Update on Spencer

I know you're mostly just here for the recipes and I promise I won't do this very often, but for those of you who are interested, here is a quick update on my son:

• After four weeks in the hospital, then one glorious week at home, he just returned to the hospital yesterday to start his second round of chemo.  Each round takes about 4 weeks of in-hospital treatment. 

• His fourteen-year-old sister and nine-year-old brother (2 out of his 4 siblings) were were found to be exact bone marrow matches, so his treatment now will include a bone marrow transplant which will be performed in a couple of months. Which sibling will be the actual donor will be decided later by a transplant team from the hospital.

• Once he lost his hair, a whole host of friends and relatives shaved their heads in support (girls got hair cuts and donated it to Locks of Love, an organization which makes wigs for young cancer patients).

• With the help of family and friends, we are doing our best to keep life at home as routine as possible and thankfully it seems that the rest of my kids are doing okay.  My little one is quite a bit snugglier than usual when I'm around, but I'm not minding that one bit. 

• I haven't had much time to do much cooking lately, but thanks to the kindness of many friends who have been bringing our family dinners,  we are still enjoying delicious, home-cooked meals.   

• I am so very thankful to Jen and my sisters who have kept the blog updated over the last few weeks!  I'm happy to know that the recipe sharing goes on while I am away!

Here are some of my favorite photos from over the last month: 

My husband and son, just after shaving off Spencer's hair which had begun falling out in patches.  My husband only kept the mohawk for a few minutes, but it still cracks me up whenever I see this picture!

 

I love this picture of Spencer and his youngest sister, taking a stroll around the pediatric oncology unit. 

This is what I've been doing instead of cooking...learning how to take care of Spencer's central line (an IV line surgically implanted in his chest). 

His hospital room sports several homemade signs and banners, but this is my favorite....a sign made by his little sister!  I especially love all the staples.

It's been a mild winter here in the DC area, so the nurses let him go out and play in the courtyard on a few of the nicest days when he was feeling good.  It was his first breaths of fresh air in weeks and he enjoyed playing basketball with his Dad and keep away with this cute little fellow cancer patient. 

Truly our needs are met and we do not need anything other than your continued prayers, but if you'd like to donate to help find a cure for leukemia, go here to my cousin's fundraising page. My cousin is a lymphoma survivor of almost 10 years and now devotes herself whole-heartedly to finding a cure for blood cancers--like leukemia and lymphoma.   She is participating in a 100-mile bike ride in honor of Spencer and you will find updates and blips from our family blog there. 

Funds raised from her bike ride go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which is committed to curing blood cancers and helping patients and their families. 



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