|
Home Page
|
Tom's Page |
|
|
|
||
|
June 05, 2008 at 10:51 AM
EDT
Well, the roller coaster ride continues!
Tommy's count went down on Tuesday to 38, up on Wednesday to 120, and
down again today to 64. While that is completely common (and actually
expected), I think there was this unspoken hope on everyone's part
(including the staff's) that Tommy, given how well he has fared so far,
might just have continued on an upward trend and get out a few days
earlier than expected. So, while we're a bit disappointed, there is
absolutely nothing unusual about this medically. And, Tommy is still as
strong and energetic as ever, and so looking to get a little mental
health break at home...
In other news, Tommy and Jo are T.V. stars!!! We mentioned in the past that a local news station interviewed Tommy for a piece they were doing about an annual telethon for Alex's Lemonade Stand. Well, the piece aired last night (and again this morning), and I expect Hollywood to call any minute. Tommy and Jo looked great!!! And, please ignore a little husband bragging, I thought Jo was stunning (even if she was holding back tears). If you're interested in seeing the piece, follow the directions below: 1. goto http://cbs3.com/video/ 2. In the "search" box on the right side type in either "Alex's Lemonade" or "two boys". This will generate a number of videos. 3. Tommy's piece is called "Alex's Lemonade Legacy Lives on For Two More Boys." Well . . . keep those fingers crossed and prayers coming! Seems like we'll be going home soon... Peace, Love, & Hope, Team Tommy
June 09, 2008 at 01:53 AM
EDT
WARNING - rambling 1:00 a.m. narrative about our first day home! The Belsky family (I think I can speak for everyone) just spent the most exciting, dramatic, rewarding, bittersweet, tender, heartfelt, 24 hours of our lives. I won't even try to describe what it has been like having Tommy home (for a lawyer to be at a loss for words is really saying something). It has been a flurry of emotions, thoughts, and now, memories I never thought (and in some cases, hoped) I would experience. It was everything from watching Tommy and Matt lay eyes on each other for the first time since May 6th, and embrace with a purity and intensity I didn't know was possible for a 5 1/2 and 4 year old (check out the picture in the photo gallery - it is not a pose); to watching Tommy run through and check out all the rooms of the house when he got home as if it was his first time setting foot in the place; to knowing that the family will all be sleeping under one roof for at least a few days; to acknowledging that our battle is a long way from over and that even as Tommy ran around playing countless hours of baseball with me, or Star Wars with his friend Mariano, or Indiana Jones with Matt, leukemia cells could still be building up inside his body in an effort to defeat him. Its funny, Jo and I talked as we fell asleep about how Tommy's coming home was so joyful, but at the same time, the house now somehow feels a little bit infected (or contaminated) by the leukemia. Up until this point, the disease was just something we had to confront in the hospital. Now, it (or at least the glaring side effects of it - hair loss, bruising, tubes sticking out of Tommy's chest) was in our home! And I think what this whole experience really did was put into focus just how much, and to what extreme detail, the disease impacts your life. Of course we recognize the big changes, who wouldn't. But, even the mundane moments or routines that we normally wouldn't think twice about, now somehow have this tinge of the disease about it. Leukemia has seeped into, and to some degree tainted, every innocent or usually carefree aspect of our lives. I guess the real accomplishment, though, is to not let that realization overpower, ruin, or suppress the everyday life that still needs to be lived. This of course doesn't mean to ignore reality or pretend it's not there. This would be naive and unhealthy, as well as terribly confusing and inconsiderate to Tommy and Matt, who both, while perhaps not being able to articulate things quite that well, know something serious is happening. Instead, we must live through (or in spite of) the disease. Although leukemia has burdened us, we still have our spirit, our faith, our love, and our strength to redirect us from the fear of not knowing what the future holds - or the anger at the cruel randomness of our circumstance - or the constant dull ache (not to mention nausea) that comes with knowing this dreaded disease is in your life. And, thanks to wonderful friends and family like all of you, our spirit, faith, love, and strength is being recharged on a daily basis and has never been stronger. Because of all of you, Jo and I have the power to provide an unbreakable and unyielding support system for Tommy. And, because of that, Tommy's spirits, mind, and body is incredibly strong (as the posted pictures can attest)! So, I guess "Team Tommy" isn't just a slogan, it's a way of life right now to some degree for everyone reading this, and everyone who has committed to this battle! And, when with all this power on our side, I like our chances! Well, thanks for indulging me and reading this therapeutic soliloquy. Also, thanks as always for all your support. We honestly could not be doing what we're doing without each and everyone one of you! We'll be sure to update everyone on all the wacky, daring, precious, exhausting moments we have this week So, be sure to check back. Peace and Love, Team Tommy
June 12, 2008 at 09:52
AM EDT
OFF TO THE SHORE!!!! (or . . . as Matt says . . . Pop-Pop's beach house) With the oppressive heat finally breaking here in NJ, the Belskys are off to the shore for a few days before we gear up for round 2 of chemo. Things have been crazy around here, but above all, incredibly special. As I mentioned in my last post, the simplest things now take on such an extra special feeling. For example, last night, it was beautiful outside and I was straightening up the garage as Tommy was in the driveway playing catch off the pitch back net. Now, this is something we've done hundreds of times (yes, I've cleaned my garage hundreds of times . . . I don't know how it gets so messy), but last night I realized that there were times over the past 2 months where I thought I would never see this scene again (although, I never admitted to myself that I had that thought). So, this week has been a lot of learning to appreciate (or as Jo would say, being grateful) for the moments we do get. The other big thing that happened this week is that Tommy stopped by his school for the first time since mid-April. His classmates did not know he was stopping by, and when he walked into the classroom, they sat there in stunned silence for a few minutes, mouths agape, not knowing what to do or say. It was hysterical and touching all at the same moment. Eventually, though, they started to talk, and basically mobbed Tommy. As with the moment Tommy and Matty met in the hospital, the outpouring of pure friendship by Tommy's classmates was beyond words. There are a few pictures posted in the photo gallery. Finally, one more request for an extra strong dose of prayers this weekend. On Monday, when we head back to the hospital, Tommy will have a bone marrow test and a spinal tap to see how well the first round of chemo has affected the leukemia. The results of these tests will show how well the chemo is working and give us some indication of what kind of battle we'll be in for down the road. Ideally, we'd like to see no leukemia cells in the bone marrow, which would put Tommy in the "low risk" category, and be a very good indicator that he will beat this monster. But, its not uncommon with his type of leukemia for there to be some leukemia cells still present, or even indication that the leukemia is resistant to the chemo. So, as you can imagine, as Monday draws near, our stomachs will begin to churn more, our minds will race more from one possible scenario to the other, we'll take in more alcohol, and we'll pray and pray and pray. And, we ask for some extra prayers and finger crossing on your part for some acceptable (we don't want to be too greedy) to good test results. Thanks! We'll write more once we get back from Pop-Pop's beach house. Peace and Love, Team Tommy
|
||
