Half Way

Hello from Nora

to all of you

We are half way through our chemotherapy protocol, 4 down 4 to go. We have ended up back in the hospital this time around which I expected due to the fact that Lydia went to school some this past week and even participated in a ropes course adventure field trip on Thursday. There is so much sickness passing around at this time as everyone returns to the same four walls. I went out for dinner with three others last night, one had sniffles, one had a throat problem and the other had an achy feeling!! Welcome to the change of seasons. We wanted to come to the hospital last night to play games and entertain Lydia but she was not up for the company as neutropenia leaves her feeling poorly. It is becoming somewhat routine and we know what to expect and are learning to roll with it more and more. My community has risen to the occasion beautifully. Josh and Kim took on Adam and Renata overnight and brought them to an apple cider making gathering today. Life stills goes on, fun active life still goes on and on (like art in the forest with Valerianna, thanks girl!) even while here we sit idly strapped to an IV pole in the hospital.

On the flipside, there are a couple of nurses we call family now. They call us family so we call them family right back. Their love and attachment is remarkable. Suzie. Suzie who got up three times during the night to help Lydia. Once she put her pants on, her pants! to help Lydia. All this effort was when she was actually at home in her own bed in her pajamas......supposedly sleeping in preparation for her day shift here at Baystate pedi ward. She was very tired, poor girl, when she arrived to say the least..... DEDICATION.

I am looking toward the future when this can all come to an end. Or, at the very least, I am looking to put some power into my life, our life, during very powerless circumstances. I have been turning to thoughts about how to build my girl back up from this very toxic form of cure that she has been enduring. We have been reading (thankfully Adam reads things cover to cover, has amazing retention and loves to cook) and researching immune system boosting, detoxification treatments, dietary changes and complimentary therapies. Alternative treatments are rarely covered by health insurance. We are in the process of applying for pediatric cancer relief and catastrophic illness relief as offered by D'amour Cancer Center social workers, relief which may result in $100 a month. Help from our community toward some of these restorative treatments would be a godsend.

I have been approached by several community members regarding a fund and/or fund raiser. I am writing in an effort to funnel some of this energy and interest into action. There has been some discussion of a fund raiser to be held at Art & Industry/Stone Soup Concrete. Some of the the beginning organizers are Gretchen Jennings, Chris Ciccarello and Mike Paulsen. If you are interested in helping you could contact these folks or try Mike's email mpaulsen@stonesoupconcrete.com

Again and again thanks to each and every one of you, for your thoughts, prayers and actions. I appreciate all you do and please know I do not expect that anyone or everyone give money. However, Love and Prayers are mandatory. Nora