RMH Family

"What?!"

Can't quite eat it fast enough!!

Totally giving me the "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT MOM!" look.

This weekend we had the most wonderful time with some friends, more like family, from the RonDon House. We met Jimmy and Joy at the RonDon house, their grandson was going through treatment with Seattle Children's. With the recent trip to Seattle and being able to spend the weekend with them has made me miss my RonDon family oh so much. People filter through all the time, but you always bond with them in some way, and I constantly find myself wondering about how they are doing. A hard thing to explain, but when we fly into Seattle we drive to "our area" and feel like we're home. I understand there are some that may have the opposite feeling, a negative feeling towards the memories or their time at the house, but all of the people we met and became close to will forever be part of our RonDon Family.

So the Palmer Moose played the Kodiak Bears this weekend in basketball and our friends daughter was playing. We went and watched bball all day Friday and Saturday and it was wonderful! Elizabeth and Henry immediately adopted them as Grandparents. Elizabeth even cheered all weekend for the Bears. And today has been asking to go watch more games.

At one point, Jimmy took Henry to get some Cotton Candy. At first he wasn't sure what to do with it, after being encouraged to taste it, he couldn't eat it fast enough. And continued to ask for more. Didn't help the group selling it were walking around the gym trying to sell more of it. We couldn't help but get some pics of his experience with Cotton Candy. Oh too cute.

Thanks so much Joy and Jimmy for a wonderful weekend, for spending time with us. You and your family are in our prayers as is the rest of our RonDon family.

Weekend Escape

We drove up to Fairbanks this past weekend (J's weekend) to see the family. Elizabeth LOVES to see her cousins! We thought with a six hour drive the kids might sleep, but nope! They stayed awake and played the entire drive. I read a book to J which made the time pass very quickly. Along the way we saw a nice heard of Caribou by the road side and had to stop and take pictures. I don't know exactly where this is, but some where around Cantwell I think, but it's one of my favorite parts of the drive. SO beautiful!

One of the perks over the weekend was the hot tub. Set up in the garage, with lights out and glow sticks to play with, the kids loved it! (The temp is only set at 99 degrees, so not too hot for kiddos) Always the first thing to do after dinner! We have to thank M, she cooked up some AWESOME meals for us. The kids even played outside, because it was actually in the single digits, not -35. :) And they had a blast! We were reminiscing about when we were young and could play outside all day long and have a blast, and now we get too cold and can't seem to find as much to do! Oh the joys of youth!

It really was a fun weekend get away and much needed. So fun for the kids to see each other. They always cry when it's time to leave, forgetting all the petty fights and ouchies they had during the weekend, they are simply sad the cousins have to part. Thanks M&T for allowing us to crash for a few days and hang out. Elizabeth and Henry can't wait to see their cousins again!

Seattle Pics

At the Ronald McDonald House A, saying Hello to an old friend.

A hug until next time "Donald"

We didn't get many pics during our day in Seattle, because after the appointments Henry slept the whole time... well up until we got on the plane. Anyways, we went to see some one very important to Henry and his memories of Seattle.

DAY in Seattle

Henry and I went to Seattle for the day on Wednesday. We flew out of AK at 2:30am and got back home 9:30pm. The weather was wonderful, sunny warm winter day in Seattle, couldn't ask for more. The flight down was easy, Henry slept, I didn't. Being prego and sitting on an airplane for three hours doesn't really go together.
We walked around the hospital for a while to kill time, then checked in for all his apts. He had an ultrasound scheduled, then anesthesia, followed by a CT and Dexa scan. Now the CT and Dexa require you to hold absolutely still. The last trip to Seattle I tried to convince them he didn't need to be put out, I was WRONG! This trip however, Henry skipped the anesthesia, I was a bit hesitant, but he did wonderful. I couldn't be in the room obviously, but I sat him down and explained exactly what was going to happen and that I would be back in the room when it was done. He said OK. And then held perfectly still. Mom was WRONG again. The Dexa lady was "concerned and worried" all morning about how he was going to do. I explained everything again, they needed a full body scan and legs and what not. He didn't even move. Easy as pie! The lady was so excited he got a bag full of stickers, every sticker she had I think, and a stuffed Beany Baby.
Since he was such a super star we got some good grub from the cafeteria, and some candy from the little store. We tried to play at the play ground for a while, but it was closed down. So we just sat outside and read books for a while. We did get to see some old friends that we stayed at the RonDon with. It was great to see some of the "Fam."
Nurses kept peeking into the room to see him, Doctors stopped in the hallway after recognizing who he was. ALL were excited beyond measure that he was doing so well. He has grown so much and he politely said "hello" to everyone and told them he was "good." As we walked away from the nurses who gushed over him he yelled " I love you!" I don't know if they heard it, but I about cried.
Technical update, as much as we know, things are good. His spleen is still funny shaped, looks like a boot. His other organs all look good. No change in his CT scans, head lesions look about the same. He is now in the 3rd percentile for height and weight, better than the "zeroth percentile" as the Doc put it. :) His iron levels are still too high, and the Darbo is making his blood levels dangerously high, so we have to amend the dosing. By high I mean that the nurses put in an IV to get blood and his vein clotted after putting out 2mls! (That happened twice) He's like one of those super hero's you could watch heal. haha But it's not a good thing... Something to fix.
Then we walked down to the Mall and enjoyed the weather and the old stomping ground. The other day Henry saw a McDonald's golden arches in Anchorage, he told me he saw Donald, and then he said " Henry miss Donald." The kid was so young I thought he wouldn't remember! Mom is WRONG again! So we stopped to say hello to Donald. I do have pics I will post them. He was excited, and even knew where we were going as we walked along the path that leads to the houses.
The taxi drive took almost and hour and we both slept the whole way. The flight lasted three and a half hours, Henry talked the whole time. Oh and FYI, 2:30 am and 6:30pm flights to Seattle are PACKED!!!! UGH! At least he didn't scream. Then home to bed. And oh yeah, the whole prego and flying makes for VERY swollen ankles and legs! But we survived and can't wait to head back in June for more check ups.

Just Do it...

I feel some obligation to post only when something monumental happens or I have some picture to accompany my thoughts. However, I feel that leaving up a Christmas card post is like leaving up the Christmas tree... time to move on.. :)

Henry and Elizabeth and I have been going to Monday swims, and loving it! Elizabeth wears the floaters on her arms and swims (well flails around) around the pool. Henry stands on deck and yells "To infinity & Beyond!" and then jumps at me. He continually asked me to let him go today while we were in the deep end, I had to explain he would drowned if I did, he didn't believe me. Oh well. He's fearless!

We FINALLY got Elizabeth and Henry a sled, and they endured the freezing temps today to sled a bit. Maybe I'll get out more and pull them in their sled. I have become a hermit this winter, wimping out and not running outside. My sweet husband bought me an elliptical so I don't have to. However, I am sincerely missing it! Can't wait for warmer temps and a body that can endure it again. Oh running I dream about you often! Curse me for being a wimp! I am an Alaskan!!!! I must do better! haha

We recently purchased a new "family bogger" and I am anxious for some family fun in it! Can't wait to go camping and sloshing through big mud holes. I am slowly learning that the getting stuck and the breaking down is some of the best parts of the adventure. Thank goodness I have a patient husband!