An unwelcome discovery

I'm so far behind in my blogs that I'm writing this blog from mid-March in early July!  A lot has happened over the past few months and keeping up with my blog became a very low priority.  In any case, I do want to continue to document all of the wonderful, and not so wonderful, moments of life - so I'm back at it.  I will try and get caught up slowly, but surely.

This week back in March was a low point for our family.  Losing Spumoni was incredibly painful, but then finding out my Mom had cancer just a few days later was just awful, to put it mildly.  (I'm glad that I can type this in August when I already know she is doing well, in remission after her chemo treatments and stem cell transplant behind her, moving forward to health!)  Mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer, after some routine blood work revealed problems.  Being down in St. Petersburg, FL for the winter, she started treatment immediately in St. Petersburg in collaboration with the Moffitt Cancer Center in nearby Tampa.  Fortuitously the cancer center in Tampa is one of the best in the country for treating this type of cancer.  I just had to be with her after we found out the news, so I flew down there for a few days to support her (and myself) during her first round of chemo treatment.   I loved just being with her and am in awe of her positive attitude and fighting spirit.  My Dad has been so amazing and supportive, too.  They have such a strong bond, it is awesome.  I seriously felt like a third wheel on several occasions!  They are really demonstrating the "in sickness and in health" part of their vows.  

No matter what is going on in your life, the sun seems to rise and set just the same.  Comforting.

Being with Mom:)

Pelican sighting

Lunch after treatment

Short walks

Fatigue hasn't yet hit, so we enjoyed a nice dinner out in downtown St Petersburg

This guy played music on his glasses, it was really neat.

This week back at home, Claire and Alexandra made cookies together

Claire has really been improving in swim lessons with Ms. Alison

Love Luke's Cheetah painting

Running, usually always with my workout buddy in the room

I had a work event as soon as I got back from FL.

Kevin Walgreen is on my team for this project - he is all the way to the right.  My lovely colleagues Lauren and Rona also in the picture.

Just felt like I needed to document what Claire's room is looking like these days.  Usually some sort of Lego or toys on the rug.

The little pillow on the left is what I rest my head on when I lay with her for 8 minutes each night.  She likes me to scratch her back, rub her back (on skin, not over the pajamas), rub her hair and then finally tuck my arm tight around her before she falls asleep.