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On the Way.
By Margot | August 12, 2009
I dropped Neil and Sam off at the airport this morning at 5:15am. We left a little more time today for the 6:30 flight and Neil said the security line was still bad but they were fine as they didn’t have any bags to check and had their boarding passes. Charlie came with me because he was up and Vickie came and stayed with Andrew so he could sleep.   I gave Sam a big hug at the curb and then cried all the way home in the too silent car as Charlie slept.  My life is usually, as my friend Rebecca describes it, me running around with my “hair on fire.”    It doesn’t leave me a lot of time to dwell- though the cold fear often wakes me up in the early morning hours when things always seem the grimmest.  There has not been a lot of mental anguish build up for me to this scan week because literally every hour has been filled, but driving home from the hospital this morning the silence was deafening. Though every scan result has potential life altering results, this one is a biggy and for the first time since right after Charlie was born and we were up at Children’s LA. I’m not going to be there for it. I’m not going to be holding Sam’s hand as he gets propofol for his bone marrow biopsy or help him drink the contrast for the CT on Friday by having a gatorade race with him.  Neil will be shouldering it all this go around.  I know he will make it fun for Sam. He is determined to do so.  I’ve already gotten five calls from Children’s Philadelphia this morning with instructions for the bone marrow biopsy, where to pick up the contrast for the CT, etc. So while he is doing his best to make it fun, he’s also got a lot of “to dos.”    They got into the Ronald McDonald House tonight and tomorrow night which we thought might be good for this go around since they have very early appointments. We were lucky to get in I guess, they had a last minute cancellation.
Sam brought the new Tiki and Ronde Barber book that I’d pre-ordered from Amazon. He’s been staying up reading it at night. It’s exciting to see him really into a book. They are pretty exciting books, every chapter I’m dying to see what happens in the next game, if they make it to the playoffs etc.  Sam also brought some Madlibs (which won’t be the same without someone else to make butt jokes with but come to think of it, Neil is pretty good at that ;-)) and some other things to do on the plane.
The silence here didn’t last long because Charlie woke up and wanted to put on the Captain America costume with the Batman headband (actually the belt to the Batman costume) and the Spiderman power glove. He picked Rubios for his Birthday dinner last night and then we went out to Extraordinary Desserts and the boys had triple chocolate mousse cake. They were up bouncing off the ceiling until about 11. Charlie says he had “another birthday” yesterday and I heard him telling Andrew as they were fighting over something downstairs “it’s not your birthday.” It was funny. I took him to preschool earlier this week and he said he “hated it” and is not going to go, though while there he went down the slide 50 times and seemed to be having a grand time. He sang a little bit of “Eye of the Tiger” for Tina, one of the directors.
Andy’s last basketball game is on Friday and he has a few birthday parties coming up. As the mayor, he has a lot of social obligations ;-).   He’ll have tennis camp next week and then has promised that he’ll be nice to Charlie while I’m gone and Grandma Joan and Uncle Tom and Dad are here with him.  That will be a miracle as tormenting Charlie is one of his favorite pasttimes.
I get so anxious when I’m not with Sam and he’s at the hospital, any hospital.  But then when I’m with him at the hospital and Andy and Charlie are at home I’m anxious about them as well.  I’ll be ready for September when we are all back in the same house. I’m glad Neil and Sam are coming back from a few days in between. Sam said he wants to go golfing when he gets back ( I know Vickie B,  we belong in Kicking and Screaming movie as the crazy sports family).
Please think good thoughts and pray for good scans for Sam this week.
Breaking news:
Neil just called and they’ve landed. He said they were sitting behind a 4th grade teacher and he and Sam were working on spelling and grammar and the teacher said Sam is very smart. The bad news is that Neil just got a phone call and insurance is balking -we’ve been working on insurance approval for the past three weeks so nice to know the problem is cropping up as they’ve landed. Argh. Getting on the phone to insurance now.
Margot
Topics: Progress Reports | 13 Comments »
August 12th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Ma-got,
Here is my number- please have Neil give me a call. I am off tomorrow and wondering if Sam’s Biopsy is in the Onco Clinic….
Home: 484-318-
cell: 703-966-8904
Would love to stop in and see them….you too! When do you arrive again??
Lauren, “Rex” and Baby Dane
August 12th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Okay, have no idea why my numbers got cut off, or why your name does not have an “r” in it….again…
home: 484-318-7422
Talk soon!!
August 12th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Love and hugs from the Storch gang. We can’t wait to see you all in September. Strange how ‘back to school’ seem so far away, yet so close… Can’t wait to start our walks again. By the way, you make ‘hair on fire’ look beautiful! Miss you friend!
August 13th, 2009 at 2:04 am
Good thoughts to all of you! Angela (Madison’s Mom)
August 13th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Sending good thoughts your way for scans. I hope you can get the insurance BS worked out before- nothing like a little extra stress. Thinking clean scan thoughts for you.
August 13th, 2009 at 2:25 am
Margot, I’m praying for Sam everynight that this treatment will be successful. My prayers are also for all of you I know how hard it is to be separated from each other.
Thinking of you all,
Lisa riniolo
August 13th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Praying for you all and hoping things go well in Philly.
It must be so difficult to be separated at these times… more power and strength to both you and Neil and of course, good thoughts for
Sam !!!!
Steelers exhibition game is Thurs night, 8pm Eastern time. Maybe Neil and Sam can watch on the tube? Tell them Joey and Elizabeth
will be there and to look for them on the jumbotron !
HUGS to all of you,
xo, Colleen
August 13th, 2009 at 9:16 am
hey margot,
i can’t tell you how many times i think what an awesome job you do as a mum. if only i could do the ‘running around’ as gracefully as you do – your boys all love you so much and so do we. marty just made me promise he can have his own email so that he can communicate with sam more often ..can you imagine the type of stuff he’ll say – he loves HIS ‘little knuckleheads’ (his words) so much.
love kaz
August 13th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Marg, So happy Neil and Sam got into the Ronald Mcdonald House! Thats a great start right there!
I am coming to S.D.on Mon.;and I am coming specifically to see Sam,and,after they fly back to Philly; I will free you up to go get your beautiful “hair on fire” straightened, colored or whatever you want! You must have an afternoon at the salon. Do they give facials or massages? Anyway, Marg I’ll be there for you; and I will be a help! As you know, I’m great with kids; and I can’t wait to see Andy on the tennis court or the basketball;and to see Charlie in the pool! I wish I could see more of Sam, but because his hospital is 1/2 across the country instead of 1/2 way across the city; I guess our chess game will have to wait until next time. Hasta luego, Con mucho Amor, Mom
August 13th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Hey –
That’s great that Sam and Neil got into the RMH. I think last night was pets night, right? Hope Sam enjoyed it almost as much as Hans does.
Praying for some good scan results, great feats with insurance, and even better results from the upcoming Ultratrace!
Lara
August 15th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Hi Marg,
We are praying for good results! And i know how hard it must be for you to be separated from Sam as he goes through this. But you are always with him, if not in person, and he knows it.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Keeping all of you in our prayers and hoping all is going well at CHOP.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Thinking of all of you and praying. Love, Ellen
http://www.caringbridge.org/ma/seanhanson