November already?

Wow is time flying by...

Sam gets her port out on November 14th! She is doing great, has more and more energy every day. Loves school and her busy life! She has missed maybe 1/2 day of school due to sickness (but that was mostly from exhaustion).

We are moving on...away from the scary, crazy, chaotic life of a Childhood Cancer Family and back into the not as scary, crazy, chaotic life of a Normal Childhood Family ~ both kids in school FT, working more than full time and trying to juggle what I missed so much, work, work (did I mention work?) dance, soccer, choir, chorus, ccd, pt, ot...just like everyone else and really really struggling at getting back into Normal. Not because of the lack of hours in the day, but because life never goes back to normal...it just doesn't. And anyone who tells you it will, is FOS (full of $hit).

I have to tell you, as near as I can tell, there is no going back...even though we are "done", there is always the "what if's" that creep into the wee hours of the morning...there is always the caringbridge or blogger notifications that come in at all hours...anxious to read that your friend's kid is doing ok...that the treatment worked...that the side effects didn't send him/her to the PICU...or that your friend seems to be dealing better with the loss of his/her child...it is, and always will be, there. The fear and anxiety will always be there...

What else is there? HOPE. It is there. I have HOPE that Sam's treatment worked and will keep the cancer away FOREVER. I have HOPE that the same is true for my friends' kids...and I have HOPE that those that have lost their child will have the strength to get out of bed each day and continue on, for the loved ones in their lives.

What can we (I) do? Well, #1 is pray. #2, do all we (I) can to raise $ and awareness to help find a cure...and to help those in need as best as I can.

This weekend (Saturday night, Nov 8th) is the Light the Night Walk here in Tampa -we are still looking for walkers and donations. The links are to the left. Please consider joining us if you are available this Saturday... help us to find a cure for all blood cancers! Did you know that Team Possible (that is Sam's team) has raised $16,368 in the past 3 years for the LLS? Wow! Thank you all!

This Sunday (Nov 9th) after church, Sam and Nana and I will be selling CCC holiday cards and calendars as well as Bravery Heart necklaces/bracelets at the Junior League of Tampa Holiday Gift Market at the Florida State Fairgrounds. All of our BH commission will be donated to the CCC! I hope we sell tons and tons and raise awareness of the BH program and of course raise $ for the BH program at St. Joe's as well as raise some $ for the CCC. (Fingers crossed!)

That's about all that is new here...thanks for checking in and for keeping all cancer kids in your prayers!

With Never-Ending Hope 4 A Cure,
K, J, S & M