Here are the things that I learned this week:
1. Steroids can never be predictable, last month she was an egg-eating, raving lunatic….this month she’s munchy, but pretty mellow.
2. My husband works too much
3. There are few things in this world that hurt as much as stepping on an armed G.I. Joe in the middle of the night, especially when said stepping causes one to slam ones toe into a cabinet, which in turns causes one to then back up and slam ones funny bone into a wall….good times
What a week this has been. I can tell you that the updates have been sporadic because life is full…full of steroids and meetings, last just-before-school-starts playdates, planning for the beach, poker games and avoiding the heat….just full.
The meeting for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation went really well, they are making a lot of progress in planning and as we get closer to the date, there is much to be done. I think it’ll be easier when school starts to get some of these things done, it’s a lot easier to run around when it’s just Peyton and me, than when I have to lug all three highly disgruntled kids around. I sent out over 50 sponsorship packets and emails, with more waiting to go out, in hopes of finding some compassionate businesses who will help fund this event.
I got to go to a baby shower for Heather Duckworth. She’s the mother of the Amazing Jacob, and they are adopting a baby girl from Guatemala named Allie. This is a family of boys…4 of them…so there was so much pink at the baby shower it looked like someone has blown up a Pepto-Bismol factory! It was so sweet and I am so eager to meet this much anticipated baby girl, she’s adorable in her pictures and I know that all babies are eagerly awaited, but this one is going to find a very blessed place to call home.
Peter has headed down to Madeira Beach. Unfortunately, only Doug Powell was able to make it down there due to work schedules, vacations and other obligations, but from the sounds of it they aren’t letting it stop them from having a good time. I hope they enjoy their beach time and I know it’ll be good for both of them to get a break. The kids and I have a packed weekend, we have birthday parties to attend on both Saturday and Sunday, we have to pack and get ready for our week at the beach, while finishing up preparations to start back to school the day after we return…have I mentioned how excited I am for school to start? If not…I am REALLY excited for school to start!!!!
The moms weekend is going to have a better turnout, there’s going to be around 10 other moms squeezing into the condo, and it’s going to be a ton of fun. I’ve never played Bunco, but apparently I’m going to get a crash course.
Tonight was Parent’s Night Out at the Children’s Cancer Center. As Peter was already at the condo, my plan was to just take advantage of the free time to get some things done. After I dropped them off, I went shopping for the birthday gifts needed for the before mentioned parties, browsed the bookstore at my long leisurely pleasure and ate a fantastic dinner that didn’t involve having to run anyone to the potty, cut up anyone else’s food and, here’s the kicker….I got to eat my food while it was HOT!!! It was good. Very good. I missed some of the other parents who all went out to dinner together, and I would have loved to have gone with them, they’re a fun crew.
However, I got done with my stuff early, and I got to spend time with Kay and Dana Bertoch (a Lymphoma survivor), just talking and gabbing and THAT was the best part of my whole night. For people in AA they set you up with a sponsor…someone who’s been there and done that and lived to tell….and whenever I’m with the Bertochs I just feel wrapped up in their strength and love and brightness, my personal cancer sponsors. Kay told me the most remarkable thing about Dana and I think it tells everything that needs to be said about the wonderful spirit she has. In answer to a comment that cancer just takes and takes and takes….Dana said that the families, the other kids, the relationships and friends, that’s what cancer has GIVEN her. I truly love that family.
Peyton’s doing well with this round of chemo, her limp is still there, but it’s not getting any worse. She’s been tired this week, putting herself down for naps and sleeping in later, but her color is ok. Today is her last day of steroids, she’s done well so far….she’s not acting grumpy and she’s eating more, but not linebacker-hungry. Her head is this funky scaly mess right now. It’s kind of gross. It’s a process that she’s gone through twice since radiation. Her skin starts to get really dry, it starts cracking and looks like she has funky old man skin, and then it starts to peel off in sheets. In a few days it’s all gone and she has a bright and shiny head again. It has made the hairs that were starting to sprout up on the top of her head go away, but on the sides and the back of her head she’s growing a very fine spattering of WHITE blond hairs. I can only hope that she keeps the blond hairs…how cute would she be? If she gets any cuter she’ll be hard to look at.
She had so much fun tonight at the CCC. She’s had this ongoing issue for the past couple of months that when she gets there she acts like she’s going in for a root canal. She frowns, refuses to play for a while and acts all moody and morose. It’s all an act. I know it, she knows it and it ticks me off! She’s milking the sympathy cow…if I act like I’m sad and miserable people will trip over themselves trying to make me feel better. She’s 3 and she’s working the system….we are so doomed!
But tonight I called her on it big time and laid down the law that if she didn’t act nice and be normal we would just go home and I would quit taking her….complete bluff, but she’s not old enough to call those just yet….give her another 6 months. When I got back, she was a giggling, laughing, playful maniac! They told me that they hadn’t seen her so animated and playful EVER! Basically, she was being the kid she usually is at home and it was good to see her being the Peyton we know. I hope she figures out that people respond to her when she’s happy and fun better than when she’s being all poor-poor-pitiful me.
Peyton made the paper again. But the story wasn’t really about her, it was about a group called the Cross Riders from our church. They came out to pray with our family a few weeks ago and they just happened to have a reporter with them to document the ride and the group. They gave Peyton a little mention in the St. Pete Times.
Vacation saga – Tuesday – Day 6
Tuesday was our day to go to Buc’s training camp. We knew that we were going to go, but we had no idea what the day would entail. In fact, when we got there, it was so hot and the kids were so bored and restless, Pete and I considered leaving. I had gone with Angela the night before on a mall run and we picked up the most adorable tenny Bucs cheerleader outfits for the girls to wear and they were so adorable, but they could have cared less about the players on the field.
After while, cheerleaders came over and asked if we could follow them…Pete and Doug follow behind NFL cheerleaders? Yeah, I think they can handle it. The cheerleaders carried the girls over in front of the stands and announced that Adelaine and Peyton were the Fans of the Day! What does that mean? I have no idea!
What it meant was that we got moved to rocking seats…shaded seats….offers of food and drinks…and little Bucs helmets that they would have the opportunity to get autographed. Cool! That meant contact with the players…the dads were practically drooling with excitement.
I thought that they’d bring over a player or two to sign the helmets and say hi.
No no no
They took us to the side of the field and plopped us flat in the middle of the walkway where the players come on their way to clean up. It seemed like every player stopped and took a moment to talk to the girls, to sign their helmet and let us take a picture of them. Those Bucs players were so phenomenally kind to us, each hulking guy made a point of getting down on their level and smiling and speaking softly to the girls.
Peyton and Adelaine were both hot, tired and over it all by the end of the day, but we were thrilled with Coach Gruden stopped by and talked to the girls, signed their helmets and let us take the photo album shots. The funniest part of the day for me was when Gruden smiled at Peyton and reached up and took off his visor and placed it on her head….where it promptly fell around her neck….and she turned and glared at him like “Are you kidding me? Did you just stick this sweaty, stinky, visor on ME!?” Yeah, she was impessed.
The girls made the Bucs website, they made several newscasts (the proud papas cane say their baby daughters made the sports sections long before their boys did) and newspapers. We are so appreciative of the kindness the Bucs afforded us, they provided us with a truly spectacular afternoon and it was an unforgettable day for us all.
f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
–Anissa
—Don't Forget!! The Cure Kids Cancer Challenge is September 29th in FishHawk! Sponsor the Mighty Mighty Mayhews!
**Special prayer request
We got word that Rachael's beloved kindergarten teacher Mrs. Wade won't be returning to the school this year. Her husband was just diagnose with a rare form of cancer, I haven't found out an exact diagnosis yet, but please keep the Wade family in your prayers. She is a wonderful woman who just embraced with us all the support and encouragement she could, and she is one of the big reasons that Rachael did so well last year. My prayers are with them for all the strength and faith it will take to get through this together.
