Grade 7

 

June 21st 2012 Aidan's Grad Ceremony at Chief Maquinna Elementary.  The kids sang two songs that were inspiring.  One of Aidan's classmates, Vivian had an amazing voice, when I spoke with her mom she had no idea her daughter could sing like that.  Top right is Aidan's best friend Andres whom he has know since he was 5 years old.  It was nice to have them together for this moment.  In the fall Aidan will be going to Templeton and Andres and many of Aidans good buddies will be going to Van Tech.  Aidan won the Anne Hathorn award along side of Olivia Phelan for compassion and courage. 

This week was pretty intense, I really felt the teenager in Aidan came out. He was talking about wearing all camouflage and I nixed the idea, then i got hm this whole black attire but it was a fight to get him to tuck in his shirt.  I told him when he played the drums he could untuck it but he managed the whole time without having to untuck.  YIPPEEEE

One of the moms Nadine was hosting a party for the kids at her place afterwards, he had drum lessons and i didn't have time to give the two week notice so I told him that he still had to go.  He was MAD at me.  It worked out though because I let him have an hour and fifteen minutes at the party and then Andres came with us to the music class.  Afterwards Aidan had Teen Group at the hospital so we dropped Andres at home on the way up.  Extra time with his friend so that was a BONUS. 

Unfortunately Paul had to take a class that day so he wasn't able to attend.  It was really rough because the previous day they had a dress rehearsal and the speeches were about friends and everyone going their own way.   A bunch of these kids he has know since Kindergarten and he said that you spend so much time with them and soon it will be over.  He looked around and saw tears in some of his friends eyes, he held it in.  When he got home and I had to tell him that dad couldn't go to grad he broke down and cried.  He said things couldn't get any worse.  On the day of grad his Uncle Cheez came by to visit me and I asked him to come along to grad, that made Aidan happy to see him.  It turned out that Keith knew one of Aidan's friends Dad that was at the school .  YUp its is a small world.

These past weeks have been non stop go go go and more go. 

Aidan has been invited to attend Franklin Elementarys grade 7 dinner tomorrow night.  He was so excited when he got the email from his past teacher Stacey Sveistrup.  I hope he won't be too exhausted since tomorrow at his school they are going to Jericho beach for the day, then at 3:30 him and Brandan have a dentist appt( I can't reschedule i already moved it 3 times)  then at 5:00 is the dinner till 7:3o .  7:30 to 10 something is a party at one of the kids house but i will pick him up at 9pm because I am sure his body will need a shower and his face will need his pillow

BCCHF-Annual report photo shoot

Aidan got to take part in a photoshoot for the BCCHF Annual report.  How nice to have someone else other than your MOM take your picture.  We met up with Joanne, and Irvin from the Foundation, Hubert the photographer and other parents and kids that go to the Children's Hospital.  My sister Suzanna came along for the very WET day. It was nice to have met up with Pat and his son Oscar.   The park was out in Richmond, I will have to google it again so I can take the boys out on a sunny day.

Sword Fight

Aidan is such a GREAT big brother!   Hey Brandan "How about I make you a sword and then we can have a sword fight!"

Last of the Nelarabine

Aidan had Nelarabine for the whole week, he was so happy to be de-accessed on friday. 

Aidan has some video on his IPAD i am still waiting for them.  Everything went relatively well.  Previously when he got this chemo his counts went down so on the following tuesday he went for blood work at our nearbyBiomed clinic.  Karen, Aidan's nurse called the next day to say that his plateletes were down so his chemo for the week was held and that we would wait another week and repeat the blood work. 

It is the week after and we went to the hospital for blood work this week.  Counts are GREAT!  The best they have ever been since the start of all of this.

White blood 4.4

Hemoglobin  114

Platelets  1.25

Neurtraphils 340

Since his counts did go down, Aidans oral chemo is at half of a half of a half tablet for both his metholtrexate and his 6mp.

His next in clinic appt is July 3 for blood work and Vincristine and the dreaded PREDISONE!

Miracle weekend 2012

Images from Miracle Weekend. Aidan and Brandan got to help out at the cheque presentation with Balding for Dollars and the Chinese Canadian Association. Tons of Global news people and a couple of Sedin's.   It was an exhausting but FUN weekend.

Loose Tooth

not too much happening today......4/5 hospital visits done.  Tomorrow is De-Access day. 

Brandan had his last day of sibling group at the hospital, he enjoyed it and will miss not having it to go to. 

Aidan's baby teeth are trying to escape from his mouth so here is the second tooth in a week that is coming out.

HOSPITAL WEEK JUNE 4-8

One of Aidan's molar has been loose for awhile.  He would continually tell me how it could move this way and that.  Monday he said that it was only being held by a stringy piece of flesh and that his tongue could slide right underneath it.  He finally decided to just YANK it out.  My biggest fear was all of the bacteria being kicked around in his mouth, he did a really good brushing and mouth rinse.  Now he is telling me two of his other molars are loose.  GREAT!

Aidan has his week of Nelarabine it is suppose to be the last dose of this chemo but all the others are still continuing.  Yup so he is hooked up for the week but his friend Jordan is suppose to make sure nobody bumps into Aidan and his VAD or DAV as he likes to call it.  Aidan gets to the hospital at 3:30 has some Ondansetron(anti nausea Meds)  that cost twelve dollar a piece not covered like the chemo.  It seems kind of silly or should I say stupid since the chemo makes you feel nauseated so you need the Ondansatron.  Aidan takes it every 8 hours.

Okay so the kids actually LIKE going to the hospital.  Aidan gets his chemo that is going to make him better in the end.  The kids get to play loads of video games on every possible gaming device.  The Nurses, Doctors, Social workers, Child lifers, front Oncology crew, Balding for dollars-Suzane and Dan and all of the staff are AWESOME!  Aidan gets to go to Teen Group, Brandan gets to go to Sibling group(which unfortunately is ending soon).   All they need is a swimming pool.  SO the other thing that puts a smile on their faces is Starbucks.  Brandan with his white mocha icy drink and Aidan with gets his tall steamed vanilla milk in a grande cup with extra whip cream and caramel drizzle.  It really puts a smile on Aidan's face when he sees one of the barista's because he doesn't have to say what he wants she just knows.

Late Post-Radiation

This isn't right now, this was actually last September I just forgot to include earlier.  Aidan had radiation to the brain because if the leukemia was to come back that is where it would go so this is to decrease the chance.  It was quite interesting and Aidan wasn't scared.  He was fascinated about it all and the team at the hospital made him feel so comfortable.  He was fitted with a radiotherapy mask it was made of a mesh plastic that is flat, when submersed in hot water it becomes pliable and was fitted onto his face.  The doctors determine where the radiation will be directed and little beads are attached to the mask.  The technicians allowed him to turn the bed and talked about Harry Potter, at the end of his 5 rounds of radiation they gave him a huge Harry Potter Lego set.  Yes he was a HAPPY boy.  That set has a special place in his bedroom.

CHILD RUN 2012

Good Morning, Good Evening and most of ALL, Good Night.  Our TEAM Aidan has all worked so very hard and it was FULL ON AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Our crew raised $5,828.00 plus Chip Wilson kicked in to match our over $1000.00 donations so that adds on another 4000.00 to our total that all goes to BCCH Oncology/Hemotology dept.   In whole the Childrun brought in over $1,000,000.00 dollars.  I will post pics tomorrow from the Miracle week telethon.  I want to thank our FABULOUS crew, I know I didn't get to spend much time with everybody but I hope you all had a good time I was volunteering down at Miracle Week as a photographer for the BCCHF. 

ANYWAYS I want to thank my big sisters-Diana and Suzanna they are awesome aunties to the boys and two thumbs up in the sister dept.  Jean, Tyson,Jacob,and Isaac who raised a whole heck of a lot of money for Aidan during Shavin for Aidan last year when Aidan attended Franklin Elementary (yes some of that went to the purchase of Lego)  Our dear friend Susan who is the best Christmas cookie baker and our favorite state side traveling companion.  Katie, Landon and Riley our alley way neighbors who are the sweetest people on earth,  Dianne whom i just met through Diana, she helped us with our Garage sale fundraiser and I will have to say she is one FUN gal!!!  Heather, Matthias and Alex from Chief Maquinna where the boys go to school, my fellow mom who has shown me how to beat myself up by starting up badminton and volleyball.  Oh Cousin Rita who is the cutest GIRL I know and was also my bridesmaid when she was 13 we love her so much, thanks Jake for coming out I see that you were competing against Aidan in the bed head dept. CHUNG he has been my friend forever and I know I owe him big time for getting his but up early early to get to the run.  Grampa Dale AKA my father in law is Mr. Athletic and ran up to the run this morning from his place, I hope I can be as fit as him when i get that old.(not that your that old Dale!) Andres has been Aidans' best friend since they were 4 years old. Yes i left it till the end ..... my bestie Gal pal Teena, hub the bub Jeff and the kidlings August and Oliver. She made 107 Lasagnas as her fundraiser for the Childrun CRAZY, CRAZY and more CRAZY. 

Check out this link https://secure.bcchf.ca/SuperheroPages/teamLeaders.cfm?Event=Childrun we are in the top 5, YIPPEEEEEE

Aidan, Brandan, Paul and myself appreciate all of the support. 

Aidan has an everyday at the hospital event this week.  3:30 M-F he is in clinic till about 5:30 he will be having his VAD accessed this week so he isn't very happy but they need to keep it accessed to cut down the risk of infection.  He is getting Chemo called Nelarabine it will be the last time he gets this during his treatment.  I have to take a look at the protocol to see what will be next.  In the mean time he is still on 6MP  every day, Septra on the weekend and Metholtrexate every tuesday. 

Okay seriously I have to log out i am quickly fading.  Good night all

CURLY HAIR

Okay I promise you that I am the mother and Paul IS the father.  

This is what happens when you have a son that is taking ChEMO to keep those nasty LEUKEMIA cells away.  Aidan's hair fell out twice, the first time it grew back like a weird Chia pet.  The second time it took a VERY VERY long time for it to grow back.  Check it out that is curly hair right  out of the shower, Oh and he also has highlights in his hair.  Yes I know People pay to get their hair to look like that.  As you can see Aidan is not fond of me always taking pictures.

OUCH

BOYS WILL BE BOYS.  BIG OWWWCHEEEZZZZ  Aidan slipped on some loose gravel and took a tumble.  He was out and about with his friends so at the time it probably didn't hurt as much because he was having so much fun with his buddies.  It is scabbing up pretty good, Daddy did a good clean up job for him when he got home.  Of course I was "AHHHH why didn't you call me to pick you up"  Yup I am a MOM

Chief Maquinna BBQ

I know contrary to what my friends and family think ..... I do not have a camera strapped to my face all of the time.  I only had my phoney phone with me which explains the out of focus low res image.  Our school was having a BBQ fundraiser and invited Aidan to take part and sell his buttons for the Childrun.  His FANTASTIC gang of friends came out and helped him.  In total Aidan raised $200 from button donations from the shool to go to the BCCH childrun with all proceeds to going to the Oncology and Hemotology dept.

Diana and I had a BIG Garage Sale Fundraiser for the Childrun.  We had so much fun!!!!!!!!!  I wish my other sister Suzanna could have been there too but she opted to go on  a mini vacation to the states with her boyfriend, that's okay sis you can have fun with us next time.  My crazy neighbors Olivia and Kiki came over and were a HUGE help.  They helped move loads of stuff that we had to bring up from the basement and as you can see they also provided some entertainment.  Just because we like to be confusing, Diana had her friend Dianne help and I had my friend Teena help.  Just to mix it up even more I wore a name tag that said Diana,  

Okay drum roll please........................ we raised a whopping $500 at our Garage Sale which is all being added to our Childrun total.  On top of all of the craziness, my dear special friend Teena made Lasagnas as her fundraiser, she sold 98.  NINETY EIGHT that is is INSANITY.  We are still getting donations coming in, in fact just last night two VERY lovely ladies that live just around the corner from us donated more money because they had heard about Aidan through our Garage sale.  Aidan was also selling buttons and made another $100.00 yes that is a total of $300.00 from button sales