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Working Towards Getting Sam Home
By Margot | January 21, 2010
Sorry about the radio silence. Sam has a good couple of days.  He slept through the night once we upped the pain medications and added Decadron and the chemo. Probably a combination of all of it helped to make him feel better. Yesterday he was in the playroom from two to four and six to eight. He can stand up and walk a little bit better.  We have had some great movie nights and chess games. The pain team started him last night on oral continuous medication instead of IV but they left him the pain button in case he had break through pain. This is in anticipation of going home. Last night he was restless and uncomfortable and pressed his pain button twice. He didn’t seem to want to and we kept trying pillows under his knees so this morning we upped the dose of the oral medication and he seems very comfortable today. We have been back and forth to radiation in the ambulance since Sunday and the ambulance guys and nurses have been great. They like Sam a lot.   He’s sitting here next to me playing Mario Soccer. I got him some food from the cafeteria for and afternoon snack and he just said, “The cafeteria is evil, don’t go there anymore. Can I have some of Grandpa’s baked potato?” (Grandpa made him a baked potato yesterday and we have left over in the fridge).  He’s eating well, the steroids have done wonders for his appetite and really helped with his pain.  We are hoping to head home within a few days.
I owe a million people Thank yous and I won’t get to them all so to everyone who has helped out this past week, Thank you. Thank you. A special thank you to Robert Lawless who gave us two awesome tickets to this past weekend’s Charger game. He walked into the lobby of the hem/onc building and said he wanted to give the tickets to a family who needed them. Dori in the front thought of us and I came out and told him that I wasn’t sure if Sam would make it to the game but that my seven year old would love to go and he gave me the tickets.  I thanked him over the phone and he said it was his birthday present to himself.  It was a wonderful thing to do. He sure made Andy’s birthday month.  Andy got to go with Maureen and boy was he excited. We bought him a prepaid cell phone in case he got separated and he called us all about fifty times to tell us what was happening and where he was. We debated telling Sam about Andy getting to go but in the end figured that we (Andy) couldn’t keep it a secret from him and when we told him he was really bummed he couldn’t go. He didn’t want to talk to Andy at all any of the times he called and said he didn’t want him to bring him anything back. Then when the Chargers started to lose, he got a smile on his face and said, “Let’s call Andy.” and when they lost he said smiling, “It must suck to be at the game and have the Chargers lose.” I know it sounds awfully mean but it was very funny. So, it actually worked out well for both boys. Andy got a great day and it wasn’t too hard on Sam. Â
Thanks to Cathy and Colleen for helping me laugh through our tears.
Also, thanks to everyone who is helping with all of our errands and helping to plan Andy’s BMX party which is going to be the biggest pain in the butt party for the parents ever. My friend Cathy thought maybe we should just top it all off and give a live goldfish as a party favor. Sam said if he’s home on the pain pump he’ll just put the backpack on the handle bars and hold onto his lines so he can ride. Our boy is down but not out.
Sam is getting platelets again today. His platelets are 11. All other blood numbers are holding steady and white count is nice and high. His scan showed disease all throughout his liver and a couple of spots on his lungs (though not totally certain those are NB. Working on a low toxicity treatment plan for liver mets.
Hoping to be home soon and back at some fun.Â
Margot
Topics: Progress Reports | 21 Comments »
January 21st, 2010 at 2:01 am
Go Sam Go…always find that needle in a haystack…”lets call Andy now that the Chargers lost!’…
Marg’s-keeping it together…like the glue…
Praying and thinking and praying some more.
January 21st, 2010 at 3:17 am
I’m coaching my first chess tournament on Saturday and wish I had Sam on my team.
Vickie
January 21st, 2010 at 4:05 am
Love the Chargers story! How’d you find out the guys name?
January 21st, 2010 at 4:25 am
so happy to hear that sam is feeling better. thinking about you guys and please, please let shawn do some photos for you guys. she’s a fabulous photographer and an amazing person. you will love her…i promise. and i’ll see you in march, to do some photos of my own!!
xo.
deb
January 21st, 2010 at 6:52 am
So excited for Andy-know that was so great for him. What a nice man to do that. Hope you guys are holding up- know how draining it is to be in the hospital. Wishing Sam healthy thoughts… Angela (Madison’s Mom)
January 21st, 2010 at 9:17 am
Thinking of you and praying! God Bless, love, Ellen
http://www.caringbridge.org/ma/seanhanson
January 21st, 2010 at 10:20 am
Hey guys thinking of u all, so want to see you guys. also really want to see charlie because i hav not yet met him in person.
love you all.
love Marty.
January 21st, 2010 at 1:31 pm
We are hoping you get home as soon as possible. Always thinking about you and miss you. How long will your Dad and Stephanie be staying? Please give all your boys a hug from me.
Love, Nicole
January 21st, 2010 at 2:55 pm
sam is an amazing boy! AND he is blessed with an amazing family. you all remain in my prayers throughout the day!
January 21st, 2010 at 4:19 pm
By the way, for Sam from the Random House Dictionary:
hur-ri-cane:
1. a violent, tropical, cyclonic storm of the western North Atlantic, having wind speeds of 72 mph or more.
2. a storm of the most intense severity.
3. anything suggesting a violent storm.
In other words, pretty much what you’ve been living through for the last 5 years with occasional calm “eyes” passing over. Delighted to hear that Sam has perked up – what a team of fighters. Jan
January 21st, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Hey Hutchinson’s,
Thinking of you constantly and praying so hard that you get Sam home soon!! Absolutely loved the Chargers story, I have to share it with my kids 🙂 Praying constantly.
Luv
Abra
January 21st, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Hi Neil & Margot,
I love the goldfish party favor idea.
Sending prayers and good thoughts from Florida, May Sam be on his bike again soon.
January 22nd, 2010 at 1:56 am
Niel and Margot, the Whalen’s are thinking about Sam and the entire Hutchison Family:) Keep fighting Sam your an inspiration to us all. You will be home soon – brian
January 22nd, 2010 at 3:53 am
hi sam! i was linked to your site through erik ludwinski’s caringbridge. my son arieson is also a relapse NB patient (since september 09). he’ll be 3 in april.
just wanted to send over my good thoughts your way. keep fighting and don’t give up!
xoxo
andrea + arieson
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ariesbook
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Hey Sammy you are unbelievably strong! I miss you all so much I hope to see all of you very soon!!! Sammy is going to be a pro-chess player soon enough im sure! haha the Charger story is priceless! tell sammy that i miss him terribly and I really want to try and get out there soon!!! love you all Aunt Margot and Uncle Neil you two are wonderful and i miss you terribly!!!
All of my friends and I are sending our love and prayers to you guys!!
<3 Maddy
January 22nd, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Hi Neil, Margot & Sam. I just want you to know that I admire all of you and have loved having Sams website to follow his journey and see great pictures of your family. I don’t usually post but I always am praying for all of the NB fighters and their families.
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:30 am
Just wanted to let you know there are lots of us out here pulling for you, every step of the way. Better days are coming. We have faith. Wishing you the strength and stamina you need to get through these long, emotion-filled days. Our hearts are with you and your beautiful boys.
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Hey there, just wanted to let you know we’re thinking of you and sending lots of positive thoughts and love your way!
Jen
January 23rd, 2010 at 8:09 pm
HI Sam. Hope you’re allright. You’ll never believe it,it was pouring rain at school the past few days. It even started hailing! It’s too bad the CHARGERS lost to the Jets. Everyone misses you at school.
Your Buddy,
blake
January 24th, 2010 at 3:59 am
Sam,
You, are an amazing young man. Question:
If Lance Armstrong starts an Under 12 Olympic Developmental Cycling Team, would you be interested?
I ask, because you’re the strongest kid I’ve ever met!
Besides, I’d love nothing more than to watch you’d beat the pants off Lance!
Hope you get to go home soon.
Gary Emerson – Proud member of TeamSam
January 24th, 2010 at 4:08 am
Hey Sam=
Sure miss you around school!
Wish I could come and visit you, but I have been home sick and on some meds..
Maybe i could come to visit when you are home, and I’m better?
Just want you to know that you are amazing. You have gone through so much, but you always treat everyone with love and respect!
You are an awesome big brother!
Miss you,
Mrs. Emerson
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