Same old story

Last night was a tough one with very little rest. Jack woke up around 10pm (very unusual) and started fussing. Jamie took a turn first to try to soothe him, then I tried later. We both failed. Took his temp and it was already over 102. Gave him some Tylenon and called the nurse, who said if it got over 105 we should call again. Jamie let her know that if Jack's fever got over 105, after our long history of this problem, we would go straight to the hospital.

He slept on and off and eventually the fever got to 103.5, but never higher. He had another round of blood tests this morning and of course the results were the opposite of last time, and overall they were inconclusive. The rest of his exam was perfectly normal (joints, organs, sinuses, etc...). He's just cooking.

This afternoon he was settled around 102 degrees and we're schedule to go back to the Infectious Diseases department of Texas Children's Hospital tomorrow morning for more tests. They will start with blood work and an ultrasound, then we may move up to a CAT scan for a better look. After that there's pretty much nothing left except biopsies... but what to take a sample of? Nobody has a guess where this fever is coming from, and I'd rather not have them take random slices from him.

If he just stayed at a low-grade fever constantly, it would be one thing. But after six weeks of this, to still be having spikes above 103 degrees is downright scary. We don't want any more nights like last night, so our prayer is for this thing to finally show itself and allow a diagnosis.

The whole situation has gone on so long and worn us so thin that it's always there, lurking in the background. I'm often just a little more impatient with Samantha and Jamie, just a little more strained and raw in every conversation, and by the time we get the kids to bed there's hardly emotional or physical energy left at all. Jamie has helped encourage me to stay in the gym and get my workouts done, which have helped immensely. But what battle am I preparing for? We don't even know the enemy.

I'm taking off from the office for a while tomorrow to either go to the hospital with Jamie/Jack, or stay home with Samantha (she actually started a low-grade fever today as well). I'll try to post an update tomorrow afternoon or evening. Thanks again to everybody for their support through comments, emails, calls and prayers. It is getting us through!

My grandfather was admitted to the hospital today due to pneumonia (recurred several times over the past year); please remember him as well.

My friend Rob came through his nut-ectomy (I'm sure there's an official name, but it escapes me) with flying colors. So far the test results are great and show that his cancer is the less-aggressive type. Read this post for an inspirational look at a man facing down a challenge, written the day before his surgery.