Make Yourself At Home, Ollie!!!

I just wanted to post something funny that happened the other day down in Iowa City. Ollie usually has to use the bathroom right after we get there, before he goes in for his radiation treatment every day. One morning took our familiar trek downstairs to the radiation therapy area and walked to the waiting area. Ed and I walked by the front desk and Ollie continued to walk down the short hall to the restroom. All of the sudden I heard a noise like someone was pouring a gallon of water and I looked toward the restrooms and noticed that both of the doors were W-I-D-E open! Ollie was just doin' his business right there with the door open! We both burst out laughing and Ed walked over to the restroom and closed the door for him!

He's been very lucky so far to still be as active as he is. I know that it's still the beginning of our journey and that we will just continue to take each day as it comes. He's such a good kid and is really keeping a positive attitude. We are planning some family activities including a trip to the Omaha Zoo when the weather is nicer. He wants to go to a zoo and see the animals in the worst way! We just received some information in the mail on the *Make-A-Wish program the other day. He said that he wanted to travel by train to Disney World in Florida. We'll see how that pans out. I just hope he feels up to traveling whenever we can go.

He still is anxious about losing his hair. He just cries every time he thinks about it. I want to get a nice family picture since we have a new little member in our family and I want to get it taken before he loses his hair. A few nights ago he was crying and said through his tears, "I don't wanna look like a crackhead!" I just started laughing and he did as well! We HAVE to keep the laughter in our family or we just wouldn't be able to get through the day. Yesterday when he was talking about being bald we asked him why he was so worried about it and he said that when he was a baby he was bald and he didn't like it! Again... we all had a good chuckle! I went to the craft store yesterday and got Oliver a plain white baseball cap to wear when he starts losing his hair. I was going to go to his classroom at school and have each one of them sign it and then I was going to give it to him as a surprise. I also bought him some handkerchiefs to wear on his head, so he could be just like his Uncle Chad! We've heard that if you shave your head before you lose it then it's easier to deal with because you did it on YOUR terms and not the DISEASE'S terms. Ed said that Ollie could shave his head and then Ed would turn around and shave Ollie's. I'm sure we'll have some fun and interesting pictures to share after that! My mom even said that she would shave her head to support him! As of today, he still has his hair. We've noticed a slight spot where it's a little thin, but it could just be some crazy bed head!

I've got a few ideas to make or do for Oliver:

*Baseball Cap - Again, I bought a plain white baseball cap for 2 bucks and an iron-on mini baseball and I will have his classmates sign it.

*My good friend took a class picture of Ollie's class and we'll get that printed and matted. One the matte I will have his classmates sign that as well and then we'll frame it for him. Maybe we'll set it up by him when my mom is tutoring him these next few weeks! :O)

*I got some red buckets with hearts on them to place in each of the three 3rd grade rooms for the students to put mail or drawings in for Oliver while he's absent.

*I had thought of making a necklace out of beads for Ollie as well. I would let each student pick a bead and string it on, symbolizing each one of the students in his class.

*My friend is making a book with his classmates photos and nice words of comfort and she's going to surprise him with it.

*Another friend wants to make a quilt with pictures of Oliver all over it for when he's in the hospital to remind him of happy times.

He may be getting an MRI sometime soon as his radiation treatments are about halfway done to see if the tumor has shrunk any. He also may be losing more hair soon as the dosage will double the remaining three weeks. We will just take it day by day. We are going to talk with the pediatric oncologist again about putting him on a low dose chemotherapy. I'm so worried about the side effects of these drugs. As a parent you are always worried about not doing enough for your child. I just want to make the right decision. Anyways... that is where we are at right now. Time will tell, I suppose.