Getting ready

We are getting ready and planning for two hospital days back to back. Tomorrow afternoon Em will have labs and chemo, and then on Thursday the port removal surgery. Emily is a little nervous about the surgery but mostly excited about having her port out. She sees it as returning to a "normal" kid. We are excited about the lower risk for blood clots and the obvious risk analysis the doctors must have done to decide they wanted to take it out. They wouldn't put her through unnecessary surgery, so this is a great sign, I can't say it enough.

Emily is doing really well in school, today she is giving her first oral book report, and she's a little nervous. Emily also auditioned for the Second Grade performance for a dance role, and she got it. At first she was selected as an alternate, which she was happy about, and then two days later even more excited when she learned she had moved from alternate to a starring role ;-) She will be dancing to John Denver's "Grandmas Feather Bed", which I used to play in guitar class when I was a child. I need to find the sheet music so she and I can practice at home.

Tracy and I are still in the process of trying to get our lives back in order. Tracy is looking to increase her work hours, we are trying to find out how much more she can work, and for us to still get everything done. This weekend I also planned a few vacations for the year, something for us to look forward to. In early May, Tracy and I are going to the New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival, which will be our first real trip away from Emily since she was diagnosed. It's a really big step for us.