Family Life and Friendship Network

Since I last wrote about Julie, I have seen amazing progress. She can now pick up her right arm and move her fingers. A month ago, she could barely walk, even with assistance. Now she can walk with a cane. All this while she undergoes radiation and chemotherapy. Of course the therapies make her feel ill and break down her immune system, but she gains strength anyway. Today Julie walked several steps without touching the cane to the ground!

I would like to encourage family and friends to continue your visits to Julie. To motivate at least a few of you, and to get my wife a gift, I purchased a book about an amazing child prodigy named Akiane. The book will remain there with Julie until she returns home so that anyone who visits can read the book with her, or view the prints of her remarkable paintings. Julie has always enjoyed poetry, and the last third of this book is filled with remarkable poetry anyone can share with her. Visit Julie anytime except between 13:00 to 15:00, which is when Julie goes to the hospital for radiation therapy.

Julie will have her last day of radiation therapy on Thursday October 11th. She will have a 6 week recess from chemotherapy as well. I plan to take her home at least for the weekend Friday October 12th. If she does well and can stay home, I'd like to have a homecoming party for her shortly after that. Not immediately - we want her immune system to recover a bit, and we need to make sure she can handle being at home.

We will bless James October 14th.