1.5 year recap...and of course fathers day

Wow - I can't believe how much our world has changed in just 1.5 years.  My sense of time is completely skewed now.  I think back to my Grandpa's 95th birthday, just months before Stefan was diagnosed, and it seems like eons ago.

I think we have a few new readers - so I thought it would be a good time for a recap:

• exactly 18 months ago, December 17, 2010, Stefan was diagnosed with a brain tumour and rushed into emergency surgery.  The 8 by 5 cm tumour was causing his brain stem to shift out of place.  
• We at first thought the tumour was an astrocytoma, it was later diagnosed as an oligiodendroglioma.  The first surgery had only removed a small bit of the tumour and put a 'hole' in his skull to relieve pressure.  
• We had our share of appointments for Superchuck with some developmental delays.  These seem pretty minor now!
• In February of 2011, we met with 2 different surgeons with some very contrasting opinions on a second surgery.  From "if you do another surgery, you will be a vegetable" to "we can remove 70-80% of the tumour with little to no impact".
• On March 8th, Stefan had his second surgery - removing 98% of the tumour!
• Charlotte learned to walk on March 26, 2011 - at 22 months old
• On May 6th, Stefan started his radiation, which ended 1 year ago - June 16th
• We announced our pregnancy and then welcomed the addition of Nathan on October 7, 2011
• We have had two follow up appointments since Stefan completed radiation - each showing no growth.
• We made it to Hawaii to recharge in January 2012
• Our world was rocked again March 8, 2012 with Charlotte's diagnoses.
• We are now three months into Charlotte's chemotherapy treatment.  The treatment will be pretty intense until December, and then she will be in 'maintenance' for two years - which will still mean chemo every day for 2 years, but we will be able to regain a somewhat normal life.
• We have received MOUNTAINS of support from family, friends and even complete strangers - and realized how beautiful people are - even in the midst of a storm.

Whew - yes - I will agree that we have been through more in the last 18 months then one family should have to go through in a lifetime.  But - we are still here, still strong, still a team.

On that note - I have to do a little bragging about my lovely hubby for fathers day.  I usually don't like to brag too much - as I think I have a pretty stellar hubby - and I don't want to be lynched by jealous people!  So - to my amazing hubby - thank you for my magically appearing clean clothes (washing machine - what's that?), your amazing parenting skills (I will have to learn the tooth brushing song one of these days), for contributing more then your fair share of genes to our cute kids (thank goodness they didn't inherit my lopsided ears), and your shoulder to cry on (and what a muscular shoulder it is...mmmm).  I'm so lucky to have you and I could not imagine a different partner through our tough times.   

Somehow, Stefan ended up bbq-ing our dinner tonight, and I'm the one headed off to the spa with my girlfriends tomorrow.  If anyone wants to steal Stefan one night this week for a drink - please take him - he deserves it!