Chemo Again

Another day of chemo checked off the list. Lauren had her PICC line pulled a few weeks ago because she wasn't needing it very often. That means finding a vein yesterday was fairly traumatic, but after 4 1/2 pokes we were off and running. Today she will be tired and in about a week she will feel crummy for a day or two.

Everywhere I go, people ask me if I am sad and nervous about Lauren going so far away to school. I can honestly say that I am just excited! She is going to be within an hour of all 4 of my siblings and almost the same distance from various members of Blair's family. She will be seen at Primary Children's hospital in Salt Lake, where she had her first heart transplant 16 1/2 years ago. BYU is one of my absolute favorite places on earth. I have so many amazing memories from my time there. She knows how to manage her health and when she needs intervention. It is time for her to go off and conquer the world and reach her goals. This is a dream come true for her, so no, I am not sad, I am just ready to sit back and watch her make it all happen!!!

Some Pics

Celebrating the last day of school with a water balloon fight - they all were drenched!
Nathan enjoying the new carpet in the basement. It is so soft to walk on - the only problem is that the carpet in the rest of the house now feels even older than it is.

I am especially pleased with this transition - there use to be a gold metal piece across this opening. Megan did a great job painting all the baseboards. Those 2 things give the stairs an entirely different look.

Doesn't Lauren look good hanging out a country club? She rode around in the golf cart but didn't even take a swing.

Happy 20th Anniversary!!!

The post-father's day celebration. 4 of them were actually resting - Nathan was just giggling.

The past 12 days

I feel like it has been a long time since my last post. Here is a brief recap of what I have been doing the last 12 days.

4 baseball games, 3 basketball games, 2 physicals, 1 ortho appointment, 24+trips to the high school to pick up/drop off kids for camps, band uniform fittings, an entire day of carpet installers, 13 hours of a hospital visit, 7 hours driving girls to/from girls camp, date with Blair for our anniversary, Father's Day celebrating, 4 hours at the lake helping scouts sign off swimming requirements, 2 trips to the music store in Itasca (30 minutes each direction) to take care of instrument issues, 4 haircuts, a day of a golf tournament outing where Lauren was honored, 3 trips to Dicks sporting goods to find water shoes for Nathan, 30 minute drive each way to the scout store for a new scout shirt, cleaning out and organizing the garage, vacuuming each item as it returns to it's home on the new carpet in the basement, and taking the car in for an oil change. That doesn't include a few bike rides, groceries, laundry, meals, cleaning, and various trips to Target. Then I can't even count the hours I have spent helping Lauren figure out what classes to register for, helping various children go through clothes and papers and closets, coordinating medical issues for Lauren's care, making reservations and plans for our trip, and a bit of sleeping.

Lauren's annual biopsy and heart cath went well. Her coronary arteries look beautiful and the biopsy results weren't perfect but they were good. Rachel has been so helpful running errands for me. Megan was about to win her basketball game last night until she got elbowed and ended up with a bloody nose, Nathan completed the boy scout swim test in a lake with windy and rainy conditions when he doesn't even usually make it across the swimming pool, and Blair turned 40 something without looking a day older!

Chemo #4 Down

Tuesday was chemo #4. I guess it is easier because you know what to expect by the 4th time. However, knowing the scan is clear and these next few rounds are just to finish it off makes it harder to get yourself geared up to go.

Lauren took her poisons without any major issues, will feel crummy for a few days, will lose a bit more hair, will have some steroid side effects, and then will be back to her normal self.

Next week she has a heart cath and biopsy where they evaluate her coronary arteries and take a heart tissue sample. Fun stuff!

We are set up to meet with some docs when we go to Utah next month, so hopefully the transition will go smoothly.

Milestones

Back 18 years ago when I started having children, no one told me that I needed to plan wisely so that the last 2 weeks of May 2011 wouldn't be full of major milestones for ALL 4 of them!!

Here is Megan on her 8th grade graduation day. She now moves on to high school! Can you believe that? An occasion worth celebrating - many of her friends got gifts and parties. She got a new dress and dinner with friends.

This is her friend Rachel - basketball buddy, band pal and fellow stellar student. Along with her diploma, Megan won an award for top Spanish student (her least favorite subject) and the leadership award for her 7-8th grade band. Good Job Megan!!!

You already heard about Rachel's 16th brithday party and becoming a licensed driver. She is looking forward to being a marching band leader next year.

Lauren posted about her high school graduation. However she didn't mention that she wore cords for National Honor's Society, Illinois State Scholar and was recognized as being in the top 5% of her class. The BYU plans are now in full force.

Then there is Nathan. Turning 11 means he moves on to the boy scout program, so last week he was presented with his Arrow of Light.

I left the elementary school for the last time today. Nathan moves on to middle school next year as a 6th grader. At the awards assembly today, some representatives from a National Investwrite contest came because he wrote an essay that won 5th place in the Nation!!!!! It was about Colgate and the Wisp and why they are a good company to invest in. Hopefully you can see the shocked look on his face.

When I went to bed last night, I asked Blair if I should come to work today and take photos of him receiving an award. He said sure - I will hold up my paycheck and see if my boss will walk in. I have taken so many pictures, spent so much money, planned so many outfits, coordinated so many schedules and tried to keep everyone smiling and feeling duly recognized. All these celebrations are a bit exhausting!




Now hopefully some lazy days of summer can begin.