Update 1/8 :: Quick Recap from the Urologist

Our visit to the urologist, Dr. Smith, came and went last Friday, without too much to report.  The concern for Imm is that the tumor is all over the kidney and ureter area, in addition to all the spinal stuff.  So, the risk is that a) the tumor is physical obstructing, and/or b)there's nerve damage caused by the tumor or her surgery.

Thankfully, the doctor thinks that there is currently no problem. Right now, we're keeping a record of how often she goes #1 during the day, to see if she's peeing enough.  Sorry, that was so non-medical of me. They want to see if she is *ahem* fully "voiding." 

As we're finding with everything else, it's not an exact science. It depends, of course, on how much water she drinks during the day, and it's different for every kid. That's why they call medicine a practice.  So, the plan right now is to wait until Feb 21, which is the date of our next MRI. They're going to take a few extra pictures/slides of Imogen's kidney while they're imaging the tumor and her spine.

We feel pretty good right now. It's hard to wait and feel like we're doing nothing, and we're not sure if we want to stay with our oncologist. I think she's a capable researcher and doctor, but she's not warm, caring, or invested in us, and Imogen's cancer is not her specialty. Pray for us with that decision.  Also, we are open to your advice and suggestions with this, if any reader has any experience with this kind of thing. Every other cancer parent we've talked to has said, YOU SHOULD LOVE YOUR ONCOLOGIST.  Frankly, we don't.

In happier news, Imogen's head is fuzzier every day. When you go through chemo, your hair won't necessarily grow back with the same color or texture. It's actually one of the fun exciting aspects of recovery.  I'm open to taking bets for the following:

How will Imm's hair grow back?

My guess changes depending on the angle and the day. Yesterday, it looked quite dark. But she's noticing, and is adorable when she talks about it. Tonight, while she was taking a shower, she asked mom for some shampoo, because she said she has hair again; aaand, commence waterworks. I won't forget that moment for a long time.  Here are a couple shots so you can see it!

Update 1/2 :: New

All of us every single year, we're a different person. I don't think we're the same person all our lives.

-Steven Spielberg

I can't tell you how glad I am that I was able to take a break from updating during the holidays.  Not because I don't enjoy writing and sharing, but because there was no emergency or unexpected hospital visit. In fact, it was quite perfect, and an excellent rest.

Imogen and Aaron are covered in dolls and toys and gifts from Christmas, and Tammy and I are scheming and figuring out which toys we can secretly get rid of. We're working on a formula to weigh:

• The amount of joy said toy brings 
• The degree of dependency on mom and dad
• The likelihood of it destroying our house at some point

In other words, goodbye to you, cotton candy machine, and all your sugar-spraying chaos. 

As far as an update, we met with our oncologist for a couple of hours on Monday, to talk about the next year.  We asked questions and entertained what ifs, and some of those were actually answered.  Here's what our 2014 looks like: 

• Tomorrow, we begin our meetings with a urologist to see if there are any issues caused by the tumor.
• In February, we have our next MRI and PET scan. The MRI will be every 3 months, the PET once or twice a year.
• Also, Imogen will be doing her post-chemo echocardiogram. (Chemo can damage your heart; this one will be compared to the baseline we did before chemo to make sure there are no problems)

Celebrate what you want to see more of.

-Tom Peters

2013 was tough. It had an unspeakable amount of blessing, of course, and there's so much to be thankful for. But I don't think it'd surprise you to hear that 2013 was the worst year of our lives, for some obvious reasons, and others that will remain obscured.

But let me put on my philosopher hat for a moment, will you? I really only have one piece of advice: 

Wipe.

In addition to the practical application (which I do encourage for 2014, by the way), I'd encourage it in your relationships. Wipe the slate clean. Be willing to start over. Don't give up on people, and learn to see them the way God sees them.

When I look at 2013, particularly with Imogen, there's plenty I want to leave in the past. Like chemo. No thanks, I'm more than happy to keep that out of our 2014. So, leave your poison in the past. As far as it depends on you, live in peace.

Hat off. Thanks for that. From my family to yours, happy new year. And here are some cute pics of Imm and Aaron over the break.