Enjoying a Spring Day

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Lillian sometimes seems to be a small energy source wrapped in a layer of skin: she goes and goes until she runs down, sleeps and recharges then starts again.

She’s developed a temper and throws the occasional tantrum, but learned early on that throwing yourself violently to the floor can cause pain. Now, she carefully lowers herself to the floor, eases her head back, looks around to see who is watching; only then does she let loose.

Her pediatrician was happy to hear that she’s reached the tantrum stage: it’s another sign that she’s on target developmentally; mom and dad aren’t quite as thrilled with this developmental stage.

Lili had her first ever bout with cold and fever: as a precaution, we went and had her lungs x-rayed at Texas Children’s: happily, they were clear. She has passed on the cold to her mom, dad, grandma Nancy and great-grandfather. Not one has sent her a thank-you note.

Water Baby

I like water.

Cancer Fighting

Grandpa John, Mom, Grandma Nancy, Me, Aunt Holly: kickin' cancer's butt!

Ashley visited her oncologist, Dr Jorge Darcourt, today with her support team: her mom, her Aunt Holly and Marissa. She went to get the results of an MRI done on her head last Friday and of a PET scan of her whole body done on Monday. She’s taking the new drug Zelboraf, which targets the particular mutation (the BRAF mutation) of melanoma that Ashley is fighting, and the purpose of the scans was to see if the drug has caused the tumors to stop growing or to shrink.

Dr Darcourt’s news was the best possible: there are no new tumors and all of the tumors that showed on the scans in December and in January have shrunk: in fact, they aren’t currently visible on the scans! Zelboraf is effective in about 48% of the patients who use it; only about 2% get the great result Ashley got today.

This doesn’t mean that the cancer is gone; it’s not. But Zelboraf is the current best drug for retarding the growth of this particular cancer, and (we pray) will be effective for a number of years in Ashley’s case. She’ll get scans every three months or so to check that the drug continues to work its magic.

She still has the unpleasant side effects of the drug, but knowing that Zelboraf is working makes them a bit more bearable. Dr Darcourt also prescribed that she go out and have a margarita for lunch, a prescription she is happily filling.

We are deeply thankful.

The Wisdom in Nursery Rhymes

Ouch.

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed;
One fell off and bumped her head.
Mama called the doctor,
The doctor said,
“No more jumping on the bed!”

Hunting Easter Eggs

Happy Easter!

Splash Talkin’: A Video

Grocery Shopping

Helping my mom

Naptime

Sometimes I just run out of gas...

Grilled Cheese

Yum.