Oh, the places you'll go...

The last time I posted it was marking 2 years since your diagnosis, which seemed crazy, as I feel like it was years and years ago.  There are days that pass now and I don’t even think about when you were sick or how our lives were so different.  Our new “normal’ is the normal!! 

Today is a very exciting day as it was your first day of Kindergarten; what a milestone and celebration!   You are so excited to see your new teachers and finally be at the “big kid” school with your sisters.  This first day of Kindergarten was met with a few tears from me; it is hard to see my baby go off to Kindergarten.  I can’t wait to see how you'll grow this year.

This weekend we celebrated your 5^th birthday.  I can’t believe you are 5!!!  Every birthday we celebrate will always be a treasure and I will never forget that.  

  

This summer, however, we were reminded that we are still on a journey and there will always be something that brings us back to what you went through.  This July, you were in Calgary to have dental surgery.  We knew that your dental health would probably be affected from the lack of brushing during the time you were in the hospital, especially when dealing with the dreaded mouth sores and then also from some of the chemo medications you had to take.   Needless to say, you had 14 cavities that needed to be taken care of and having you put to sleep to do all the work at once was the best plan.  Of course, you weren’t too happy to have any work done and would also have to miss a day of summer holidays to go to the dentist.  However, you were a trooper and handled everything like a pro.  The dentist called the next day, concerned about the amount of work they had to do and wondered how you were doing as a result, and they were surprised that you were up and playing the next day.  I wasn’t surprised, you are still my superhero!

Later in July we had a checkup with your Oncologist, Dr. Anderson, in Calgary. He was very pleased with your blood work as well as your physical checkup and he is impressed with all the progress that you have made in the past year.  He explained to us that you now will be going to the long term survivor clinic, which is still located in the Alberta Children’s Hospital.  Your appointments are going to be every 6 months, which will save us many trips to Calgary. 

We are looking forward to fall and returning to our routines and schedules.  The weather is still beautiful so we are taking advantage of the outdoors, especially to burn off all your energy these days. 

Love you to the moon and back,

Mom

**Just a few days ago, another precious child, Dominic Rooney, was taken too early from this horrible disease.   It is so unfair that his parents won’t have their little one to hold close or see grow up.  Our prayers and thoughts are with the family as they prepare to find their new “normal” but without their precious son.  Please consider donating to the Extra Life charity, in Dominic's name, which benefits the Alberta Children’s Hospital at http://www.extra-life.org/team/dominicstrong.

A favorite picture of mine when Kallum and Dominic had a chance to meet.