no movement

This is a very late update -- no chemo this week.  Andrew's platelets actually haven't moved at all!  This is some kind of crazy intense chemo -- we hope that means it's working!  On the positive side, Andrew's feeling really good right now.  So we wait.

We just finished a really busy and fun 2 weeks with my family -- assorted aunties, uncles, cousins and grandpa all flew in from all over the country to visit us and lend support -- it was so much fun, but by the end we realized how tired we were.  Not just from the the visit, but from the last 6 or 7 weeks. We've been going non-stop since the boys got out of school in June -- we really wanted to squeeze all the fun out of this summer that we could, as it was such a hard year for all of us.  And I think we did!  Although we had some very hard days and a few hospital visits thrown in the mix, Andrew got to spend a lot of time and have a lot of fun with his boys this summer.  Now things are winding down -- the four of us just stayed at the house for the last 3 days relaxing, sleeping, and generally behaving like vegetables.  It's been really wonderful (and necessary).

 I feel recharged and ready to head into all that awaits in the fall -- namely, a bone marrow transplant!  It's sort of hard to believe that we've been waging this fight for nearly a year.  I'm sad to think that we have to explain the situation to a whole new set of teachers at the boys' schools -- we were really hoping this would be behind us by now -- but ... he's alive (!), he's doing really well, and we've absolutely learned how to appreciate every new day together.  Everything appears to be moving in the right direction -- things can get very bad and very scary from time to time, but Andrew always rallies, always bounces back!  It's amazing to me how strong he is, no matter what is thrown at him.  Andrew heads to the city today to meet with the transplant doctor, who will check his levels and explain everything that is going to happen over the next few months.  We were told that once the cancer is put into remission, there is a very small window of time in which to perform the transplant.  The best news is that we think we have a donor -- Andrew's youngest sister Julie!  Though some test results are still pending, Dr. Z says it looks very favorable.  Andrew sent a funny email to all of his siblings letting them know that Julie had "won" the sweepstakes.

Later, I'll add some pictures from our summer fun, and also write a post about Sloan Kettering.  It's been wonderful and frustrating at the same time, and deserves it's own entry!

Another round of thanks for all of the love and help we've received this summer.  The boys both had birthdays this summer, and they were showered with so many gifts and so much love, they may never recover! ;)  We have such wonderful and generous friends and family, and we are so grateful to all of you.  We know this has been a long, exhausting year for everyone, and we are thankful for all of the time and support everyone continues to offer us.

xo
L