A Shout Out, Some Good News, and Some Props

A Shout Out

Firstly, a 'shout out' to a bunch of friends, old friends, new friends, and people I don't even know sharing the link on Facebook about being a bone marrow/stem cell donor!

Secondly, a 'shout out' to some of my blogging friends and buddies (and some of their friends and buddies) for using their blogs to get the message out about how important it is to get on the donor list!

Here are my friends who blogged about Richard's need for marrow:

My friend Sami's (in Alberta) blog.

My friend Lee Ann's (in Scotland) blog.

My friend Darcie's (here in Abbotsford) blog.
(her husband was our wedding photographer - she put up some pics from our special day)

And, of course, I blogged about it here.

Not only have some of these friend's friends left beautiful comments about our situation and that of other families dealing with Cancer, but some of their blogging friends also posted about becoming a donor! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!

I reiterate once more that they rarely do actual bone marrow now for transplants, and rather do a much easier procedure (much like giving blood) of taking stem cells from the donors.

The best part is that getting on the donor list requires only some swabbing of your mouth, done by you, in your own home.

Thirdly, a 'shout out' to my friend Lianne who passed on some gas/parking $ help for us. Thanks lady!

Fourthly, a 'shout out' to my Dad for taking us for dinner last night and letting us hang out to watch the season premiere of Big Bang Theory!!!!


Some Good News!!!!

Yesterday's appointment at VGH resulted in hearing some good news! There is a 95% chance they have found a match for Richard! I'm assuming the 5% chance of 'no' is taking into account the person needs to have some tests done and such, and possibility the person could say 'no'.

It appears as though the transplant process (involving chemo AND radiation AND killing all of Richard's bone marrow) will begin in the next 2-3 weeks!

Richard is scared as heck, but I'm hoping will be excited later (as this will hopefully save his life!)
I'm excited as heck, but will probably be scared later.


Richard wrote about his good news, here, on his blog.

Some 'Props' For My Boys

A very busy, full day yesterday involving preschool, the gym, lunch, and then us taking the boys with us to the hospital for Richard's appointment, going to a playground and getting rained on, heading for dinner at White Spot with my dad (thanks Dad), taking the boys swimming in the pool at my dad's apartment building, and hanging out past the boys' bedtimes at my dad's place was actually, a pretty good day.

It was Richard's first day without a nap since the relapse and coming home from the hospital and Cancer Lodge.

The boys were great, only falling apart at the very end of the day at my dad's past their bedtime. I learned my lesson again, that when out past bedtime, I should, at the very least, put Dexter to sleep. AJ behaves just wonderfully all by himself, but when you get these two brothers together late at night, chasing, monsters, and wrestling start to drive me batty. These two brothers couldn't get more brother-y.

Anyhow...

On the drive to Vancouver, the boys were writing on their whiteboards in the car. AJ was drawing pictures on the blank side and asking us to guess what he drew before he turned it around and showed us.

He drew an ant, then an ant, then another ant, then a caterpillar, then some ants and caterpillars. After us guessing a thousand and one things like pandas, cars, and houses and such, AJ finally took a break from drawing to evidently write me a hint.

He says, "Here Mom. I wrote you a hint. When you are guessing what I drawed, this is your hint."

He turns around his whiteboard and shows me this that he's written.

It says 'always ants and sometimes caterpillars'.

"That's what I draw Mom. I always draw ants and sometimes I draw caterpillars."

Good writing, AJ! He gets better all the time. He loves these whiteboards and the ones in his room. They are a little messy. In fact, I'm not going to use them in the car anymore because marker inevitably gets on their clothes. I'll have get some magna-doodles for the car. No mess.


After the hospital (where the boys were really great, and the nurses were ecstatic to see them), we drove into Richmond to take the boys to the 'cool' playground at the South Arm Community Centre (I think).

Then we went to White Spot with my dad. Here's Dexter drawing a person. He's getting better and better with his drawing every day. Do you see the eyes and the smile on the person's face? Later he drew a D. It's the only letter he draws that actually looks like a real letter. Oh, well, I guess, he's pretty good at Es too. Thank goodness, since those are in his name!
Great drawing, Dexter!!!

I should add in here (especially since this blog is supposed to be my baby book for the boys) that Dexter's been into singing to the songs on the radio lately. It's pretty darned cute.


Later, we headed to Grand-Dan's house. The boys were excited to finally get to go in Grand-Dan's pool. Every time we go to Grand-Dan's house it seems to be on a Wednesday or Sunday when the pool is closed.

It was VERY cold. AJ was brave and went all the way in, and swam around a bit, but not for long. Dexter wouldn't go past his waist. So, we dried off and headed back up to his place. The boys played with cars and climbed all over Grand-Dan. Slowly, they were getting more and more restless, the further we got past bedtime, understandably. But!!!! We did get to watch the much awaited Big Bang Theory season premiere that Richard, my dad, and I have been dying to see!




Thanks Grand-Dan for letting us crash your relaxing night of watching baseball.

Thank you boys for being well behaved so we could all have a full day.

Richard had not napped, yet still had the gusto to do the drive home. So, me and the boys slept on the way home.

Thanks Babe (Richard).


Today

The boys walking their usual route to my gym for my morning workout.

Thanks boys, for letting me drag you to the gym all the time and spending 1 hour in the daycare there. I know it's a fun daycare, but still, I appreciate that you do it without complaining!



So...

I don't know if it's because of my recent pleas for bone marrow donors, perhaps it's because of Richard's mom's article in the paper talking about Richard, or if it's just from someone deciding recently to become a donor, but THANK YOU!

Someone is a match for Richard! Thank you for everyone who has joined the list!!!!