We are finally done at the hospital again. We have a couple appointments early next week to go do more blood work, go over what we are doing over the next phase of treatment, and find out which leg of the study that we will be in, the control group, or the experimental group. Again this study only adds a couple more doses of one of the medications that Brenn has, and will be taking anyway. There will be no further side effects of her taking the extra medication, than she has, and will experience. Through this week at the hospital, we found that Brenn has some problems with her kidneys keeping up with the chemotherapy. Her kidneys are actually working to hard right now, and it is effecting some of the other chemicals in her body that was not expected. We now know that we will have to keep an eye on some of the other levels in her blood than normally would be. This problem is not unheard of, it is just less likely. There are so many things in her little body that we and the doctors have to keep tabs on it is becoming a little mind boggling.

It is really hard to believe that only a month ago we were scared because of what we didn't know. Now, Christine and I are able to enter into intelligent conversations pertaining to what we are doing with Brenns treatment, whether this drug might be better than that one and why. We really didn't think when we were getting out of the hospital the first time that we were any where near ready to deal with all of the things that we now do day-in-day-out. It is amazing how much knowledge you can actually retain in such a small amount of time. It is reassuring to know that we now can understand a lot more about what is going on, but it can get a little stressful when there are disagreements, or someone at the hospital not doing the things that we have come to expect and admire about the Childrens hospital. We are really very glad though that we are more involved in Brenns direction of care.

We are all very tired after spending this last week in the hospital again, but for our first real set back in this journey, it was not at all a bad one. We learned a lot from our most recent stay, and will be better equipped to deal with a wider range of possibilities. We are getting there.

Brenn is really happy to be back at the Ronald McDonald house. We bought a book all about how to build some really cool paper airplanes yesterday while we were touring the gift shop with some money that Bubba sent Brenn for a special gift in the lobby of the hospital. We built all of the planes, and started flying them outside (did you hear that...outside). Brenn started to really come around emotionally last evening. Finally the Dexamethasone started to come out of her system, and she started acting more and more like her old self. She was smiling and laughing and really having a good time throwing the paper planes all over the balcony. This is the first time in months that I can recall Brenn really smiling and laughing like this. It all started when one of the famous BC Childrens Hospital clowns came by just before dinner to do a little show for Brenn. She started to giggle and giggle. She couldn't stop for 10 minutes. It was the most wonderful sound that you could ever imagine. I am only sorry that Christine wasn't there to hear it as well. Brenn and I laughed and laughed for the rest of the night. We stayed up late just because we were having such a great time together, just her and I. We played some games, watched part of a movie, read some books and folded more airplanes. I can't remember a better night than last night! Thank God, it was beautiful. I was so happy, and emotional about all of current circumstances that I couldn't fall asleep until sometime after 4 am this morning, so on that note, I will leave you.

Thank you all very much for all your hard work with fundraising, and praying. I am still at the point where I couldn't imagine being apart from my family. I would not be able to stay much longer without the huge support from all the people in our life that are so very generous. Thank you.

Scott