Many people have been asking about our son's (McKeehanon) condition. McKeehanon has been diagnosed with Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin's Lymphoma. So many people have been wanting to be kept informed about this, so we have created this link to try to keep everyone informed on his condition. McKeehanon is being seen by doctors at T.C. Thompson's in Chattanooga, TN.
(12/2) McKeehanon had his port removed a week ago Friday. Everything is going great. His hair has started back. Everything is starting to return slowly back to normal. He is starting to workout again, to regain some of the strenght he lost. The chemo affects your body in more ways than you realize, but the Doctor's have said eveything will return to normal in time. His next Doctor's appointment is January 29th. It is going to be a Great Christmas at our house, and we certainly wish the best Christmas ever at each of your homes.
(10/31) All of McKeehanon's scans are CLEAR!!! We had a doctors appointment yesterday and the doctor said that McKeehanon is considered to be what they term as No Evidense of Disease. Praise God! God is Good! We are so thankful and blessed. Words just can't express how we feel. We are so thankful and apprecitive of all of the prayers, calls, and emails that we have had during this time. We have always felt that all of you are so much like family to us, but going through this has really shown us how much everyone means to us. We feel like we have a HUGH extend family that has been praying for McKeehanon and us as well. We just can't tell you how full our hearts are. McKeehanon will be checked again in three months, but we really have a peace about it. We know that God is always in control and he will take care of him, as he has so far. Thank You Again for all that everyone has done. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues the healing process after treatments. He is ready for the side effects to go away, and start going on with his life and continue to grow from this experience. We Love You All !!!
(10/20) Last Friday McKeehanon had several test ran. He had a Echo, EKG, Chest X-ray, and a CT scan. The CT scan was clear and the cardiologist said Echo and EKG looked good. He goes this Friday for a PET
(Positron Emission Tomography) scan, the doctor said we would not get the results probably until next week sometime. Please keep praying that this scan we come back clear as well. He will have to continue to go for blood work to make sure his immune system is starting work normal again. We are not sure yet how often or how long he will have to do that. We know that as long as he has his port he has to go a least once a month to have it flushed. We also know that he will have test and scans done every three months for a year and then it goes to six months for so many years, then once a year for so many, and so on and so forth. We just ask for you to keep him in your prayers because we know that is why he has done so well. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
(10/08) Last Wednesday McKeehanon started his last cycle and he did really well with it. Like last time he did not get sick, just felt sick. When he takes the treatments he gets motion sick, so he was able to stay still enough not to actually get sick. Today was a great day!! Today he had his last treatment, he got a little sick but not enough to bother him. Next week we go for blood work and hopefully they can work it out to where they can do his first post treatment scan on the same day. We feel very positive that there will not be any signs of Hodgkin's, but please just continue to remember him in your prayers. As many of you probably already know he was not able to complete the eighteen holes of golf for his high school region tournament. He played thirteen holes before we convinced him to pull out. His leg was hurting him and he was not playing well, so for everyone concerned it was best for him to stop playing, he was slowing down his group and they were fighting daylight. It was hard for him to quit but he knew it was for the best. His fingers have been numb most of the time so it makes it hard to have much feel on the golf course, the doctors say not to worry that this will go away when all of the chemo gets out of his system. Well again we want to thank you all for your thoughtfulness and ask you to just continue to remember us. We can't express how full our hearts are from all of the concern that everyone has had for him, it has just been overwhelming.
(9/27) Well sorry we haven't given an update in awhile but between doctor appointments and high school golf, along with everyday life we just have been a little lazy I guess. McKeehanon has been doing pretty good. We went a week ago Wednesday for the second part of this cycle and he tolerated it pretty well. He still has problems with his fingers going numb, and this sure does not help his short game. He was able to compete in his high school district golf tournament on Monday, we didn't think he was going to be able to make it through, because on hole thirteen he said he was exhausted but somehow, he was able to push through. Tuesday and Wednesday he was extremely tired and we just knew when we had blood work done on Wednesday they were going to tell us that his blood counts were down, but they said it all looked OK. Doctor said that the tiredness was just a side affect to one of the chemo drugs that he gets and not to worry that when it gets out of his system that will get better. He started feeling better yesterday just in time for region golf on Monday. We don't know if he can walk the course on Monday, it is a harder course to walk than where district was played, but he is going to give it a whirl and see if he can. The doctor said it won't hurt him and he was amazed that he was able to walk and carry his bag in the district tournament. This next week will be a busy week because Monday is region, Wednesday we start the third and last cycle. Please say a prayer that he will do as well with this cycle as he did with the one before. Again thank you for keeping him and us in your thoughts and prayers, words can't express how much everyone means to us and how much your thoughts, prayers, cards and e-mails have meant.
(9/12) McKeehanon did much better this time with his treatment he did not get sick, he felt sick, but never did actually get sick. We have to believe it is due to all of the prayers that have been said for him. We have been so blest by everyone praying for him. He will have the second part of this cycle on Tuesday. Please just continue to remember him, the side affects like mouth ulcers and jaw pain etc. .. will probably start tomorrow (Saturday). Thank you all again for your continued concern for him.
(9/09) McKeehanon will be starting his second cycle of chemo tomorrow, this will be the second one of three cycles that he has to do. He tolerated the first round fairly well all things considered. We just feel very blest that he has done as well as he has. There have been some side affects, such as mouth ulcers, finger tips / lips going numb and unfortunately his hair is just about all out. But he has a great attitude about everything, so that makes it all so much easier for us to deal with. Please continue to remember him and pray that this cycle will go well. Again, we want to thank everyone for all of the prayers, emails/text messages, and phone calls, they mean more to us than words can ever express.
(8/26) McKeehanon had his first chemo treatment last Wednesday, it was a long day. First they did surgery to insert his port. He was given two hours of I.V. fluids before starting the chemo. Then he was given I.V. fluids after the treatment until Thursday afternoon. He was then released from the hospital to come home. It was a tuff thirty six hours but considering all things we feel very blest that he did as well as he did. He will have one of the chemo drugs that he was given Wednesday again tomorrow, it is not suppose to be as bad. Next week if all is going well he will just have blood work done. Then we start over the following week after that with the second cycle. Thank you all so much for your continued prayers, they have definitely been felt and answered because Wednesday could have been much worse.
(8/19) McKeehanon will have 9 weeks of chemo starting tomorrow in Chattanooga. It has been a long summer. We have had several Doctor's appointments each week this summer. Things have changed weekly about his treatments. I did not want to post anything on the web site until we were sure of his treatment plan. We feel good about the treatment plan the Doctor's have come up with. McKeehanon is ready to get started, and get the treatments behind him. We can never thank so many people for the out pouring of prayers, and thought for our family during this time. Each of you will never know how much you have touched our lives. Please continue to pray that McKeehanon will do well through treatments.
(7/20) McKeehanon's treatments have been delayed. McKeehanon will have his tonsils removed this Wednesday (7/23). At this time the type of treatment may change, and the start date is still undecided. Please continue to pray for McKeehanon, and the Doctor's that the right decisions will be made.
(7/2) McKeehanon had his appointment yesterday. His Bone Marrow, and PET Scan test came back good. The Doctors are wanting him to have 20 Radiation Treatments. We hope to start these treatments around the the week of July 20th. We had been planning to have his 3rd molars (Wisdom teeth) removed this summer, but the Hodgkin's had put that on hold. However now The Doctor wants his Wisdom teeth removed before treatments start, because it could cause more problems to wait until after Radiation treatments are complete. This is scheduled for tomorrow.
(6/20) McKeehanon had a bone marrow test done at Fort Sanders Hospital in Knoxville. He seems to be doing fine. He is scheduled for a PET scan next friday (6/27). His next Doctor's appointment at Thompson's is July 1st. At that time the doctor will determine the stage he is in, and the type of treatment to use. The type of Hodgkin that McKeehanon has been diagnosed with has a very high cure rate. He is still playing golf. As of now the doctor has agreed to let him compete in 1 day events as long as he feels up to it. He is upset that he can not compete in more than 1 day events, but he also knows that this is a serious condition that must be handled.
We have been overwhelmed with all the wonderful phone calls, and emails we have received. Many of you have been praying for us, and we certainly feel your prayers. We will never be able to thank you for your great out pouring of concern, love and prayers. In the end we believe McKeehanon will be healed, and we want God to receive all the Glory.
Thanks again from the BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!
Danny and Marlene
