Sunshine and happiness

It was a beautiful day here in Memphis today. The sun was shining, the air was warm (by this Canadian's standards) and our time was spent outside.

It was a good day.

Phoebe is doing well, but on our first few days here, she was a bit down. She was not eating. She would cry as soon as we entered the clinic or any small hospital room. I think she understands a lot more than we give her two year old self credit for. Today, however, thanks to a weekend away from hospital life, time spent outside in the fresh air, and her big sister; she is joyful. Mae can work wonders that doctors and medicine cannot. She brings the joy and the normalcy that is so desperately needed.

We are getting ready for another big day tomorrow. Phoebe had her blood work done tonight to prepare for her early morning MRI and bone marrow aspirate. Her blood work looks "normal", everything appears to be where it should be which is nice to see but a bit nerve wracking considering that she will need evidence of disease to qualify for this trial. More than 5% to be precise. Cancer and clinical trials leave me wishing for strange things; wishing for my baby to get sicker so she can get well again.

Our day begins at 7am with a visit to the clinic and a check up before Phoebe goes in for her tests. Jon will be starting his weekly platelet donation regimen once again and is due in the donor room at 8am. I hope we all get some good rest tonight.

In the meantime, we are just so relieved to be here. Each day that passes brings us one step closer to bringing Phoebe home, healthy and free from this cancer that is so not welcome where we live.

And about where we live ... thank-you Manor Park, friends, family, and the wonderful community we miss so much. The garage sale on Saturday looked to be a wonderful event, and even made it on to the news. If you didn't catch it on the weekend, here it is: http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/community-rallies-around-toddler-battling-rare-cancer-1.1140706.

The money raised from these events is helping us to make ends meet while we are here in Memphis, and allowing us all to be here to support Phoebe. I really can't put into words what it means to us to be able to keep our family together throughout all of this. Thank-you.