We have had another very busy week and I’m not quite sure where the days have gone.  Most importantly, Mac has remained healthy this week and we have been able to stay at home. We went for his “short” chemo treatment on Tuesday and he was a rock star.  Mac’s blood counts were surprisingly good again this week, which is great news. Even when the nurses are accessing his port for blood draws and to give the chemo, he is smiling…and Mac’s smile lights up the room. He is getting good at sticking his pointer finger out for the pulse/ox machine and he opens his mouth and says “ahhh” on command when the doctors need to take a look inside. It is a toss up as to what provides him with more entertainment… the automatic Purell hand-sanitizer dispenser or the doctor’s stethoscope! We are learning the routine on our “chemo days” and are so appreciative to have a grandmother or aunt with us to help. Next Tuesday we go in for our long day of chemo, so are already planning how to attempt to keep him occupied. 

Our families continue to be amazing and help more than we ever thought possible. Our friends and colleagues also continue to reach out to us and support us, which makes a world of difference. We are so touched by all who have sent messages or emails or phone calls – the outpouring of kindness from our communities is unbelievable. After enough time at Children’s, and seeing what other families are going through (some with little support), we are again reminded about how fortunate we are. Marshall and I also talk daily about how incredible the staff at Children’s has been. The doctors are always available to us when we need them or have questions, the nurses at the clinic are great, and one of our close family friends, who happens to be a veteran doc at Children’s, has literally been our life-preserver, keeping us afloat, since Mac’s diagnosis. 

Christmas in October…
Almost every day since we have been home from the hospital something has arrived at our house. People have been so generous. The meals that have been delivered are delicious (and all three of my boys are thrilled that I am not cooking!).  The groceries that miraculously arrive in our kitchen have spared me trips to the store and Costco. And the gifts for the boys have been a welcomed distraction. At one point last week, I contemplated taking some of the gifts and stashing them away for Christmas, or taking them to the hospital to donate to other kids in need.  But when JB woke up from his nap and came down to find his second gift-wrapped package on the front porch and said, “Mom, this is like having Christmas, but it’s October!!” I decided to stop worrying about too many gifts at once or the boys getting spoiled or stashing gifts away.  I think, if anyone deserves Christmas in October, it’s these two sweet boys. 

Late night hair cutting party…
Mac’s hair started to fall out last Sunday… Hours after we took some great family pictures at our park. Just like they told us, one day it would just start coming out in clumps. There was hair everywhere. Yesterday, after chemo, we were eating dinner and Mac started coughing. He had put a handful of food in his mouth that was also accompanied by a huge clump of hair. As we came to his rescue and tried to fish the hair out of his mouth, he started to laugh. Marshall was almost in tears, but Mac was smiling. Mac reached his hands up to his head, while looking straight at Marshall, and pulled another big chuck of hair out. Still smiling. Mac was telling us that it was ok… It’s only hair… And that it is a nuisance now.  After dinner, Auntie Polly, JB, Mac and I went outside and cut what was left of Mac’s hair. Marshall stayed inside. Mac looks darling “as a bald,” as JB calls it. Who needs hair to be incredible?? Not Mac! 

Assistant for a day…
Last Friday, Marsha took JB to school and there was a note on the classroom door. The note said that one of the kids in the class had strep throat earlier in the week. Marsha did not let JB into the classroom and immediately called me and asked what to do with JB. My first thought was to bring him home as we cannot risk exposing Mac to any illness at this point. Then, I remembered how excited JB was about “shabbot sing” at school and I thought about how disappointed he would be if he had to leave school. How was I going to explain to JB that because his brother has cancer, he can’t go to school today – doesn’t seem fair.  In buying myself a few minutes to make up my mind as to what to do, I asked Marsha to talk to the school director (who knows JB well and knows about Mac) about the situation and call me back. My phone rang 5 minutes later and Marsha said, “Handled.”  The school director instantly handled the situation.  It took her about six seconds to come up with a plan. She looked at JB and said she needed as assistant for the day. She needed help in the office, she needed help researching owls (a fascination of both of theirs), she needed help setting up the auditorium for shabbot sing, and she needed a special friend to eat lunch with her in her office. JB’s eyes lit up and without missing a beat, he was her man for the job! What an impressive school director, I’d say. How lucky and special I felt that entire day… that she was willing to do that for my son… And for my other son.  Thank you.