Finished......

Well Cody had his last chemo of this round. We hope it is the last but that is something only God knows. He has had a great couple days. No visible side affects, so now we start trying to bring his system back as quickly as possible. "What a screwed up system!" Let me kick the shit out of you so I can make you feel better.... I pray none of you ever have to watch your child or loved one go through this.....

Cody's girl friend Lori arrived yesterday and it is like they never missed a beat. Lori used to work at Georgetown when Cody went through the worst of the worst. She was there when he almost left us because of complications from the chemo. She was there when he went through his stem cell transplant and basically had to learn to walk again. Her actual job title is "Art Therapist." Art therapists are the proverbial "unsung hero." Although I don't know for a fact, I have a guess that they as a whole are grossly under paid. They come and spend time with the kids when they are at their lowest. They relieve exhausted parents who are doing marathon like hours trying to stay with their children during this nightmare called cancer treatment. They develop a bond with children who may never have a chance to live life beyond the walls of a hospital. They are trained to let the child have some control and express themselves through art. They play games, provide toys, provide an understanding shoulder for the child and the parents to cry with and cry on. Lori has become a member of our family. She has seen us at worst. She has been with us when we were at rock bottom. For Diane and me she is like a sister, daughter and a friend all rolled into one. To Cody, she's his girlfriend. Lori, we thank you for being there for us. We love you.. I would also like to say "thank you" to Jenny and Linda. They both have taken the torch from Lori and are working their magic with us now. To all the Art Therapists out there I like to say "thank you!"

Here is a picture of Cody and Lori.



Cody called me at work on Wednesday to tell me that he blew a bubble for the first time. He was so proud of himself. It's the little things people. Grab your child, look deep into their eyes and tell them that you love them. None of us know how long they will be with us. We are blessed to live with angels. They are the angels who live with us.

Mom,
Lori is with us until Tuesday. We are going back to Baltimore tomorrow. We hope it is a low key day. It makes me feel good to know that you are proud of me. I speak from the heart and try not to sugar coat what I say. Here is a picture of Daniela with her guitar. She was so happy she almost cried...