"The Greatness and the Goodness of Our Nation"

This speech is THE SPEECH of my lifetime. I encourage you to listen.

Having a plan

Rainer is home! Mary Beth is very positive and ready to get on with it.

She and I are very different in many aspects of our personality. She is an incredible nurturer. I am a below average nurturer. I am outgoing and she is more introspective. One way in which we are both alike is that we react by, for lack of a better explanation, having a plan. Though I am very much "ask questions" and Mary Beth is more "wait and see", once we know we both want to move onto the next thing.

So, she's staying at home with Rainer for the next 8 weeks and is thinking about a daily schedule. I think that the day should include some reading. Lots of Boynton. Moo, Baa, La La La! And Boynton has a new website with stuff to do!

Everything is going well

I talked to Mary Beth last night. Rainer will actually get to come home Wednesday. He will still have to go up to Santa Barbara for weekly treatments. Mary Beth seemed very well given the circumstances. She's tired but really positive. They've given Rainer an 85-90% chance for total remission which is fantastic.

Mary Beth said she had a conversation with one of the nurses who said that just 50 years ago if your child was diagnosed with Leukemia, they just sent you home to wait it out. Despite the sometime harms and horridness of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, THANK GOD FOR MODERN MEDICINE!

This will probably be my last update unless something changes dramatically. Thanks to all who read and those who posted. It's a nice little blogging community and maybe I will try to post more often.

Update

Rainer has started chemo. Mary Beth's parents having been keeping Dieter. They were all able to go up to the hospital yesterday to visit. Carol, Mary Beth's mom, was happy to see that Rainer recognized her and did his "no" head shake like he does when Ken and Mary Beth drop him off for babysitting. In situations like this, even reject is heartwarming.

Dieter is doing very well staying with his grandparents. I am sending him this Hippo that I bought at Ikea on my visit. I bought it for my office. But Dieter and I had a good time playing with it so I am sending Hippo to keep him company.

It sounds like Rainer will be in the hospital for at least the next two weeks. I will try to post updates when I get them. I am an action oriented person. Being able to post on the blog has at least provided me with the illusion that I'm doing something. Thank you to everyone who is posting on my blog and on Mary Beth's.

Chemo Starts Today

Dear Little Rainer - You are better than this thing. As they fill your beautiful little body with these big bad fighting chemicals, remember that you have to come through. Picture it as walking through the cloudy, firey battlefield to your mama and "eursy" waiting on the other side. Let the fighting wage on because those chemicals have to do their job. But don't let them draw you into the battle. You bring your soul and little body past the battle. Hugs to you, your mama and daddy.

Rainer

This adorable little guy has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Please keep Rainer, Mary Beth, Ken and the rest of the children in your thoughts and prayers while they undertake the monumental task of healing little Rainer.

Mary Beth really loves her blogging community and I am sure she will post again when she has the time and strength. In the meantime, please send her your thoughts and good wishes. I briefly searched for a blog for parents of children with cancer but didn't find one. If anyone can find one, please send Mary Beth the link.

Fight little guy. Fight.