The blood drive was a big success! They sent us a report card with a break down of the numbers, but Jon’s mom is holding on to that for us and I cant exactly remember the details. There were over 60 donors that day! I know the hours that we were there were way busy. Oh! the bigger news was that there were 20-some bone marrow registrants. Nice huh? He said usually they only get a handful of them. Very excited about that.
The kids are out of school and on their summer vacation now. I am SO jealous. I swear, if I could do it all over I would be a teacher. Oh to have summers off! Heck, sometimes I still fantasize about becoming a teacher “when I grow up”.
The girls are still staying busy with softball. Learning the humility and humble-ity of winning and losing. Mostly though, I think they just enjoy getting out there and having fun. Most times a game ends and you can hear them ask, “who won?” Jon and I… we dream of watching them one day in the women’s college world series!
The pool is open but heck if we can get it clear yet. But – doesn’t stop the kids from going in. Josh and Nathan still want nothing to do with the big pool, but love romping in the back yard naked in their little pool. Hmm, takes a lot more sunscreen protecting those little hineys ;-) Wouldn’t want burnt cheekies now would we?
Josh was in the hospital last week also. Unexplained fever and rash. I’m telling you, if nothing else, this stinking disease reminds me day in and out how resilient our children are. Josh is one of the strongest 3-year olds I know. I just wish he didn't have to prove it to me.
Did I ever tell you guys that he can swallow his nightly meds himself now? We used to have to crush them and dilute them with syrup, but now he just swallows them. Well… sometimes he actually chews them. Ugh – gives me chills just thinking about it! But still, some nights he takes as much as 10 pills at a time.
Did I mention he was my hero?
In other news, and I’m afraid it’s bad, Jon’s mom was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer last week. Please, please, please say some miraculous prayers for her. It seems Josh will be getting a neighbor. We’ve been waiting for the doctor from Pittsburgh to call Mom and schedule an appt for her, so we can learn what stage she is in and what options are available. Sometimes waiting and wondering is the worst part. I have spoken to another patient of Dr Kunscher, the gyn-onc, and she says he has “golden hands” and has performed two surgeries on her in the last 7 years. I take hope in that. Dr. K. practices out of the hospital adjacent (and adjoining) to Children’s.
One last and final note. Airing tomorrow and Thursday – on PBS – is a two-part movie called A Lion in the House. In our area it’s on WQLN - channel 54 (channel 6 for you cable viewers) from 9:00 to 11:00. Tape it or TiVo it if that’s past your bedtime. If you’re not sure what channel it’s on in your area, check out http://www.pbs.org/tvschedules/?edit_st=y and enter your zip code. A Lion in the House is a movie about childhood cancer following the lives of 5 families over the course of 6 years. It’s an insight into how cancer and it’s uncertainty affects the entire family and the rippling effects it has on the community and everyone involved. The goal of the movie is to spur public attention regarding pediatric cancer to inspire local and regional action also to help build support and dialogue between families and the ongoing battles involved with this beast. To read more about this movie or to preview a clip, go to: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/lioninthehouse/index.htm or http://www.itvs.org/outreach/lioninthehouse/ to learn more about it.
Inevitably, there will be people out there that think this mini-series will be too graphic or too sad and wont want to watch it. It’s good that you have a choice. Imagine those that don’t. If only we could unplug our sets or change the channel…
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