Day 52: July 28, 2019

Somehow we are almost to August. Let that sink in for a moment. Maybe a lot of people feel like they have adequately lived through 7 full months this year, and so that makes sense. There is nothing in my head right now where it makes sense that it is almost AUGUST. I mean, what? It doesn't help matters that our time effectively stopped in mid May. And the last 52 days have been a blur. Of time, of course, but while we obviously LIVED those days, they were days in which were just a big blob of what we call cancer treatment and so feel like they shouldn't count in our march through time to AUGUST.


Like why can't we just accept that time stopped in May, go through the chemo/cancer treatment for 70 days, but then get to go back to that day that time stopped AFTER treatment and relive the last 70 days without the chemo and cancer?


Then it might make more sense that it is almost August.


Clearly, it doesn't work like that, but I just can't quite connect the dots that we are almost to the 8th month of the year. And I really have no idea how we got here. It feels like when you watch something on fast forward... like we just watched our lives flash by and tried to kind of grasp what was happening in the blur, but couldn't really take hold. That's about where I'm at right now.


The day started with more of the 600 tree clean up! Wait, back up- I lied. It started by Justin taking the boys to pick up a giant door that weighed no less than 500 pounds....which I then helped him unload later in the day. Muscles! Colleen and I ran to get some things for juicing while they were gone... juicing is supposed to be SO good- for everyone, really, but especially for cancer patients and helping to detox after chemo.


After that, it was tree clean up time. Again.

While we were working on the incredible amount of trees, Colleen took the boys to the river. It was a hot sunny day, so sounds like there were a ton of people down there, but the boys had a blast. Also- when did they get so big??

Colleen also got them ice cream treats after they got home. Happy boys of summer right there!

Later in the day: Owen at work watering for our neighbor. He's so cute how seriously he takes it.

And true to his personality, Bennett was a superintendent telling Owen what he should be doing. Ha!

After some work, the other boy got to play with HIS toys...

And how's the main guy? He's ok. Not great. Not awful. We aren't in the hospital. For day 7, round 3, that is winning. He's about a consistent 5-7, but with THC and other meds, it seems we can kind of control the nausea. He said this morning "I feel better than yesterday, but still feel like total shit- guess that's why there are drugs!"

He was able to take a walk down to the mailbox again, which is a total win for day 7, based on past history. He was NOT walking anywhere on day 7 on either of the first two rounds. So that is a huge victory in the mind over matter game.

And just because he's cute: big guy showing us he can wash his own hair at the end of a very dirty day, which is how boys should be in summer.

SO many #oliverstrong photos today! These are still so heartwarming. We even got a note from a friend who said that she got a chicken and named it Oli, in Oliver's honor. So sweet.

And finally, big brother Bailey rocking #oliverstrong on his work hard hat. Love it.

Now we move in to the final 2 weeks of round 3. Tomorrow- short day of chemo,  and hopefully an easy recovery. #oliverstrong