“Cancer Free”, That is the official word from the docs at club AMC. I do apologize for the delay in getting this posted, as Holly and I have both been stretched beyond belief in the last few weeks… So you’d think that we’d all this time on our hands after she is done, but seriously we have 10 months of catch up and clean-up… So that’s my excuse.

Teagan had her Bone Marrow biopsy on November 1st, and we got the results about a week later. The Docs looked at her marrow and said that she is in full remission (thank god), and that everything looked great. She did come down with an infection a few days later, but did not need any hospitalization, just a cocktail of meds to get her ANC numbers which dropped from 5000+ to less than 600 in a week back to a safe range. We’re not quite out of the woods yet as we have to closely monitor her with monthly hospital visits for the next 5 years. AML Leukemia has a 25% chance of relapse in the first year with lower percentages in the subsequent years. Obviously we’ve got our fingers crossed, along with a few other things hoping well catch a break on this one.

Teagan is an amazing individual, and has thrived again in all her therapies and even her hair is making an amazing comeback, as we hope to have enough there to put a bow into it by Christmas… but I’ll probably have to resort to the duct tape or staple gun to make it stick… just kidding about the duct tape!!! Only problem is that people confuse her as a little boy, which we are quick to defend, and point out the bright pink jacket, flowers or other obviously girly clothes.. but I guess these days you just never know… where’s my staple gun!!

Holly and I have steadily been attacking the piles of undone and neglected tasks, chores and projects around the house, like digging out the piles of boxes and bags in our dinning room or finally repainting the office and getting the 800 boxes of books and “kitsch” (German word) out of the hallway. So the house is coming back to order slowly and we’re getting back into somewhat of a normal routine.

The boys are doing well, and have taken well to 1st and 4th grade, as they both really like their teachers. It’s amazing seeing those little minds develop and grow up. Neither seems to have suffered any long term effects from all this, although Tyler will still come into our room in the middle of the night haven been awoken from a bad dream, but we’re certain those will pass too.

Parker, a.k.a “dead dog walking” is still hanging in there, even the vet is surprised by how long he’s been able to hang on after his cancer diagnosis in June, the estimate was 1-3 months. we’re just not telling him that… lets see what happens. and then there’s Abby, who at 14 ½ is now completely deaf, and has taking to howling just about all the time… guess she doesn’t realize WE can still hear her. Often she wanders the house obviously confused until he seemingly hits a wall causing her to change directions until she finds an opening like a doorway or stairs… we fear that neither have long to live, but will die fat and happy if I can help it, as they get to eat anything they want… the bad food certainly isn’t going to kill them any sooner…

As we prepare to travel to Watertown to spend Turkey day with Holly’s family, we reflect on the past year and how last year I was nursing two broken feet after my fall from the roof… Obviously I’m not hanging any lights this year, with hopes that the next year will be a better one for us and anyone who faced similar challenges this year…

We wish you all a prosperous, joyous and HEALTYH holiday season. Thank you all who were there to help us, we certainly could not have made it without your help.

Be well and God Bless.

Juergen, Holly and Kids