Our Family =0): Please Pray for Gavin

Friday, April 3, 2009

Please Pray for Gavin

Just a quick update on Gavin. Carla posted an update on Gavin earlier today:

Friday, April 3, 2009

Update by Mom
Hi everyone,Gavin is doing okay. They started an IV late last night and it has been running fluids into him non stop. They took more blood and his red blood counts, hemglobin, hematocrit, and MCV are all really low. The endoscopy is at 3 pm today and we will decide the next steps after that.He is doing really well considering. He is being so sweet to all the nurses and doctors and cooperating with all the numerous pokes he has had so far. His sweet and content attitude makes this less difficult to deal with. The nurses are really awesome and we are in a really nice room all by ourselves--we are tremendously blessed, even IN this.Thanks for the continued prayers....me or Angela will keep you all posted.xoxo

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If you look on the right of the screen, I have several buttons with pictures of various children . . . one of them is Gavin. I met Carla through my blog and have gotten to know her through e-mail and through her blog. Gavin has Systemic Mastocytosis (as does Carla and Chelsey) along with Antral G-cell Hyperplasia (a stomach disorder). Antral G-Cell Hyperplasia is very serious, in that it causes an excess of acid in the stomach - so much so that Gavin was receiving more than an adult's dose of antiacids and meds to decrease the production of acid.

Last night, Carla left a message on Facebook that they had to take Gavin to the hospital last night. He had labs done a little bit ago, and his blood work shows that Gavin is bleeding internally. His doctor called Carla to tell them to go to the hospital immediately and to be prepared to stay for a while. They started an IV last night and will do an emergency endoscopy this morning to see what's going on. It is possible that Gavin may need an emergency gastrecotmy and vagotomy (removal of a portion of his stomach and a severing/removal of the nerve that tells the stomach to produce acid).

Please keep Gavin, Carla (Gavin's mom), Tim (Gavin's dad), and Chelsey (Gavin's sister) in your prayers.

Here is the latest from Carla's blog:

Gavin admitted to Miller Children's hospital
Hi all,
I am posting on behalf of Carla to let you know that Gavin has been admitted to Miller Children's hospital. Gavin will most likely be having an IV placed tonight. This is something that does trigger his mastocytosis to react. He will be having his endoscopy tomorrow at 3 pm. this means that he will not be about to eat at all tomorrow. Please pray for Gavin and for wisdom for the doctors and nurses. Gavin is happy this evening please pray for this to continue.
Thank you
Angela

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Isaiah-isms =0)

This is our new addition to the page - Isaiah-isms. He can say some pretty funny things . . . it's a tad scary, all those thoughts that have been locked up for so long . . . . =0) Here are a few of the things Isaiah has been saying lately . . .

"You can't be sad when you poop, Mom!"

"I got a chicken-cups, eeep!" (hiccups)

"I not go to bed ta-day!"

"To if-fibiddy an beyon!" (thanks, Buzz Lightyear!)

"I can't wanna do it."

"Take it-ta da top and cha-cha-cha!" =0) (I have no idea where that came from, but he's too cute when he says it!) =0)

"I can't like dat, it's sticky!" (I think he's saying stinky, but anything he doesn't like is "sticky") =0)

"It's cuh-uuuuuuuuuuute!" (cute) =0)

"It wasn't me!" or "I did-ent do wit!"

"I'm da man!"

"Da farmer in da cow, da farmer in da cow! Hi-you, you! Da farmer in da cow!" =0) (aka, The farmer in the dell . . . )

"It's da sun's turn! It's a bwight sunny day!"

"It's nooooot!" =0)

"I'm so coughin' mad!" =0)

"He's the famous kangawoo I neber saw!"

"I like it an I did!"

"I feel car-able!" =0) (I feel terrible)

"Mom, that's not an option!" =0)

"I'm too bored to cwean up!" (clean up) . . . yeah, I feel like that sometimes, too =0)

"Nature can be dirty and sometimes it's wet." Makes sense, right? =0)

"La hoo-hah-rah-cha, la hoo-hah-rah-cha. An he needs a get a kit-tar!" (kit-tar = guitar) =0)

"Dri-ben tuh Tord's tar-by!" (I'm in the Lord's army . . .)

"Aaaaaaagh! You're a muggering me!" =0)

"Lord Jesus to play!" ("Lord, teach us to pray.") =0)

"I hab wubed you with an eber-asting wub." ("I have loved you with an everlasting love.") =0)

A little about Mastocytosis . . .

Mastocytosis is a group of rare disorders of both children and adults caused by the presence of too many mast cells (mastocytes) and CD34+ mast cell precursors in a person's body. It can affect just the skin or it can also affect internal organs such as the stomach, lungs, and intestines. Instead of being an autoimmune disease, mastocytosis is considered to be a myeloproliferative disease in that the bone marrow is producing too many of a certain type of cell - in this case, mast cells. Some of the possible symptoms of mastocytosis look a lot like food or environmental allergies. A person with mastocytosis may be convinced that they have food allergies but the antibody tests may be negative.

Some Symptoms Associated with Mastocytosis:
* Itching
* Rashes
* Abdominal cramping
* Anaphylaxis (shock from allergic or immune causes)
* Skin lesions
* Abdominal discomfort
* Episodes of very low blood pressure (including shock) & faintness
* Bone or muscle pain
* Nausea & vomiting

Patients with Mastocytosis may feel better when taking reflux meds. Proton pump inhibitors help reduce production of gastric acid, which is often increased in patients with mastocytosis.

To learn more about Mastocytosis, please visit:
http://www.mastokids.org/

or

http://www.tmsforacure.org/

What is Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that is sudden in onset and can be fatal.

Anaphylaxis occurs within seconds/minutes or hours of ingesting or coming into contact with a trigger (an allergen). Symptoms can include edema (swelling), hives, difficulty breathing, hypotension (low blood pressure), tachycardia, and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, cramping).

According to FAAN, "an anaphylactic reaction may begin with a tingling sensation, itching, or a metallic taste in the mouth. Other symptoms can include hives, a sensation of warmth, wheezing or other difficulty breathing, coughing, swelling of the mouth and throat area, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. These symptoms may begin within several minutes to two hours after exposure to the allergen, but life-threatening reactions may get worse over a period of several hours.

In some reactions, the symptoms go away, only to return two to three hours later. This is called a “biphasic reaction.” Often these second-phase symptoms occur in the respiratory tract and may be more severe than the first-phase symptoms. Studies suggest that biphasic reactions occur in about 20 percent of anaphylactic reactions."

A little about Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

Description from the National Cancer Institute:

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia is a rare, chronic cancer that is classified as a plasma cell neoplasm. It affects plasma cells, which develop from white blood cells called B-lymphocytes, or B cells.

B cells form in the lymph nodes and the bone marrow, the soft, spongy tissue inside bones. They are an important part of the body's immune (defense) system. Some B cells become plasma cells, which make, store, and release antibodies. Antibodies help the body fight viruses, bacteria, and other foreign substances.

In Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, abnormal plasma cells multiply out of control. They invade the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen and produce excessive amounts of an antibody called IgM. Excess IgM in the blood causes hyperviscosity (thickening) of the blood.

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia usually occurs in people over age 65, but can occur in younger people. A review of cancer registries in the United States found that the disease is more common among men than women and among whites than blacks.

Some patients do not experience symptoms. Others may have enlarged lymph nodes or spleen, and may experience fatigue, headaches, weight loss, a tendency to bleed easily, visual problems, confusion, dizziness, Alzheimer's-like symptoms, and loss of co-ordination. These symptoms are often due to the thickening of the blood. In extreme cases, the increased concentration of IgM in the blood can lead to heart failure (taken from http://www.iwmf.com/WhatIsWM.htm).

To learn more, please visit:
http://www.iwmf.com/WhatIsWM.htm

or

http://www.iwmf.com/

Friday, April 3, 2009

Please Pray for Gavin

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Isaiah 58:8-9

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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About Us

Isaiah-isms =0)

Isaiah

A little about Mastocytosis . . .

What is Anaphylaxis?

Watch my Autism Speaks video message

My Dad (aka Grandpa . . . okay, so he's Ye-Ye)

A little about Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

My Mom (aka Grandma . . . okay, so Nai-Nai)

Followers

Blog Archive

Me & My Favorite Little Man!

My Blog List

Pediatric Mastocytosis Awareness Ribbon

The Mastocytosis Society

Visitor's Map

Friday, April 3, 2009

Please Pray for Gavin

No comments:

Isaiah 58:8-9

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Follow me on Facebook

BlogFrog!

Subscribe via email

Subscribe To

About Us

Isaiah-isms =0)

Isaiah

A little about Mastocytosis . . .

What is Anaphylaxis?

Watch my Autism Speaks video message

My Dad (aka Grandpa . . . okay, so he's Ye-Ye)

A little about Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

My Mom (aka Grandma . . . okay, so Nai-Nai)

Followers

Blog Archive

Me & My Favorite Little Man!

My Blog List

Pediatric Mastocytosis Awareness Ribbon

The Mastocytosis Society

Visitor's Map