We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! As we sit here enjoying all that Christmas means and brings, we received another bit of good news on Christmas Eve that we are thankful for.
On Monday, we went down to Rady’s to have Travis’ blood work checked and his quarterly MRI. It turned out to be quite an ordeal since this was a holiday week and most of the normal staff was off. Travis needed to have an IV started so that the MRI could be done with and without contrast. At the same time, they were to draw his blood so they could check the lab work. We started the process at Radiology instead of the Oncology Clinic which you would have thought this was the first time they had ever done an IV and collected blood. We will save you the “bloody” details but that was a big mistake that we won’t make again! Once they started the MRI, Travis picked the movie Elf to watch which helps distract from what he calls his torture (i.e. the MRI).
By time the 2 hour MRI was done, we received the lab results which indicated that Travis’ ANC (white blood cell first responders to infection) was coming back up which is good but his Hemoglobin was low which meant a transfusion was needed. So we headed back over to the Oncology Clinic to get started. Since the blood was drawn over at Radiology, they did not know to “Type” his blood as part of the lab work so we had to do that too which usually takes an hour before they can start the transfusion. Since the transfusion usually takes 3-4 hours, we knew the rest of the day would be spent at the hospital. But that is how it goes and we know to make the best of it. So, we left the house at 7:30am and didn’t make it home until after 6:30pm. Hopefully that is the last time we have to do the transfusion since chemo is now over. What a day!
Anyway, back to some good news. We received a call from the doctor’s office on Christmas Eve and they wanted us to know that Travis’ MRI results look great. They wanted us to know before Christmas and not have to think about it over the holidays. Thank God! Needless to say, we really appreciated the call.
Again, we have so much to be thankful for this Christmas!
Love,
Tony, Lynne, Tyler and Travis
Travis the Warrior --- Kickin' Cancer! 
We are so glad to hear that was your last transfusion. Hope you had a nice Christmas at home. 🙂 Love, The Bradleys
Yeah! Great news! Merry Christmas!
I am sorry that you had to go through all of that. But that being said, you just gave us the best Christmas present of all!! Yeah Travis!! Here is to a happy and Healthy 2014:)
Peace,
Karen
Oh, yes what a wonderful Christmas. I spoke with Travis yesterday. He said “Grandma, I asked Santa Clause for a clean MRI”. I told Travis “I
prayed to God every night that the MRI came back clean”. I asked Travis “if he
thought maybe Santa and God knew each other”. He said “he thought they did”.
I said “maybe they met a long long time ago in a gallaxy far far away”. I want to
thank all you soliders for your support for the warrior and your support for Tony,
Lynne and Tyler. Also, everything you all did for me while I was there in CA.
Your support made it possible for Tony and Lynne to concentrate on Travis.
They did an excellent job of it too. Love you all, Mom/Grandma Pampaw (AKA “The Pamp”).
Merry Christmas Tony, Lynne, Tyler and Travis. Good news. Sorry the day was spent at the hospital. Hoping 2014 brings nothing but good news and good health.
Love,
The Valdez Family