July 6, 2009 We took a break from all the festivities to just kick back today and stay in our jammies until noon. We watched Shrek 2, made swords out of toobers and zots and had sword fights, downloaded tic-tac-toe to Tanner’s itouch, packed bags and pretended we were going on a trip, and played the Princess Memory game.

We never left the house, although I did try to get Tanner to go on a bike ride. We put the training wheels back on her bike, since I don’t think she could catch herself if she fell. So sad since she had just been riding without them for about 2 weeks before she was diagnosed. She was so into riding that bike; we went almost every day. Today, when I asked her if she wanted to go ride, she said no and when I prodded her for a reason, said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to push the pedals and I don’t want to know if I can’t.” I just told her we could think about trying again tomorrow. What else are you going to say to that?

I think she probably could pedal on a flat area if she were given a push to start, but I think it will be a lot to swallow given that her 2-year-old brother motors around like nobody’s business. I think, in time, she’ll eventually adjust to the idea and just accept it like she has most things.

Her legs have gotten a little better every day since we stopped the steroids and, I think, since we didn’t have a vincristine dose last week. Vincristine is a type of chemo that tends to cause nerve pain and weakness. It’s been two weeks since she has had a dose. She still can’t get up off the ground or climb the stairs without a lot of help and she falls often, but she is limping less and moving better every day. In fact, today she played Dance Dance Revolution on the Wii and did pretty well. Unfortunately, she gets another dose of vincristine on Thursday, but then doesn’t have another dose for the rest of this 4-week phase of treatment. Hopefully, she’ll be able to gain considerable strength during that time.

She told me today that her friend, Corinne, asked how long she would have to take chemo and Tanner told her 2 years. She said that Corinne was suprised, “She didn’t know I had to take it that long, Mom. I’ll be eight years old when we stop chemo, won’t I?” How I would love for that not to be true. She gets it, though. She’ll be six in two days and she gets it. I underestimate her.

Just a typical day at the Page house…

Love,
Beth