Quick Update

Heath is back at Moffitt for another round of Methotrexate. He was admitted on Sunday, 7/16/06, and should be home Wednesday night. This will be his 8th round of chemo and will complete his 3rd cycle.

He is doing ok. He's been sleeping a lot and his mouth/throat are getting sore again. They have put him back on the anti-fungal and anti-biotics to try and control it.

Heath will be back in Moffitt on Monday, 7/24, to start his 4th cycle. I think we are planning on taking him to Busch Gardens and meeting up with some his relatives that are down from Ohio.

Please continue to pray for Heath's healing. Also, pray for Colt's safe return from Italy.

Article in North River News about Heath

North River News
Manatee's Independent Newspaper June 29-July 5, 2006 VOLUME 16 EDITION 22
BY RHIANNON DeBAYLO Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer)

"Watching 18-year-old Heath Sammons sit on his living room couch with his guitar on his knee and passion flowing from his fingertips, you may never realize that he is sick.
A seemingly typical teenage boy, Heath has a love for music, enjoys goofing off with his friends, and skateboarding. Ironically enough, it's a skateboarding accident that just may have saved his life.
In early January, Heath was skateboarding with friends when he took a fall that fractured his tailbone and ultimately brought about the diagnosis of Osteosarcoma, or more simply, bone cancer ..."

The entire article can be read at BuckandVerajosClass.com, Click here to see entire article.

Some freinds and family are heading up a fundraiser for Heath.

See flyer below.

For raffle ticket information, visit Manatee River Community Bank or contact Donnas Arrasmith at 224-7777 or Melody Sweetman at 756-2847. Checks can be made payable to the Heath Sammons Cancer Fund.

Goods news from MRI Scan

The tumor appears to be either the same size or slightly smaller but definitely not growing according to the doctors from a scan they did last week.

Heath came out of the last round of chemo better due to the all the antibiotics that they perscribed for him. He didn't get any mouth sores or sore throat and seven days out of the chemo he started feeling better.

He did have to make an unscheduled visit last week due to severe lower stomach pains. They scanned his digestive system and appendix. Karis also had them scan the pelvic area since he was scheduled for labs and a scan on 7/5/06. That way they wouldn't have to put him through another scan.

The scan showed an impaction which was causing the pains in the lower stomach, probably caused by the heavy antibiotics and not eating for five days during the chemo. He had to take some mineral oil and get back on the senokot. His white blood cell count was very low, 300 I think. He did get the Neulasta shot again after this chemo and on 7/1/06 he had another shot that they put him on to help with the blood counts called Aranesp. He will need the Aranesp shot every 14 days now because his blood counts have not been staying up where they should.

On 7/5/06, Karis took Heath back to Moffitt for labs. His white blood cell count was back up to 1200 which is a safe range. Karis and Heath got to look at the scans and compare it to the scan he took about 6 weeks ago, after the first cycle of chemo. They both thought that the tumor definitely looked smaller, Praise the Lord.