like clockwork

We have been battling colds along with adjusting to life as a family of two working parents, a baby (cause we often forget that Nathan is not quite a toddler), and a kid with cancer.

We are back in for lumbar puncture and start our week of steroids again tomorrow.  Our monthly cycle is like clockwork, and we are getting pretty good at planning around Charlottes (predictable) moods, or at least lowering our expectations.

The first week of each cyle Charlotte is recovering from her lumbar puncture, and depressed and clingy as a result of the prednisone.  I will take this over the dexamethoasone.  Many other leukemia protocols (treatment plan) have kids on Dexamethasone instead of prednisone.  On Dex, Charlotte was a
rage-a-holoic.  Always angry and screaming for food.  Not that I like depressed, but at least I feel like I can offer her something - countless cuddles.  I swear, during those weeks, if I had a zipper, Charlotte would wear me as a jacket - she can't seem to get enough cuddles.

The second week is retraining Charlotte, as she gets away with a lot more whining during prednisone week.

Then we have about 1.5 to 2 weeks of 'good' weeks with our charming delightful little girl.

So, since tomorrow we start again, a weekend of no plans was well spent.  On Saturday, Charlotte and I made a last minute plan to attend a fundraiser for Children's Wish - a princess tea.  It was pretty magical!  Nothing cuter then 50+ excited little princesses.  About every two minutes, Charlotte would comment "look mommy, a princess".  There was a little spa where the girls could get makeup, tattoos, manicures, etc.  A craft area, and of course tea, cookies, and fancy sandwiches.  Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel along with a couple pirates and a magician made there day!  I was in heaven watching her delighted face!

Today we went for a walk in the beautiful weather, played, and had a yummy roast chicken dinner (with green mashed potatoes of course)!  My attempt to fill Charlotte's belly for fasting till her LP.  My day was made when Charlotte gave me a totally unprovoked "thank you for the delicious dinner mommy".  Stefan is off for the next two weeks for Spring Break, and I'll be taking a few days off too.  I'm taking Charlotte in tomorrow which I haven't done since November.  Charlotte is very excited to go (I know - crazy girl).  When I told her today we were going to 'her' hospital tomorrow - she wanted to go NOW!  Happy St. Patty's day all!

Sleeping Princess

an anniversary

2 years ago today, I was 8 weeks pregnant, pacing the halls of Vancouver General Hospital, waiting for Stefan to come out of surgery and wondering if he would be able to speak.  

1 year ago today, my little family of 4 was cramped into an emergency room at BC Children's Hospital for the longest and most unreal day of our lives.  A blur of 'indicates cancer, will be a long few years, blood transfusion, surgery, biopsy, lumbar puncture, chemotherapy' as we did our best to comfort our very sick little girl and our 5 month old baby boy....while choking back the tears.

Today:

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Okay, I totally cheated, these photos are actually from 5 days ago.  My plans for a family dinner out tonight and photo shot were thwarted by our broken cable, and the cable guy showing up 2 hours late.  Charlotte had her heart set out going out - so it turned into a mother daughter date - which was kind of nice (the poor boys were stuck at home)!  All in all, things are looking up for the Lageston family!

"Every storm runs out of rain, just like every dark night turns into day, every heartache will fade away...."