Posted on 05/03/2014

So much has happened since our last update. We were able to enjoy a much needed short family vacation thanks to Heroes Forever. Once a year, Heroes Forever chooses a number of families who are dealing with cancer to get away to Snow Mountain Ranch. This was our first time participating, and I must say it was one of the most enjoyable experiences we had in a long time. It was so nice to be in a place where children, even though many are dealing with life-threatening diseases, can still find it in their hearts to smile and have good old fashioned fun. It was inspiring and overall a bunch of carefree fun. We went swimming, played in the gymnastics room including bouncing castles and a sponge pool. We divided into teams to play a game of Minute to Win it (our team did great, and we were ahead until the last round). We went on a wagon horse ride, roasted marshmallows and drank hot chocolate around a camp fire. The boys had a blast, and it was really great to connect with other families experiencing the same situation. While it’s not the ideal connection to have with another family, it was comforting to know that we are not alone. Thank you Heroes Forever! On another and equally important note, Nathaniel had his first post chemo scans yesterday and while the anticipation was grueling, the 8 hour wait for results seemed worth it once we were told that his scans looked great, and there has been no change. He will have scans again in 3 months. I will take a moment to exhale for at least a few months before the next scans close near. As a celebration, we are taking Nathaniel and Lucas to go see The Amazing Spiderman, while Matthew spends quality time with his godmother. On the Thursday before scans, we were blessed to have Father Ed from St. Dominic’s Church do an anointing of Nathaniel. It was a beautiful, treasured moment where we were able to take a moment and ask Jesus to place his healing hands on Nathaniel and allow him to live a cancer free life. It was incredibly emotional, and I’m so glad we were able to receive such a blessing. While there is indeed much concern and fear in the days moving forward, for now I will enjoy our good news and take time to be thankful for how strong this has made us. Nathaniel is scheduled for surgery on May 28 to repair his leg. I will keep you updated as we get closer. Thank you to everyone who continues to support our son and our family.