12/04/2009
by Michael Wells Well, today was a good day. Brady had so much energy! As far as the chemotherapy, so far, so good and with very little vomiting. We received a phone call from Dr. Bunin at CHOP telling us that finding a match should not be difficult. And, in reference to confirming RWJ BMSH bone marrow results from Tuesday, they are still reviewing and CHOP’s pathologists asked for more information to be sent from BMCH to them to determine what the actual blast percentage was after round one of chemotherapy. All in all, it is good news. A special thank you to Uncle Mike and Aunt Arleen Magda, as well as Karla, Marshall, and Max Pray for the Caring Bridge donations. And Marie Lynn, Maren, and Mave, thanks so much for my NY GIANTS T-shirt and pants outfit and the baby food book, I Love it! Per Dr. Weiss, words of wisdom for tonight, bi-lineage/bi-phenotypic leukemia is tough to treat. BUT WE EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM BRADY! Well, keeping it simple for tonight, need to write our letter to Santa! Goodnight to all! Sherrie, Mike, and baby (oops, I mean Toddler) Brady! Hugs and Kisses to all! xoI am listening to Norah Jones with my headset singing in my right ear as I listen to the sounds of my son Brady sleeping with my left ear. So far our son is doing just remarkably well but in the next couple of days the chemotherapy drugs will kick in and the “fun” will return. Until then, I am going to try to enjoy as much of him as possible. I have the watch tonight and tomorrow night as well, Sherrie needs some rest. You know it’s funny how much you can and how quickly you learn to value the small things in life at the strangest time. Tonight was one of those moments. Brady was driving me a bit crazy being a typical toddler and acting like one. I could not get him to sleep, I could not get him to calm down and all he wanted to do was fuss and cry. Just when I thought he settled down his diaper needed changing or should I say I needed an exterminator to help remove the truck lot of chemo waste that my wonderful son excreted from his body. What a circus, trying to change him, his diaper, shirt, and of course everything in the crib. He was covered and so was I. As I am just about at my wits end Brady hits me with a “Da, Da” and my heart just about melted. So, I finish cleaning things up and sit down with him in my arms and he is soon sound asleep. It’s just the “little” things we take for granted that can make a moment, a day and I suppose a lifetime simply wonderful. I needed that Da, Da more than Brady will ever realize. My life long friend Russ Kniehl’s wife Sue wrote the following in the Guestbook informing me that Friday was International Hug Day, I’d like to share with you just in case you didn’t get a chance to read it: “I am passing along to Brady and both of you the 81 hugs I received today in honor of Brady from friends and family, in person, on Facebook and by way of email on International Hug Day.” Thank you Sue I needed every one of them… Until next time; and in honor of International Hug Day, keep Brady in your thoughts, prayers and hugs…
“8 Years Later—Still No Cure for Pediatric Cancer” is a series of posts revisiting the journal kept by Sherrie and Michael Wells during the cancer diagnosis and treatment of their son, Brady Michael. Hopefully these entires will provide an understanding of the journey families face when dealing with these horrific diseases and of the important work the Hugs for Brady Foundation does.