and getting him better. Thanks to the Busby gals for starting this blog. It is a great way to tell everyone that cares how he is doing. You know I love you girls. Life is looking up and thanks to everyone for their love and prayers. I believe we have been blessed already.

2007-06-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

We are starting to see some of our old Troy boy coming back. Today he insisted on dressing himself all by himself hense the inside out and backwards shirt. He is doing great at home. Yesterday was a tough day for the whole family especially Troy since he had a couple of procedures done. He is doing well enough to only go the the clinic once a week instead of the twice a week normally. By next Tuesday we should know how much of the leukemia is gone. They hope to only see 25% left. If they show more than that they will have to do another spinal tap and bone marrow aspiration next Wednesday. We hope to not put him through that again since he has just HAD IT with doctors, nurses, and hospitals all together. Little does he know this is going to be a long process and he will just have to adjust. This has certainly been a life altering experience for our whole family and I am sad that life will never be the same. I can't worry about that now though, all that matters is getting Troy better so he can have a happy normal life. Thanks again to everyone for all your help and support. We greatly appreciate it.

We are home!!!!

2007-06-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

Well we finally got to come home on Saturday night. The moment we walked in the door Troy got the biggest grin on his face and we knew he was so glad to be out of the hospital. He is doing pretty good considering his leukemia. He takes 18 doses of medication everyday which can be a challenge to get a 2 year old to swollow medicine that taste like poop. But, we know he is trying his best. I can already see great inprovments just in the few days we have been home. He is finally eating a little bit, sleeping great and trying to be a good boy. Troy will go to the clinic and outpatient treatment center twice a week for the next month and they expect ALL the lukemia cell to be gone by the end of this month. We just can't wait till the 4th of July!!! The rest of his treatment will be about 3 years but we don't care as long as he gets better. That is the only option at this point. I have to tell all of our family, friends and ward buds how wonderful they all have been during this terrible time. I know that we are so lucky to have a great support all around us. Without it this would be impossible. I don't know how I will ever thank everyone for their help, words of hope, and prayers. Please know everything is appreciated and I know that is what will pull Troy through this. I'll try to update his progress as often as I can and pass along the good news when it comes. Thanks again.

Update - June 6, 2007

2007-06-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Troy had a spinal tap performed yesterday morning. There were no Leukemia cells found, which means that there was no sign of the disease in his spine or brain. He also had his first dose of chemotherapy yesterday afternoon. He is still in a lot of pain but he has been a trooper.

He loves his room at the hospital. It is filled with balloons and he has his bed and the table next to him full of cars. He holds on to two of his favorites at all times; right now it is Lightning McQueen and Sally. While Troy was in another room, Chris asked him if he wanted to go home. He said, "No, I want to go back to my room." Troy was also able to go on a couple wagon rides yesterday through the hospital and even outside. The hospital accommodations have been great and the nurses have done a wonderful job of trying to keep the whole family comfortable. Abby and Wyatt were able to visit Troy yesterday and Troy was happy to see his crazy sister and his little brother that is almost as big as him. He did have to keep telling them to be quiet so that he could hear the movie Cars though.

Leukemia Confirmed

2007-06-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

It has been confirmed that Troy does have Leukemia. A catheter has been placed into his chest and chemotherapy treatments will begin as early as tomorrow morning. He has been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), which of all the kinds of Leukemia gives Troy the best chance for a full recovery. The doctors have indicated that Troy may be able to come home as early as Saturday where he will continue his treatment at home. Once the remission of the Leukemia has been achieved, Troy will continue his chemotherapy for the next few years in order to ensure that the remission is permanent. The remission rate for ALL is as high as 90%.

A ward fast will be taking place this Thursday on behalf of Troy and the Wendt family. Your participation would be greatly appreciated. With your prayers, we are sure that Troy will be on his way to a full recovery.

2007-06-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

On Monday, June 4th, Troy went to the doctor to find out why he was so uncomfortable after a night of restlessness. Once the blood tests were returned, the doctors ordered him to Desert Samaritan Hospital. The doctors have indicated that the most likely culprit is Leukemia. Troy has spent the last few nights at the hospital undergoing several tests. We have created this blog to keep all those that know and love Troy Boy up-to-date with the latest information as to his health.

Some tests that have been performed include taking bone marrow samples from his hip and extensive x-rays of his chest. As of now, the doctors are not 100% sure that it is Leukemia or a really bad infection. However, they do say that it is extremely likely. They also say that it is not a typical case and they are running further tests to be sure. There are several types of Leukemia and the tests will tell us what type, if any, he will have to face.

This is all the information that we have at this time. We will post any new information to this blog so that Chris and Heather can concentrate on being with Troy. Phone calls are appreciated, but please check this blog first or contact the Houskeepers at 480-832-1464 in lieu of contacting the Wendts directly.

Also, for those who would like to send anything to the hospital, we have been told that flowers and latex balloons are not allowed in the ICU. The only balloon they will accept is the Mylar type, which is the metallic kind.

Thank you for your prayers and concern.

Troy Wendt

Troy's final chemo at home!!!

T-2.5 Months left of chemo!!!

London's Run/Ride

Like mother like daughter

Turkey Waddle Anyone?

Summer is Over

When you WISH upon a star.....

It's Over!!!

Londons' Run 09'

Andrea's Closet

Turkey Waddle Anyone?

'IRON TROY'

Troy Boy has turned 4!!!!

Diamondbacks Game

Quick Update

BROKEN ARM TAKE 1 & 2

DISNEYLAND WITH "THE PASS"

LONDON'S RUN

London's Run coming up

Short stay in hospital

TURKEY WADDLE!!!!

Future Doctor???

Maintenance Here We Come!!!!!

Gift Basket at PapaRazzinis

Weekend over!!!

Homeward Bound

Poker Night and 45 days down!!!!

More Spaghetti Dinner/Silent Auction Pics & Troy's Update

Spaghetti Dinner Pics

25 days down!!!! / Spaghetti Dinner Tomorrow

Tough Week

START OF FINAL PHASE

New Website

****SAVE THE DATE****

Very Grateful

VACATION

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!!!!!

TROY'S HAD A BIRTHDAY SHOUT HOORAY!!!!

2 weeks off from doctors!!!!!

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

YEA Troy's cancer is in remission!!!!!!

Back in the Hospital

Big Cheeks

GREAT NEWS!!!!

We are home!!!!

Update - June 6, 2007

Leukemia Confirmed

SAVE THE DATE