11/24/2006

Max's Schedule

Wow. We just took a look at the treatment schedule last night for Max and how it's going to affect his school time. Sheesh. Here's a preview:
  • Week of Nov 27: hopefully only missing school Monday morning for clinic blood counts.
  • Week of Dec 4-8: Missing school to have his 2nd round of chemo.
  • Week of Dec 11-15: Missing school to participate in study in Vermont (see previous post).
  • Week of Dec 18-21: If blood counts are good he'll be in school (we're crossing our fingers!).
  • 12/22 - 12/31 is Christmas Holiday. Max will have a few clinic visits to check his blood counts.
  • Jan 1-5: Missing school to participate in second part of study in Vermont and recieve his 3rd chemo.

Max's spirits are high and he had a great Thanksgiving playing with Hannah and his cousins Alaina and Patrick for 9 hours straight. He is having pain in his back and legs which is causing some crankiness. We phoned the doctor today for some codiene to help him cope.

It's really hard this time to see him in any pain as we understand much better what's happening to his little body. I almost can't wait for the next chemo round to start in hopes that it will start killing off the cancer cells faster and relieve some of his pain.

Thank you everyone for your outpouring of love and offers to help us in way possible. Right now everything is as under-control as it can be. (I'm still changing diapers; Max and Hannah still fight; Andy goes to work everyday; etc!) When Max goes in for his next chemo I may be calling you for afterschool playdates for Hannah. Outpatient chemo apparently takes 8-9 hours each day -- but at least we get to come home each night!

I'd also like everyone to know that we are not too busy to take phone calls, we can take your kids to school with us in the AM if you need a favor, and playdates are welcome as long as Max's blood counts are up. We need to keep our daily life as normal as possible for ourselves and especially for our kids. Yes, we are dealing with a crisis. But you can help us get through this by staying close. Isolation is the worst thing.



Cousins Alaina and Patrick flank Hannah and Max on Thanksgiving day at our house.



Max and Patrick in Del Mar waiting for trains to come by.



Cousin Alaina with Max and Hannah's favorite playtoy, little brother Nicolas.

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