ANR Away

I am off to the Advances in Neuroblastoma Research congress in Japan. I will hopefully be able to provide updates daily.

I will miss my kiddos terribly.

Purpose calls.

A letter from Mommy and Daddy

Dear Sydney,

We are writing this letter to tell you how much we love you, and how very much you mean to us. One of the best days of our lives was the day that you were born. As you know, Daddy was so very excited that you were about to be born that he left the house with one black shoe on and one brown.

We had picked your name out weeks before. We picked Sydney as your first name, from Sydney Australia where we spent such a wonderful honeymoon, and your middle name Elleen, for your Great Grandmother. It was such an exciting time. We had no idea how many special ways you would bless our lives.

In just a few weeks you will be seven years old. You are becoming such a big girl. We have noticed the ways you help with your brother and sister, the ways that you care for others, and how strong and patient you are with all the many doctor's visits, pokes, and tests you go through. You have such strength and courage. We couldn't be prouder.

We also want to tell you how much we enjoy spending time with you, reading together, playing games together, taking walks and traveling together. You are truly a joy to be around. We cherish every minute that we have with you. In fact, we cherish all our moments more because you have been in our lives.

Mommy and Daddy have so many hopes for you. We hope that you continue to grow your caring for others, your optimism, and we hope that all of your dreams can come true. We will continue to do everything we can to make sure you have the opportunities to make that happen. We believe in you, and we believe that with hope, love, and perseverance, anything is possible. Our greatest hope for you is, as Jonathan Swift wrote, "May you live all the days of your life".
Being your parents has been one of the greatest gifts. You help remind us every day that life is so special, and that every day is a blessing. You are so special.

We found this quote that reminds us of you by Elisabeth Guizot:
"There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity."

You are the spark.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Reading Fee

A couple of times a year I get all full of myself and tell everyone that reads my diary that there is indeed a price to pay for putting up with my nonsense. It is kind of a backwards sales pitch. Today I am asking everyone to mark their calendars for Tuesday, May 27, 2008. You may have noticed the information on the Purple Cow Shake-a-thon that I posted the other day. Well, this is a real easy way to participate and make a big difference. It is simple. On that Tuesday, anytime between 11:00 AM and 9:00 PM, I am asking you to visit one of the Purple Cow restaurant locations in Fort Worth, Dallas, or Plano to eat lunch, dinner, or to just have a shake. Simply tell them that you are there for "lunch for life" and they will donate a portion of your meal to the CNCF. It is that simple. It may sound like it is not that big of deal and it may sound like it is not that important, but it truly is. It is free for you but means a tremendous amount to us and the dollars really do add up. So, if you can, buy lunch, take out your office, or order in. Do whatever you can to get as many people eating lunch or dinner at the Purple Cow as you possibly can.

The other neat thing about this year's Lunch for Life Purple Cow Shake-a-thon is that there is some truly cool stuff that will also be happening. For example, each store has designated a school. In Fort Worth it is Southwest Christian School. In Dallas it is Christ the King Catholic School. In Plano it is Prestonwood Academy. Now, whichever store sells the most milkshakes will win their designated school a brand new computer. So, even if you don't think kids with cancer are important, how can you pass up having a milkshake and a meal to help out a local school. It is a win/win situation. Please buy your office a shake on May 27th, 2008.

For people that visit the Purple Cow restaurant there will also be opportunities to win a brand spanking new Apple iPod. Each store will be giving away prizes and I can tell you first hand that one of those prizes is an Apple iPod Classic and another is an Apple iPod nano. Just think you could be groovin' to your own brand new tunes just for doing what you do every day. Eating lunch or dinner.

Finally, another way you can participate is to sponsor Sydney or one of the other kids for the shake-a-thon. Sydney is collecting donations for each shake that is served at her Purple Cow restaurant on May 27th. Of course she is also accepting flat donations. So, if you can't be there, sponsor her a dime for every shake sold or just pledge a flat $10 or $20. To show you how easy it is you can send your pledges directly to me via email - mdungan@lunchforlife.org. You don't even have to get up from the computer. Simply tell me how much you pledge for the shake-a-thon and then go to http://www.lunchforlife.org/ and donate that amount. How easy is that?

Finally, if you want your very own Lunch for Life Purple Cow Shake-a-thon t-shirt please buy one. I just ordered 300 and I certainly don't want to be saddled with all of them. Everybody needs clothes so don't miss out on your opportunity to own this limited edition t-shirt. It is perfect for wearing everyday. If you are a private person and don't want everyone knowing that you support childhood cancer research you can even wear it in the privacy of your own home or while doing work in the backyard. It is the perfect compliment to any body. Trust me, this is a shirt you need and one that I don't need 300 of. They will be $15.00 a piece with over $10.00 going to neuroblastoma research and educational initiatives.

See, I told you this would be fun. Please come by and support us on May 27th, 2008. It really will mean the world. It is the perfect day to take a friend out to dinner, your child's class out for a snack, or your office out to lunch.

Oh, and yeah, it is also Ainsley's birthday! Come and enjoy the party. She, Sydney, and twerp #2 will all be making live appearances all throughout the evening. You just can't beat that. Come have a blast and make a difference.

On May 27th, there will be purpose for all.

Not so fresh feeling

Good morning! Well, I am happy to report that everything seems to be going well. The kiddos all appear to be operating within normal limits. Sydney continues to be less and less itchy and I am fairly happy to report that I have not seen any new spots arise. She has complained about sporadic aches and pains but I am curious as to whether that may be, in fact, a ploy to get more attention. I can't even remember all of the places that she says that she has hurt - her back, her legs, all over, you name it. I would be more concerned but I guess I have learned to temper my worry. The threshold on the indicator is set a bit higher than it used to be. I am just trying to enjoy our lives for now. Trust me, I could worry about all of this and especially the spot within her arm but I just don't think it would do any of us a bit of good. The truth is I can't do anymore to prove or disprove it is neuroblastoma so why worry about it. It won't do Sydney any good, it won't do our family any good, and it certainly won't do me any good.

Graham is doing pretty well too. He certainly is an odd little dude. He is taking after his father much more than I would like. Last night, I was having a normal conversation with the boy just lounging away in Lynley's new Mother's Day lawn furniture. We were sitting there fairly quietly when he opened up with this.

(silence)
Twerp #2: "Daddy?"
Me: "Yes, Grahamers."
Twerp #2: "I went poopoo today."
Me: "Well that is just dandy, Dudester."
Twerp #2: "You know, sometimes when you wipe your hiney it doesn't get all of the poopoo off."
Me: "hm. hmm."
Twerp #2: "Sometimes I have to use lots and lots of toilet paper."
Me: "uh, huh"
Twerp #2: "But then it gets stuck and makes the toilet explode. So,I flush the toilet after I go poopoo but before I use toilet paper."
Me: "That's a good idea. Thanks for sharing Dudely."
(Silence returned)

I just don't know where this stuff comes from. (Well that stuff I do. I mean his comments.) I just don't get it. I guess this is just a little boy's way of communicating. This must just be the boy version of the "not so fresh feeling" talk that we keep hearing so much about on television. I really don't know but there just seems to be a whole lot of sharing going on. I still have not figured out how I feel about all of this.

Finally, Ainsley. What can I say about Ainsley? She continues to be the tootinest twerp of the bunch. She is full of sugar (and vinegar). I have never seen such a combination. She can certainly reel you in with that sweetness but don't get to comfortable. She is also the most likely to clobber you while you are not looking. Daily I am amazed by her prowess. Even after all we have endured, I think she may just be my greatest challenge.

Well I had best be off. I was up at 4 and I am still yet to get to the work that I spent all night thinking about. This morning seems to be lost in an email abyss.

Purpose abounds.

Purple Cow Lunch for Life Shake-a-thon

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

DALLAS
Purple Cow Restaurant
Preston Royal Shopping Center
110 Preston Royal
Dallas, TX 75230

PLANO
Purple Cow Restaurant
Lakeside Market Shopping Center
5809 Preston Rd.
Plano, TX 75093

FORT WORTH
Purple Cow Restaurant
Chapel Hill Shopping Center
4601 W. Freeway
Ft. Worth, TX 76107

HELP CURE CANCER!
On May 27, 2008, the Purple Cow Restaurants will be donating 15% of every item sold to Lunch for Life and the Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation to help fund a cure for neuroblastoma.

Just stop by to:

• Eat lunch or dinner.
  
• Order a shake and help a local school win a new computer.
  
• Win an Apple iPod or one of several prizes.


• Buy a t-shirt.


• Most importantly, give kids with cancer a voice!
  
  

Purple Cow Shake-a-thon flyer 2008
Purple Cow Shake-a-thon Participant Kit
Purple Cow Shake-a-thon Business Cards - Front
Purple Cow Shake-a-thon Business Cards - Back

It's official

The news is in. The doctor believes that Sydney has the chicken pox. There is good news, however. She is no longer contagious and they do not seem to be spreading any further. This was by far one of the strangest presentations of chicken pox that anyone has seen. It is for this reason I still find the diagnosis in doubt. She only has a couple of pox that actually looked like the chicken pox. The others really do look like bug bites. A week and a half a go you may recall my talking about the 3 bumps on her head. Three days later three or four more bumps appeared on her stomach and chest. Over the next few days a few more would begin to appear on her arms. That is what led us to last Friday morning. It was just very strange. Regardless, the doctor said that if they were the chicken pox she had indeed reached the point that she was no longer contagious. This was great news as Sydney got to return to school and spend the rest of the weekend out and about. She was not itchy and seemed to have a great weekend.

Mother's Day also went off without a hitch. Each of the kids each made something for Lynley at school. Ainsley gave her a decorated pot and a plant. Graham gave her a decorated birdhouse. Sydney gave her a beach bag that had been decorated with puff paint. The kids and I had ordered a handmade silver necklace with their names inscribed on it. It is yet to arrive. Don't get all huffy and puffy on my ill preparedness. This should be a lecture for all mother's out there. If you want a necklace for Mother's Day that takes 3 weeks to make you have to start giving hints more than a week before the big day. Just letting you know.

Any way, we spent most of the weekend preparing for Mother's Day. That was a good thing because I think Lynley truly had a perfect day. We decided to eat out on Saturday night to avoid the Mother's Day rush. Lynley chose Macaroni Grill or "the Macaroni and cheese on the Grill" as the kiddos call it. We ate a little bit early as I had to be at the rodeo to help set up the booth for the CNCF and help to pass out materials later that night. In all due honesty, I think Lynley was just looking for a way to spread out the big day. In fact, she would keep us busy running all day on Sunday. The morning we spent shopping at Lowe's and Garden Ridge. During the afternoon we spent our time trudging in the back yard and installing all of her new acquisitions. There were new plants and patio furniture and a myriad of new outside honey dos to accomplish. The kids had a great time playing in a large box (from the patio furniture) while I slaved away. That evening I would cook steaks on the grill.

I can't wait until father's day.

Well, I must get back to work. There is much to be done before I leave on my trip to Japan next week.

Purpose moves on.

Don't call CPS just yet.

I know, I know. By this point in time you would certainly think that we would know if Sydney had the chicken pox. In fact, it is probably some kind of neglect that we do not. Not to worry, we have tried. We just have not been able to get her in to see the doctor. This morning at 9:30 AM, however, all of that will change. Just so you know, Lynley is still sure and I am still skeptical. Go figure! I have not completely written off the fact that she is bug-alicious. Yes, I know. Bug bites aren't contagious. Yes, I know, they do not seem to multiply. Yes, I know they don't appear and then scab over a few days later. Yes, I know, they don't start on the torso and move their way out to the arms and hands. Look, I just have never had the chicken pox and I don't want them. I don't want to have to give up my trip to Japan for the ANR conference in a week. So, I am just going to believe that they do not exist. Accept it and move on.

Wow, was that an interesting look into my psyche. Regardless, we don't know yet and I am just fine with that.

Other than that. Well, I am too darn busy to talk about it. I know I always say this, but I am. I can't see straight. I don't know the last time I had so much going on.

So, with that, I am off to my purpose.