START OF FINAL PHASE

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

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****

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

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

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!!!!!

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!!!!

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.