12/6

Sorry for the fuzziness of the photo.  This was taken after one of our walks this morning.  I would like to draw your attention to the yellow booties that Matthew despises and tears off immediately after his walk, but he loves the walks.  Much of the floor today was empty and we were able to get up to full speed on some of the longer hallways.  The walking pain that he has been feeling for the past few weeks seems to be gone.  We are told this is probably because the infection causing the discomfort has been removed by the chemotherapy.

Matthew continues to approach each day with great energy and determination.  He amazes me with his courage as he wakes up in strange places surrounded by strange people with cold stethoscopes and rubber gloves touching him and he acts as if he as seen it all before.

We did have a nice nap today.  Matthew and I turned on the Bears game at noon and he was asleep before the Bears first turnover, or, in about a minute and a half for those of you lucky enough not to have watched.  The chemotherapy continues to be administered on schedule.  His blood counts are coming down as expected.  The nausea that Matthew was feeling a couple of days ago seems to be under control with the help of medicine that Matthew now receives regularly.  He is still not eating a ton but the donuts and cookies that he does eat brings a contagious smile to his face.

The little dude is no longer in isolation so now has a new roommate after he changed rooms.  Her name is Eunice and she is 14 months old and is nearly as cute as he is.

If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them.  When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope?  We have two options, medically and emotionally:  give up, or fight like hell. 

~Lance Armstrong