I finally heard from PCH today and Jack’s VMA/HVA results are totally normal.  This urine test is a very important test because it can detect Neuroblstoma in the body and since his are normal, we can take a deep breath for a few months until his next set of scans in November. It feels so much better!

I can say that today has been a great day.  The fact that the Stand Up 2 Cancer photo contest is ending today has caused a bit of nervousness but that is only because we think this would be such an amazing opportunity.  I cannot even imagine the feeling of standing in a room with thousands who are all there for the same reason…to stand up to cancer until there is no more.  Can you imagine?!  What a wonderful experience that would be!!

I am also very humbled by the response of my friends who have voted for Jacks’ picture and the wonderful things they have said about him.  It amazes me every day how many people Jack has touched and how inspirational he can be.

It has been a bit since I started writing and I just got a call from Dr Eshun confirming the results we were told earlier.  He went over everything and thinks Jack is doing really well.  He also finally admitted that I am a tad neurotic.  It was pretty funny to hear but he is so right!  I am so thankful that we were given Dr Eshun as Jack’s doctor.  Not only do I think that there isn’t another oncologist that would have been able to deal with me, but I really believe that he is the best oncologist out there.  He never looked at Jack as a statistic.  He look at Jack as a son, a grandson, a nephew, a friend, a cousin…he looked at Jack as an individiual that he wanted to help make better…and that is what he did.  We will be forever greateful to Dr Eshun.

So tonight is the last night for voting on the SU2C Facebook page….if you are on Facebook, vote NOW!

http://apps.facebook.com/istandupfor/contests/261680/voteable_entries/55189654

Quick update…Jack is doing well and adjusting to the boot that he has on for his broken foot.  He wouldn’t walk on it at first and now he basically runs on it so we have to actually tell him to slow down!  Hopefully the Dr will say that it is starting to heal on Monday!

While g0ing through the past couple of years I have come upon many different blogs of children with cancer.  A couple months ago I came upon this little boys blog who’s name in Cameron.  I usually don’t post on blogs at all for the simple fact that I don’t know what to say.  I decided to write to Camerons’ mom, Nikki, and we ended up chatting on the phone the next day.  Cameron has been through so much and it was comforting to hear how positive Nikki was when speaking with her.  She has a great sense of humor and when you are going through something like this, it really helps.  Not that any of this is funny, but a good sense of humor helps your own sanity!  Please add this family to your prayers and add Cameron to the list of warriors.  He is, of course, another reason why we need to do fundraisers for Neuroblastoma…we must find a cure for this.

Just wanted to let you all know of a few guidelines the hospital has for toy donations!

Thank you again for wanting to help us out with this!  The kids at the hospital are going to be so excited!

Here you go…..

A few quick guidelines: Please make sure that all toys are new (because of infection control) and paints and glues are non-toxic. Please do not donate play guns or war toys, latex balloons, scary action figures, candy, gum or other food.

Wish Lists Children are in need of items in all age groups, in both English and Spanish languages. The greatest needs are listed under “Infants,” “Toddlers,” and “Adolescents.” Additionally, the most requested items for each age group are in bold. Of course, we greatly appreciate all donations.

Infants Infant Rattles/ Teething Toys Crib Mobiles Musical and Light-up toys Crib aquariums Infant Stimulation Toys (black, red, and white) Infant Mirrors Infant Kick and Play’s/ Activity Gyms Swings/Bouncers

Toddlers Pop-up toys Musical and Light-up toys Musical/talking play phones Books (touch & feel, pop-up, musical) Elmo toys Large blocks Shape Sorters and stacking toys Vinyl Play/Tumbling Floor Mats (No larger than 5×5) DVD Movies (Baby Einstein, Elmo, etc.)

Pre-School Age Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars DVD movies (newer releases, G and PG rated) Popular action figures (Dora, Diego, Sponge Bob, Spiderman, etc.) Popular dolls (Dora, Diego, Sponge Bob, Disney Princesses, Barbie) Plastic cars and trucks Large electronic interactive toys (Leapfrog, etc.) Legos (small and large) and Lego people Bubbles Books (interactive, musical, pop-up books, Spanish)

School Age Sports stuff (nerf toys, nerf basketball hoop and balls, etc.) Small lego sets (Star Wars, bionical’s, sets 250+ pieces, etc.) Black velvet fuzzy posters DVD movies (newer releases, G and PG rated) Craft/Art kits (model airplanes, model cars, etc.) Anything with Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Sponge Bob, Cheetah Girls, etc., themed Books (I Spy, chapter books, Chicken Soup, etc.) Beading kits Hand-held electronic games Walkie Talkies Paint by number sets Remote control cars Nintendo Game Boy games

What a difference a year makes!  This time last year when we went trick-or-treating, Braden was in his stroller catching is first cold and Jackers had his bald little head and was very limited with what he could actually do.  We passed out candy last year in our driveway with all the other neighbors doing the same but we had a table set up with hand sanitizer and after Jack would hand out one candy he would sanitize his hands as would we.

Last year:

This year was so much more fun for the kids and of course that made it even more fun for us to watch!  The only thing missing this year was Zac.  If you have wondered why he hasn’t been in the last few posts, it’s because he has been out of town for work and unfortunately couldn’t be here for the football game or for Halloween.  Obviously this isn’t how we would have wanted it, but we are very lucky that Zac has a job that has allowed him so much flexibility while we were going through so much with the boys and if he has to go away now and then, we just have to deal with it.  He was very missed though this year and he would have been so proud of the boys!

This year the neighborhood did something different, our neighbor decided we should have a block party and it was such a great idea.  We all brought food and we able to gather before the trick-or-treating began to eat and for the kids to run around.  This year Jack was out there playing football in our front yard with his cousins and the neighborhood kids all day and then we were all in the driveway before the night began.  We took off to go around to the houses and I decided not to bring the stroller this year for Braden thinking we wouldn’t be out very long.  Was I wrong!  The boys walked and walked and walked to as many houses as they could.  Jack was running from house to house with all the kids and told me many times how much better this year was than last.  Braden didn’t miss a beat.  He walked almost the entire way and carried his little bucket like a big boy.  It was so cute!

There is one house in the neighborhood that does a haunted house every year and we walked down that way because we figured some of the older kids would want to go in it.  Guess who wanted to go…Jack.  I was a bit hesitant at first since he has been having nightmares but he really wanted to go so off Jack, Nikki, and I went.  How scary could it be?  It was scary!  Nikki and I were terrified and Jack was laughing.  We walked through it kindly telling the scary guys in it that we had a little boy with us and not to jump out too fast!  They didn’t really listen and when we walked out at the end, Jack was all smiles.  And no, he didn’t have nightmares last night.  Thankfully.

We all came back home and passed out candy to all the rest of the kids that were still hitting the houses.  Jack was so outgoing with everyone and just had a great night.  Nikki stayed over and brought her puppy with her too and Jack got a kick out of that.  We all stayed up late which equaled to sleeping in a little later.  The boys had so much fun and it was pretty much a wonderful night.

We are now in Novemeber and once again have a busy month with the PCH benefit this weekend, CA trip, scans, Thanksgiving, endocrinologist appointment, Jack starting school again (tomorrow!), and so much more.  Scans are in 14 days.  Oh boy.  They will be clear.  They just simply have to be.

Captian America and Bubble Bee the Transformer

Hard to believe it’s almost August!  August will be a big month for us, for starters, Jack is starting school!!  He is going to try to go 3 days a week for just 4 hours a day and we will see how well he likes it.  It is just Pre-K, but we really think it’s important for him to go and socialize more with others since he hasn’t been able to for so long.  Zac and I took Jack to his school last week to see if we all liked it and Jack was really excited once we got there.  They seem to be a good school with great administration, super clean, and a wonderful learning program.  I am pretty sure when the first week of August gets here I will be a total wreck without Jack, but I am so excited for him!  I am so happy that he has made it here and that he is doing so well.  I found him a really cool Super Mario Bento Box and have ordered that.  If you don’t know what Bento is, click here http://www.bentolunchbox.com/  It’s a very creative way to make your lunches while incorporating healthy foods.  Jack is going to have the coolest lunches out there!

Since Jack will be starting school, Braden and I will have a lot more time to spend together.  When Jack was Braden’s age, Jack and I were busy almost every day doing some sort of play date or activity.  I need to do this with Braden.  I really missed out on a lot the first 14 months of his life and that has always weighted really heavy on my heart.  I look forward to being able to spend that time with him.

As you know, August is also Jack’s scan month.  I heard from Dr Eshun the other day, we are totally playing phone tag, and he said that Jack will also be getting a bone marrow aspiration and if that is clear, he won’t have to get one at his next set of scans.  I am trying to figure out a way for them to take labs while he is under for scans so he doesn’t have to go back for labs for Eshun as well as for his 1 year since transplant labs!  Hard to believe, but September will be 1 year since Jack had his stem cell transplant.  How time has passed by so quickly.

We finally were able to get out this past weekend and both boys are feeling much better.  Jack is pretty much at 100% and Braden is getting there.  We went over to Nikki and Shawn’s to take the kids swimming and to BBQ with them and my sister and her family.  It was a good time and so happy we were able to get the kids out of this house!!

I have started and stopped this post a couple of times because I keep getting distracted, but that’s ok!  Something cute from tonight…I made dinner (salmon, rice, and broccoli) and after we were done Jack said to me, “Thank you Mommy for making that dinner, that was so yummy.”  Ok, my heart melted.  Not only because he complimented me on my cooking, but it was over very healthy food!  What a good kid!!

This week is International Neuroblastoma Awareness week.  Remember the facts that we posted a few days ago.  Remember all the innocent kids who are fighting the battle, those who have won, and those who have lost.  Remember how YOU can make a difference and spread the word about this awful disease.  Remember how YOU can make a difference by donating money to awareness, doing a fundraiser on your own, volunteering at you local hospital on the oncology floor, spreading the word…do what you can.  Please.

Jack practicing for t-ball:

Made the office into a tent room!

Swimming!

Happy Boy!