February 2008

I know, I know...we are so lame about keeping this updated. Just think of it as no news is good news!



Gavin's medical update:

He is still on a maintenance chemo treatment plan. This means he is still following a three week schedule and getting 3 days of VP-16. Last time (Jan 28-30) was his 7th round of treatment this go around. During round 6 they tried to take him off the steroid that he gets during treatment and that didn't go so well. That Monday after chemo he was sicker then a dog. When he went in for the 2nd day of chemo he looked positively green. They decided to go ahead and resume giving him the steroid but only half the dose and that seems to be working. His blood counts have looked really good. Dr. said that was probably due to the fact that he was just getting the one chemo drug and not the usual two. His potassium is low and he didn't eat enough of the right foods to raise it so he is taking one gigantic potassium pill a day. For you moms out there, think back to prenatal vitamins and then think bigger! He goes in on Monday the 11th for blood tests and then on Friday the 15th he will have another CT scan. The dr. is still looking for stability in the tumors. He said there could be some shrinkage but that is unlikely because of the length of time Gavin has been on this chemo drug. He did outline a plan of action if there is growth but we will cross that bridge if need be.



Gavin's work:

He traveled out-of-town this past week for 4 days. Why is this newsworthy? This is the first trip he has taken during an active treatment phase. He traveled a few days here and there last summer but that was during his extended break from treatment. His trip went very well and he doesn't seem to be too exhausted from it.



Kids:

My they are keeping us busy. I actually should say Mackenzie is keeping us busy. She auditioned and got a part of a dwarf in the musical "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" being put on by Matthews Playhouse. Her rehearsal schedule has been insane. She is supposed to be doing Upward Cheerleading now as well but we are having a very difficult time fitting it in. Tonight is her last performance in her drama clubs presentation of "Peter Pan." It will be nice to get one thing off of her plate. Drew is in the homestretch of rehearsing Grease. His voice is going and he is exhausted and I know he is ready for the performances to be over. Austin is resting up before baseball season hits.



24 Hours of Booty!!!!

Registration and donation time is here! Be on the look out for an email coming soon to an inbox near you! If you want to ride save the dates: July 25-26. They are limiting the number of riders this year so register with the team soon. If you did not ride last year and are interested this year please drop me an email.



Someone asked me how we were doing last night. Of course the first response is to say fine. Then I really thought about it...are we fine? Here is the conclusion I have come to. We really are fine. Do we think about the cancer? Yes, of course. We think of it daily, maybe even hourly. It is always there, a shadow in the background following us. That is the key word...following us. It is not leading us and we refuse to let it lead us. If we allowed it to take the lead that would give it a power that it does not deserve. Our leader is, was, and will continue to be God. He is in the driver's seat, the captain's chair, and is leading us around the party doing the bunny hop! I am thankful that God has blessed us with the feeling of "fine".



Maria