Dear Jack

Below is T's schedule of events leading up to his transplants. Yesterday he was in the hospital getting psycho analyzed to make sure he is fit to spend months in the hospital. Everyone who gets a transplant has to be psycho analyzed. During the analysis, they asked him a million questions, had him count, do puzzles, etc. My mom also had to fill out a sheet that asked her a ton of questions. The whole procedure took four and a half hours. We get the results from that on the 7th or 8th of next month, so we’ll know if he’s certifiably insane by then! Although, I think four and a half hours of nonsense would drive a person to insanity. He had to go to the clinic for morphine after seeing the psychiatrist because he was in so much pain. He goes in for the actual transplant on April 22nd, my parents' 25th wedding anniversary.

Valliere Jones, a woman in our ward, contacted the Maag Toy Foundation, told them about T and asked them to get something for him to occupy him in the hospital. They sent T a huge lego set. She brought it over on the Sunday that just past. It's a Star Wars super star destroyer set that consists of over 3000 pieces. He's not allowed to open it until he goes into the hospital, but he's really excited to put it together. Thank you Valiere and Maag Toy Foundation! (They're a cool foundation, check them out! maagtoyfoundation.org/stories.html)

 

So here's a cool story...Matthew has loved Andrew McMahon for a long time because of his music with Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin. He's also watched a movie by him about his own cancer journey titled "Dear Jack" before he was diagnosed. Since he was diagnosed, he's watched it a few more times. He's even had our family watch it. It's a really good movie, especially because Matthew has experienced, and will experience a lot of what Andrew has experienced, and I think it really inspires Matthew. Andrew had leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant as well, so I think Matthew looks to the movie for guidance as well so he knows kind of what to expect. (You can watch the movie here: dearjackmovie.com It's really worth it!) Last night Andrew had a concert in Scottsdale, but by the time Matthew realized this a while ago, the show was already sold out. My mom's friend, Penny, from Utah knew this, so she bought Matthew tickets to one of Andrew's shows in Tucson that happened a week ago. Matthew was really excited, but then he went neutropenic (neutropenia - the presence of abnormally few neutrophils in the blood, leading to increased susceptibility to infection) and couldn't go. He was devastated. Penny sent an email to someone telling him that Matthew has cancer and was too sick to go to the Tucson show, and asked for her money back. The man who she emailed responded to her saying that he would refund her money, and that he put Matthew on the guest list to the sold out show in Scottsdale!

Our whole family got to go to the concert last night. Matthew was in a lot of pain yesterday though, and we were nervous he would miss this concert too, but he got morphine and two oxycodones, so he was able to go. It was so fun, and was awesome to watch Matthew’s reactions. He was so happy to watch Andrew perform live. He also got the best spot in the house! He had to be in a wheel chair because he is too weak to stand for long periods of time, so the people who worked at Martini Ranch wheeled him right up front just outside of the barricade. Our family was let in very first as well, so we all got right up in the front just inside the barricade. It was the best concert ever. I was happy because he played my favorite song, “Dark Blue.”

Towards the end of the show Matthew’s pain started to come back, and he got pretty feverish. He refused to leave though. We all waited for like 45 minutes after the concert for Andrew to come out and meet his fans, and Matthew was wheeled to the front by one of Andrew’s guys and was first to meet him. While we were waiting, the lead guitarist came out and was talking to my dad, Hannah, and me. He just started going on about how he loves the flashlights from Sears, but not the drills or saws because those drain the batteries in like three minutes. So, now we know that the lead guitarist likes flashlights from Sears. It was funny listening to him. Mom told Andrew when he came out about what T is going through and what he has coming. Andrew was really great and caring towards Matthew, which was cool to see. He really took time to talk to T and make him feel cared about. Before we left, T gave Andrew one of his “Fight for Matthew” wristbands and Andrew put it on right away and said he would always wear it. He also told Matthew that he would check on him. He’s is the best!

Hannah and T before the concert

 

This morning he is in a lot of pain again, so he’s back in the clinic getting morphine, three units of blood, a unit of platelets, and steroids. It seems like every time this kid wants to do something fun he has to pay a serious and painful price for doing it. Every time he does something bigger than normal, he ends up in the clinic or the hospital. He thinks it’s worth it though. He won’t let cancer take everything from him, which I think is awesome. He’s a really tough kid. The nurses and doctor at the clinic are trying really hard to get Matthew’s pain under control so he doesn’t end up in the hospital by the weekend. My mom said, “He has some amazing nurses who we love so much and a great doctor who we also love. I wish I could take these nurses, Michelle, Jodi, Sasha and Kate, and the PCT, Traci, with us to the hospital for his transplant. Or better yet, have a bubble put at the clinic for Matthew.” Medical staff really make a difference in the lives of patients and their families.