I’m almost afraid to say this for fear of being struck down by the jinx, but Tate is doing awesome! He has gained 10 pounds and he’s losing that skeletal look. He’s eating enough – that may have something to do with all the ice cream sandwiches his Aunt...

Something wonderful happened this week. Tate realized he is strong enough and has enough balance to walk without his cane. Due to COVID and the excessive heat keeping him home, Tate hasn’t had the opportunity to test his new no cane status anywhere but here on Northridge Street, but...

Tate finally had his Zoom appointment with the Phoenix Children’s Hospital GI doctor late last week. Between finding a PCH doctor that was willing to treat Tate even though he’s now 18 and the nurses kind of losing track of helping us with the referral, it seems like it...

Tate’s lumbar puncture and chemo day went pretty well. His check-in time was 6:15 am, and there was no conceivable reason for us to arrive that early. We waited in an empty lobby forever. We should have known we were in trouble when the door was locked when we...

I read a quote recently that said quite logically that where you direct your attention is where you live your life. Or something like that. My first thought was that I have devoted my life to Instagram; scrolling through pictures of crossfitters, Basset Hounds, and orphaned baby elephants is...

Tate is doing really well. He had an appointment for an exam and chemotherapy with the Nurse Practitioner Angie yesterday, and all his number were good. His weight is up to 137lbs, but that’s still extremely low for a 6’2″, 18-year-old male. There is no shortage of calorie dense...

Tate’s appointment went well yesterday. His ANC is 1360, and his hemoglobin and platelets are at a good level, too. They did some X-rays on his back since he’s still experiencing some pain, and the results were normal. There is no explanation for how Tate got hurt last month....

Dwayne is tired of social distancing and decided he lives in a different corner of the yard now. He muscles through the big pavers of his enclosure when he decides it’s time to eat, and I look up from my computer to see him traversing the lawn all the...

Things haven’t exactly been going in a straight line for Tate lately. His back is finally on the mend after whatever happened while he was getting his chemo, but he spent Friday and the weekend fighting a sinus thing, and now that that’s improving he sprained his ankle. Tate’s...

Things are not great here. Still, there’s something about waking up on Easter morning that makes a person feel renewed. Like people all over the world, we are celebrating with our immediate family only, minus Scott. Greg and I have spent the morning preparing an Easter meal unsure of...