Weekly Wrap Up

Many thanks to all of the Angels on earth who have so lovingly provided child care for Shayla and Christi this week: Aunt Marty, my mom, Cousin Aaron & Tricia and the Brigg's family. The Thomas team remains full of gratitude to you all!

Last week, I completed one of my three OSU classes I'm taking this summer, and today I finished the one which was requiring me to be on campus MW&F from 8-11 AM. Ahh! I drove home from campus feeling like a big weight had been removed from my shoulders. On Monday at 8AM I'll get to start teaching my own grad class at the wonderful Heidelberg College, so very close to home! I'm incredibly honored and humbled to have this teaching opportunity at the Berg.Ending my summer work today with one great kid!!

Now to the reason you're checking in: Shayne received the fax of the printed MIBG scan results and it was just another kick in the pants yesterday. Dr. Maris was so right! While my eye couldn't see it in the scanning room, she has had progression in her liver, skull, pelvis and legs. Oh, this just made me sick to hear this news. (I kept telling myself Dr. Maris was wrong; once again - he wasn't!)

And the oral chemo (Fenretnide) which Christi said smelled like cat food, but she was able to get it in her has not only become a challenge to ingest,but it's also causing her to have tummy pains, cramping and bathroom issues- none of which were to happen. Dr. Maris said, "The biggest side effect from Fenretnide is nothing." Well, I'm not about to tell that to Christi. She was curled up in horrible pain last night, running to the bathroom and having a hard time getting comfortable. At one point I just sat on her bedroom floor and cried as she was calling out in her sleep, "I just can't take this any more," and Shayne was out of town.

The "yucky medicine" is not the pretty white powder like I imagined, but a neon yellow mixture. (What does that tell you? YIKES!) Nearly gagging and tossing her cookies, last night I asked her if she could take the morning dosage if I could put it in capsules- even though there'd be a lot. She replied in between cries of pain, "That would make my day." So last night I spent about 45 minutes getting what turned out to be 27 capsules stuffed with her chemo. This morning she was able to swallow 14 of them in thirty minutes, but then I had to get to class. Thank God for Rachel who managed to get the rest in her, even if her kids had to be used as bribes! (Thanks, Josh!)This is just half of the day's medicine she has to take.

Today her stomach felt much better and she had a wonderful time playing with her friend. I don't know how challenging tonight's chemo will be to get in her, but she's already requested that I put it in 27 pills instead of trying to drink it so I'd better get busy preparing that. After tomorrow's Fenretnide challenge in the morning, we'll be off to the fair for her 4-H Purr-fect Pal's Cat Project Judging. She's already put her poster and her cat books in the van and she's brushed and brushed Buckeye. I hope she has fun.

On another note, a sweet Christi supporter is doing a 24 hour blogging event in honor of Christi to raise money for CNCF (Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation). I thought the date she's selected to do this is very unique since July 29th is the 3rd anniversary of Christi's sucessful complete resection at MSKCC in NYC by the wonderful Dr. Michael LaQualia. (July 29, 2003) Sadly, it's also the tenth anniversary of my father's sudden death at age 55 (July 29, 1996) and also the date (July 29, 1990) when Shayne, after seven years of dating took me up in a hot-air balloon and proposed to me, much to my surprise. Nikki's website is: http://bloggingforchristi.blogspot.com/

LAURA & DAVE: Just in case you happen to read this, I'm so sorry! You'll never ask me to pet sit again. Your dog is fine; however, tonight I discovered the orange fish was floating. Someone else is answering your cell phone so I can't even tell you. I didn't know what to do and if you'd have to have a funeral for the fish or what not, so..........it's in a plastic bag in your freezer. Swim in your pool? You don't have to ask us twice, THANK YOU!