Team Teagan Update | 4-24

“Day 43” and Counting. That is the number of days Teagan has been in the Hospital fighting this cancer. And fighting she is! She remains a feisty, energetic and bubbly toddler with a knack for bringing out the smiles in anyone who comes in contact with her.

These last few days she’s actually had an opportunity to enjoy the nice weather as her and Holly go for short walks. Also, on Saturday she had visit from a little friend Katie, who sat with her and read her a variety of children’s books. Both girls were smiling ear to ear throughout, giggling and having a blast. It was nice to see her happy and enjoying her visitor. Although everyone is staying strong and positive, the armor is starting to show a few hairline cracks as the pressure builds and this stay seems to drag on and on. It all seems very overwhelming, tiring but definitely exhausting!

Today her white blood counts were slightly up a few percent, but the very critical neutraphils just don’t seem to be rebounding yet. Unless those come up significantly, she (and Holly) will remain guests of AMC, and Teagan can’t start her much needed next round of Chemo. So we’ll keep praying that the numbers come up soon.

The most exciting thing today (besides the walks) was that they got moved to another room and have 4 new walls to look at. For those of you who have been able to call or visited, thank you! It REALLY helps lift their spirits and makes this time pass just a slight bit faster. Visitors are welcome unless you an obvious illness of cold… Her new phone number is 262-0307, Room D720 in case you wish to call or arrange a visit.

If you’re wondering how I’m coping with the boys and all the stuff at home… well the boys are being the boys, complaining a lot, not happy about my food choices, bed times, or why they can’t watch “Spongebob” and his colorful choice of words… But, the marketing minds at "GANZ" have come up with yet another tool to corrupt the minds of our youngsters and fill their heads with useless advertising and, add stress to parents already one step away from the edge. It’s called “Webkins”.. These useless sand filled fuzzy germ collecting stuffed animals come with a little tag that includes a secret code which you need to enter at their website to “adopt” this furry monster, play games, earn points to buy more Webkins goods (junk). It allows for your child to communicate with their equally-mind altered fuzzy creature owning friends using a Webkins Chat window… For those of you who think it really does not sound that bad, most 8 year olds will constantly hound you to assist in this mind numbing task to gain points, while younger ones will completely depend on you to give up your life to buy furniture, food, doggy clothing and/or chat with their friends who have come up with hieroglyphic user names for their pets, which you must figure out to before you get going, and will do as to not disappoint your child who firmly believes “all their friends” have Webkins and life as they know it will come to an end if they can’t do it too… Maybe I’m just being critical (probably) or tired (definitely), but either way, buyer beware… And if you already purchased your Webkins and like it… I was just kidding!!! Yeah!!!

Please don’t be offended by my rants, this is just my “therapeutic gibberish”, it allows me to vent my frustrations, keep my humor alive and crack a smile or two in the process… It’s not meant to offend any of our friends or family, so please don’t be. If you can’t laugh at yourself or some the silly things that occupy our daily lives, you’ll end up being my roommate in a Padded Cell at Four Winds… and I heard the food there is worse than at Albany Med…

And here is a thought… While doing load after load of laundry each day (yes, I actually do laundry daily now!), Wouldn’t it just save whole lot of time if people realized that WHITE is a color too? Just kidding Holly. But I’ve discovered how many loads “actually” fit into the machine if you push real hard… quite amazing to see your machine come rocking across the room to be held back only by the two rubber water hoses… Hey, at least the kids have clean clothes…

Thanks to all of you who continue to offer your help and support, we truly appreciate it all. Stay tuned, and spread the word. Cancer Sucks!

Juergen, Holly and Kids