I don’t use that word lightly. I’m not just exaggerating or whining about how long our days and weeks and months have become. No, I really mean it: I can’t clearly see an ending. This blood pressure issue, while a minor sideshow to the grand drama of Austin’s cancer, is one of those sneaky things […]
We are home. Finally, at about 9:30 tonight, as I lay in bed with Braedan, we heard Mark’s car pull up the driveway and off he ran, out of bed and down the stairs to greet his brother at the back door. Amazing how many homecomings the little man has had in his short life. […]
My mom liked when I used that phrase the other day and suggested it might be a good title for the book (whenever I get around to reconfiguring it). It does seem to be fitting. A little too fitting, if you ask me. We went in this morning for platelets, thinking we’d be there for […]
I completely acknowledge the fact that my weeds in the garden analogy fails to even attempt to answer Austin’s primary question: Why do children get cancer? I have no answer for that one, other than the unsatisfying response I give Braedan every time he asks it: Bad luck. “Bad luck” is simply the best I can […]
I’m taking a much-needed break after several hours of hard digging in my yard, so I figured I’d tell you about the conversation I had with the boys last night. The three of us were lying in bed in the dark, having just finished our bedtime stories (the very best time for talking), when Austin […]
… of every moment. That’s pretty much how Austin lives his life. We checked in yesterday morning, after a quick trip to the out-patient clinic to verify that his platelets were indeed high enough for chemo. Everything has gone smoothly and we expect to be released shortly after lunch tomorrow. (I probably shouldn’t even say […]
Mark and I went to the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Gala this past Saturday and while we were there, I bumped into a mother I had met on the floor during Austin’s first round of cancer. Her daughter also had Wilms but was diagnosed at a much older age, which is unusual for this disease […]
Austin’s GFR results were 34. Right … no typo there: 34. Almost as bad as the result last month that necessitated a retest. And not nearly the still-not-fabulous-but-definitely-acceptable 66. Here’s what this means in the world of kidneys: He can still get this next chemo, which is scheduled to start on Thursday, but it needs […]
I have some answers to the what-can-I-do-to-help question and this time not one of them involves going bald! First, and this one is relatively easy no matter where you live, give blood. Austin has been using up his fair share from the blood bank lately so it seems like we ought to refill the coffers […]
It’s not all doom and gloom around here, folks. We’ve had a great week. Austin went to school every day (well, his school is only Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but it’s been a while since he’s done even that “full week”). And not a tear out of him. Only many many smiles. Especially on Wednesday […]