And the beat goes on...

So we're nearing the end of January and we're back at GUH again for scheduled chemo. Since New Years, we been idling along, still trying to catch up from 2006. Sophie has good blood counts which has helped a bit by allowing her to go to day care a few days a week. The last I posted, we were preparing for Zach's colonoscopy. The two-day prep was a bit tedious, but Zach did wonderfully, taking it better than most adults might!! The procedure took a mere 20 minutes and they found the expected single polyp and removed it. The polyp was sent for biopsy, and thankfully returned with positive news of a negative finding!!!

As unnerving as the year has begun, we have only good news and hopeful outcomes coming our way. As I write this, Sophie has just completed the seventh of eight Chemo cycles. We will return in three weeks for the eighth and final treatment. Woo Hoo!!! This round is really taking a toll on her little body. Between the chemo and surgery, she's lost about 4 lbs since we started treatment in June. That doesn't sound like much, but it's about 15% of her total body weight. she seems to be rebounding a bit thought with spoonfuls of peanut butter, calamata olives, and hummos among her favorite foods right now. She's also much more tired than usual, quite ready for naps and bedtime - but still full of energy and difficult to catch all other times!!! She's a tricky one from doing chin-ups in her hospital crib to running circles around her IV pole, she's basically unstoppable! At night we had difficulties keeping her in her crib. She would climb out repeatedly after being put to bed. Not only was this annoying, but dangerous, so we lowered her crib to a toddler bed - her big girl bed! Go Sophie, growing up now!

Well that's the medical update. Now for the fun stuff...
This past Friday Zach attended his first school dance, the Stonegate Kids Ball. Mike attended as his chaperon and reported that they had a blast! Saturday, they both headed for more fun at a special event sponsored by Georgetown University through the Hoya Dreams program. They attended at Hoyas basketball game at the Verizon center with other families of sick children and a slew of Hoya athletes. Again Mike reports that they had too much fun! The pics are still in the camera, but we'll include them in the next post.

Our next big event is Zach's 6th birthday, which is a mere 10 days away. We are scheduled to gather at Chuck e. Cheese for cake, pizza and games on February 4th and then home that afternoon for a family lunch and then the Superbowl later that evening. It is sure to be a fun, but exhausting day!!!

Stay tuned for pics and updates soon! Until then, Live, Love, and don't forget to Laugh!!!