Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Almost Home!!!!!!





To Josh Sundberg: Hey, just because I didn't cliff dive didn't mean I was a chicken. We just needed a designated driver in case everybody got hurt! Bennet is quite the fish so I know he'll go cliff diving with you.

Only Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Monday left! We have an appointment with Dr. Park just to go over the next 6 months and the next phase and then we'll be on our way home. This weekend is the Welchly family reunion so Jeannine and the kids drove back home today and Jovee and I will fly back to Spokane on Friday, go to the reunion, and then fly back Sunday night. They couldn't accommodate us by doing the Monday radiation earlier so we just had rearrange things and go with their schedule. Whatever.

So we went to the San Juan Islands yesterday, specifically Orcas Island. It was beautiful scenery and the thought of being at the tip of the US and almost out of the country was neat. It was kind of a quick trip, didn't get to see much. Just at at a pizza joint called Portofino's (don't ever waste your money there, it tied for the worst pizza that we've ever eaten) and drove back to catch the ferry. It was good family time though. The kids had fun on the ferry and thought it was cool.

Other than the one day where she threw up, Jovee really hasn't had too much complications with the radiation. Every now and then she gets tired and just lays quiet and her voice gets a little raspy but other than that she's responded really, really well. Again.
We met a family this last Sunday that came to feed everyone at the Ronald McDonald House. They were here for about a year. They're from Yakima. Their son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma stage IV at the age of 3, went through all the treatments, went into remission for a year, relapsed, and then passed away at age 6. They came to feed everyone because they knew what it was like to live here and go through the cancer battle. It was really good to talk to them but man, I had a break down full to tears moment when I learned that he relapsed and then passed away.
At times we think that Jovee is going to be around for a long time. Then there's other times when she doesn't feel good and gets lethargic and tired and Jeannine and I wonder if the hidden microscopic cancer is taking a toll on her and we just don't even know it and she just toughs it out. It's those moments that are tough for us. Nobody ever wants to think that their loved ones, especially if they're really young, is hurting from pain. Austin's mom and dad understood that when he was about to pass away that it was just a tad bit easier to let him pass away because he was in so much pain from the leukemia. When I think that she is slightly hurting, she gets a lot more loving. And tighter hugs and longer kisses.
Tonight, since it was just Jovee and I, I took her shopping for a new outfit and then we went to read books at Barnes and Noble. It was just nice to be with just her. The one on one moments are pretty precious.






1 comment:

Shiela Lee said...

We're sure anxious to have you home again! Our love to you!