Please join in support of the Maine Children's Cancer Program

The 2009 Maine Children's Cancer Program Walk is scheduled for this Saturday, September 19th rain or shine. James & I will be walking on the team named JT's Trekkers & Team Tucker, a joint venture on behalf of James & his buddy Isaac Tucker who has leukemia.

The link is below if you'd like more info. Just search for a walker under Jenn Taylor or JT's Trekkers if you'd like to sponsor or walk! Registered walkers that raise $50.00 in donations get a Walk T-shirt that day.
Thanks again for all your support!

https://fundraising.mmc.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=246

Boomerang Part 2 - What a long week!

So again...throw us out and we'll come right back! After feeling like we'd wrapped up visits to the hospital for a while after James' last chemo admit on August 5th, and enjoying some of the real summer weather (with a spontaneous trip to Splashtown on the 14th), we ended up back up at the big house last Sunday the 16th. James woke up with red bloodshot weepy eyes and developed a fever late afternoon, which when you have no white blood cells & a fever, means you're staying at BBCH for a few days.

The fever went a way quickly, but the red eyes took their time. We rested in a shaded room pretty much all of Monday as his eyes were so sensitive to light he didn't even want the curtains opened. Tuesday was better; he got out of the room but was still pretty sensitive. We got out on Wednesday after a few days of antibiotics and slightly climbing blood counts. Hearing test & labs again on Thursday to check his progress, and then an MRI on Friday. Still waiting on results from that.

Company & fun this past weekend, sans Hurricane Bill thankfully. Now James is tired, but for some good reasons too!

Round #9 - All done chemo!

So here we are on the last day of James' last chemo admit! He woke up around 6:15 a.m. long enough to express his awareness and happiness that it's the last day of all this, and promptly went back to sleep!

Yesterday I brought in cupcakes as a small token of thanks to all the nurses and staff here at the hospital. His pal Alice from Child Life Services made a huge neon poster for all to sign and hung it on his door. We painted golf balls that will be used in a BBCH fundraising golf tournament later this summer (yes, it's finally summer here we think), and played a few games of pass (pass-the-ball-past-Mom, that is) in the atrium. We've seen some familiar faces and met some new ones, and there's a performance by Circus Smirkus here today for the kids that James may want to stick around for, even if he's already been discharged.

We'll find out today when his next MRI is, and when we go to clinic again after next week's scheduled visit, but for now we know that he's got 1 more clinic visit and labs until his numbers and the docs say otherwise.

Honestly, it's all a little strange. We've been on this road for so long, not always knowing where it would lead, helped along by the love and support of all of our family and friends, and the amazing doctors and nurses. Now there is a big turn in the road, and it looks a bit smoother ahead.

I know we've said it a hundred times or more, but we can't say enough how much we are thankful for all the care, prayers, good wishes and support of all of you out there. We are truly blessed.

More later....Jenn

Hey folks....I do love the fact that I can post things via my phone now.

The last few weeks have been fun. JT has had a good temperment and good stamina. Just last weekend we began to get a glimpse of a healthy, active seven year old. As a matter of fact he really started to get his wiffle ball swing back. During an impromptu game he was connecting!

Well, believe it or not...tomorrow we head into the hospital to begin J's last chemotherapy cycle. A week from tomorrow he'll have his last Vincristin booster. I can't believe it. It's surreal that the year has past as fast as it has.

Take care and I'll post more soon.
dct

Home again...

Here are a few items from our week!

Despite taking a tetherball to the eye, I think James really enjoyed his first day.

The entrance

Mike and Sully gaurd the dinning hall...

Bass fishin' ...

Masquarade Ball...

Well, it's a wrap. Dinner was good and afterwards we all went down to the pond to launch the wish boats the boys made in arts and crafts. The celebration show was a kick. Both boys were in skits although JT didn't want to dance. This week has been awesome. We're going to look into a long weekend in the fall and will certainly be applying for next year. In any event I could see myself volunteering out here for many, many years.

CS Day 5: Morning discussion was great. Wonderful to hear from the parents of kids in remission and how they've dealt with it all. Kids loved their sessions. JT squeezed in another 18 holes before lunch. This afternoon has been parents free time. Jenn and I took a paddleboat out and were quickly reminded as to why we don't paddleboat. Should've grabbed a kayak or canoe. Anyhow, I'm soaking up the last of the sun watching JT play kickball. Jenn is in yoga class. And Jack is staring starry-eyed at his new bro-mance, Eric, his counselor. I have to say that of all the amazing things they do here the nearly 1:1 counselor ratio is phenomenal. Dinner soon. Then it's the Celebration Show.