Brooklyn made it through her last treatment and she did well. I am hoping that today will be a lazy day as it has been in the past after her treatments. I have yet to read Scott’s blog from yesterday so I am not sure what it says. We will do fine without him here and will be leaving the hospital on the 13th instead of the 15th. That will give me some time to get things organized in shanghai for the dreaded flight home. It looks like the weather will return to the normal hot and humid once Scott has left. Brooklyn will continue to receive therapy until we leave.
Thanks for all of the support during this adventure. We are hoping we will not need to return but feel comfortable coming back if we had to. Everyone here has been great and I have met so many wonderful people.
Until tomorrow - heather & brooklyn
June 7th, 2007
I can not believe almost a week has gone by. Heather has arrived on her train from Shanghai and I leave on a 7:00 train tomorrow evening back to Shanghai to return home on Saturday. Brooke will have her last stem cell transfer tomorrow. She has been really great since I have been here, as long as she is moving. I have seen Brooke progress and change in the quick week I was here. Heather has done a wonderful job planning and preparing for this trip. All to come out very well. I was not quite sure what to expect upon coming but it has more than exceeded my expectations. I am hoping Brooke’s progress does the same thing.
We have met some incredible people from all over the world since we have been here. Scotland, Romania, Singapore, Canada, and even Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. All their stories are different, and their hopes and dreams are different but all trying to improve the quality of life for them or their children. We are blessed to have Brooke the way she is when I look at some of the other people. But we are doing the same, trying to improve Brooke’s quality of life.
The support and prayers from family and friends has been overwhelming. I could list all the neighbor’s, co-workers’s, etc. but you are all our friends. A big thanks to my parents and Heather’s for all their love and support through all this. A special thanks to my sister for making Shanghai our home base through all this. You have been a tremendous help, more than we could thank you for. Even though the trip got more expensive with all the shopping spree’s, that includes me. I also want to mention and say thanks to those that contributed to the fundraiser that Dennis orchestrated. What a relief.
No, I have not forgetten Heather. Brooke will never remember any of this, but we certanly will. Your love and sacrifice has already given her a better life. Not only through this treatment, but the treatment you give her every day. You are an exceptional mother and one day both Sydney and Brooke will realize the same thing I know. I love you and thank you every day.
This is my swan song for posting in the blog. This experience has been incredible. Definitely makes you take a different look at life. Brooke is doing great and progressing every day. Our adventure is almost over, and in no time we will be back home. Thanks again to everyone for the comments, prayers, and encouraging words. We are truly blessed!!!!
Goodbye for now.
June 5th, 2007
Just finished all the therapy for the day. She continues to improve on all her therapy. Went to the temple and lake yesterday. Drove by Ferrari, Porsche, amd Maserati dealerships. It was very nice around the lake.
She will have her last stem cell transfer on Wednesday. She has been sleeping and eating well. She continues to love her walks around the floor. Good thing it is summer whne we return because I think she will continue to enjoy the walks. We may have to rent the neighbor’s time to walk her.
Heather returns tomorrow after her exhaustive shopping spree with Sydney and Michelle. Then we are in the home stretch. It will be nice to have everyone home. Gotta go, need to walk more. Was going to the market but it is now raining. Saw the sun yesterday, it was a beautiful day. Goodbye for now.
June 4th, 2007
Brooke’s therapy was again good yesterday afternoon. She walked in the walker about the same distance. I need to make one correction, it was about 200 FEET not yards. Either way I thought she did great. Going to a temple today since Sunday is a free day. She starts a different schedule tomorrow so we will see how that goes. Might be better for her but will not allow excursions in the afternoon. Not a big deal to me but it may curtail Heather’s visits to the markets. Gotta go, she can only sit here for so long. We’ll try an update tomorrow after therapy.
How’s the weather in Michigan? Summer should be in full swing by now. I think I have seen the sun for a total of about 5 hours since I have been here. Very humid and hazy all the time.
June 3rd, 2007
I know the last post was more about what was going on so this one is more about Brooke’s progress. Yesterday after her afternoon nap she finished up therapy by walking in a walker roughly 200 yards. It is a sling type walker and with the therpist moving the walker, which is all on wheels, she took every step. She is not as stable if she does it on her own but she is putting one foot in front of the other much better. I have seen many differerences from when she left May 9th to when I arrived. It is very encouraging. Many of her motor skills have seemed to improve also, including her finger dexterity. We have therapy again this afternoon so I need to get fussy britches for a stroll aroud the floor before we go to therapy. She has been sleeping and eating well.
Thanks to everyone for the encouraging words and prayers. It is nice to read everyone’s comments. Tomorrow is an off day but I will get something penned at some point. Going to try and visit a temple. Goodbye for now.
June 2nd, 2007
The parenting duty has now switched at the hspital. Heather made it back to Shanghai and I made it through the first night and Brooke slept through the night. She was up around 6:15 but she took 2 naps yesterday for almost 1.5 hours each. I understand this is pretty typical the day after her treatment. We did our morning laps and said hello to everyone that was up and moving. She is now getting a little restless while I compose my first blog entry. She has the patience of her mother.
I can see that after a day here, Heather’s trip back to Shanghai is well deserved. OK, gotta go before she jumps out of the stroller.
June 1st, 2007
Brooklyn is sleeping now and we hope she will sleep through the night. She did not do as well this time with her treatment. She was up when they brought her back to the room and it took us a while to get her to sleep. I even crawled into the crib with her. Yes, I did say we - Scott did make it here in one piece. I am leaving tomorrow afternoon and will be back on Tuesday at some time. I am curious to see if Scott has noticed any changes in Brooklyn. I have a quick run down of everything and he will be one his own.
Need to get back - they are probably both asleep by now!!
Oh - I keep forgetting - for those of you that have seen brooklyn’s pacifer trick - she is a hit with the dr’s. Every morning when they round they grab her paci and put it in upside down. Once she flips it they all laugh and clap for her - they just think it is the greatest. One of he dr’s told me that is a sign of intelligence.
Gotta run - love heather & brooke
May 30th, 2007
Brooke will have her 3rd stem cell treatment this afternoon. Yesterday she only had therapy and that was all we did, except for a trip to the market. This morning she does not have therapy, but my stomach is not doing so well today so we are stuck around here this morning. Scott will arrive this afternoon - i hope i feel well enough to go pick him up. Brooklyn’s dr here expects that she will see much improvement from her treatment. They think she is doing well. Will try to write more later after her treatment.
May 30th, 2007
I got word this afternoon that scott and syd arrived in shanghai after having to spend the night in Tokyo after the alaska delay. They hit the fabric market this afternoon and scott spent 3,000 rmb(about $390) on material for a cashmere coat, 2 suits a suitcoat and 11 pairs of pants. That doesn’t include the cost of the tailor (that should be at least 2,500 rmb). He said i am not allowed in the fabric market any more. Brooke was a little tired today and I had to cut her therapy short. She took a nap and then we went shopping with Joanna, our friend from toronto. We went to the silk market - hangzhou is the silk capital of the world. We picked up a few things - I should have a new wardrobe by the time i get home!!
For those of you wondering a w sit is a way us old people don’t bend - two legs out to the side bended so the knees are in front. Brooke gets her third treatment on Wednesday and scott will be here just in time for. I can’t wait to get to Shanghai to see Syd - I heard she was a very good girl while i was gone. I hope we have fun and i hope I am able to leave with out much trouble.
Another day gone - I haven’t picked up too much more chinese but one of the dr’s said my chinese is good - such a complex language - each character has 4 different sounds.
Well I should be getting off to bed - brooke hit the sack around 7:00 - she was very tired. She is getting another tooth - her bottom right eye tooth. it looks like it will break through any day now.
We hope everyone is well. I will be leaving for Shanghai on Thursday evening so it will be scott’s responsibility to keep this updated!
Hope this finds everyone well - love heather and brooke
May 28th, 2007
Scott and sydney left for china but had a detour in alaska due to a non-working toilet. I have not gotten the whole story yet - that is what they get for flying first class. Today we went to the market and then to west lake. The market was ok, but since we have been there before it wasn’t that much fun. The west lake was nice but it was very hot today. I did some christmas shopping at the market so that will be nice to have some of that done.
While our canadian friends were visiting us today brooklyn pushed herself into sitting from her stomach into a W sit. She balanced herself on her legs and butt. She has never done this before. I was so exciting to see. She does seem to be less stiff in her legs as I am able to bend them more easily.
Another week of therapy starts tomorrow - I need to start finding things to occupy my afternoons. Of course this usually means shopping because there is nothing else to do. Brooklyn needs to go to sleep - so we are off. I will let you know what happens with Scott and Sydney - nothing like a little karma!!!
love - heather & brooklyn
May 27th, 2007
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