Day +444: Some Fun...and Some Sadness

It's day +444 for Maxer and he is doing very well. He has been greatly enjoying the last few days and we have been packing in the fun activities! Yesterday was the highlight of our fun the past few days as Max and Alex attended the Chris Mack Little Dribblers Basketball Camp at Xavier University (Go Muskies!). It was intended for kids 4 - 7 but, I wrote them and asked if Max could attend with Alex, given his current medical state and energy level and they happily said it would be fine. The boys LOVED it! They had a ball learning lots of skills and shooting hoops with some of the current and past XU players and Coach Mack. It was an excellent camp. We are heading back in August for another day. I thought you all would enjoy some pictures from their time. There were several media crews there too so, the boys were both on the news briefly last night (Max on Channel 9 and Alex on Channel 12...I'm hoping to get links today and will post them for you) and there are some pictures of them at the following link from the Cincinnati Enquirer: http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=AB&Date=20100618&Category=SPT0102&ArtNo=6180805&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1ArtNo=6180805&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1 Enjoy their smiles! The best part of the whole camp for me was that no one knew a thing about Max's situation and therefore, he was just "one of the kids" enjoying the camp.

Unfortunately, once again, we also have very tough news to share from our BMT family. Our dear friends, the Merks who live here in Cincinnati and who we met while Max was inpatient for his BMT, received very difficult news about their precious son, Tony this week. His cancer has returned. Tony is 5 and has already been through an extremely intense battle with this cancer, meduloblastoma. He had received several great reports that his body was free of the cancer in the past six months or so and then, suddenly this week, they got the news that it had returned. Once again, we are crushed by this revelation. It is heartbreaking and it is so unfair. The Merks are reeling from this news, of course and are currently trying to decide what course of treatment to pursue for Tony, once again. We would just ask that you keep their entire family in your thoughts and prayers right now and for some time to come.

It's been a very trying week again for our entire family. Sometimes the news from our BMT family is so devastating that it's difficult to go through a day. It tempers everything when you see life in this way and are constantly reminded how fragile it is. As I sat at the basketball camp with Ellee yesterday, watching the boys having a great time, my head was filled with thoughts of the Merks. It was so wonderful to be able to watch the boys just being boys...I just want that for Tony and all the Merks too.

Thanks for your continued love and support for our family and all of the BMT families that we have grown to love and care for.

More soon...

Peace and love,

Kristi (and Matt, Max, Alex, Ellee and Spud)