Miles For Millie

Sunday morning came early to the Way household. On the stairs, near the floor register, I had laid out 2 "Miles for Millie" lavender shirts, 2 pants (one with one leg cut short), 4 socks, and 2 pairs of underwear: 1 Clone Wars, and 1 Pink Fairies. These BeatSarcoma Run team uniforms waited patiently while the sky outside lightened and the coffee machine grinded the beans. We were to leave by 6:30.

The family hesitated to rise, my vocal enthusiasm for the coming day vehemently opposed. Brian did rise, donned his own lavender "Miles for Millie" shirt and helped me to get us on the road. It took wrapping the children in blankets and pillows for the ride to San Francisco, but we were on our way.

We arrived in Golden Gate Park and parked in the new museum garage (so convenient when you've got a girl in a wheelchair!). We were there in plenty of time to pick up our bibs and BeatSarcoma running shirts, and to meet the many other Miles for Millie runners.

Our team was over 40 strong- kids and adults wearing the shirts that our team captain Stephanie had arranged. Many of us walked or ran the 1K (including Griffin and his friends Dylan and Jarod), and a few of us ran the 5K and 10K. (I am grateful to Sandy, who in February convinced me to shake off my catatonic couchbound state and get back on the road with her to train for this race. We crossed the 10K finish line together!)

The mood matched the amazing sunny weather in San Francisco- the love was all around as this group started off on the fun run. The BeatSarcoma runners were about 100 in total, all running for research funds- and had raised over $18,000!


The race organizers spoke about Sarcoma, and how this is a "forgotten" cancer- very underfunded in terms of research dollars, but yet a cancer that mostly hits children. The lead specialist at UCSF for Ewings Sarcoma (what Millie has) also spoke about Sarcoma and research. It did hit home to see this small but dedicated group organizing this run- vs. the Lymphoma/Leukemia and Breast Cancer runs and events.
Out on the course, it was wonderful for me, a veteran of many races, to see our group on the path with the team shirts that support Millie. I felt such a bond, such support, and love all around every time I saw another of our shirts.

We even won a medal for "best team!". Millie is so proud- she was shy the day of the race, but today has kept the medal with her all day.

Lucky Number Seven

We're back on the 10th floor in a shared room as Millie goes through cycle 7. The chemo started very late last night, after midnight, which made for a long night of lots of beeping machines. If I was not hopping up to call the nurse for the beeping, then Millie was hurling beanie babies at me when she had to use the commode.

Millie is receiving Vidicristine, Cyclophosphamide, and the 48-hour drip of Doxorubicin. Doxorubicin is dark red, hanging in a covered bag on the IV pole, and exudes a toxic chemo smell through her pores and her urine. Eww!

She is ever the trooper- asking me every five minutes "How many more minutes until the sushi place opens for lunch?". It is raining and I have no umbrella- but you will find me trudging the half-mile to the sushi restaurant soon.

Millie is feeling well, has not gotten sick so far from the chemo, and has already filled many sheets of paper with paintings and drawings.

And the Difference is School

Millie eagerly waited by the door this morning after pinning a crochet flower to her sweater and donning one of Aunt Pat's spring cloche hats. After four months, she was going back to school- to her wonderful teacher, classmates, and school friends who have missed her so. Please check out the wonderful quilt they put together and the presentation video they made for Millie: Click Here
It was viewing this video that made her so eager to get back to her classmates.

After school she was chatty and carefree- laughing and talking (and EATING) during dinner, and being just overall pleasant and wonderful to behold. Since she doesn't start chemo for another week, there is no reason why she can't attend school all week and even Monday before our next hospital stay.

We are so very happy for this break and return to relative normalcy!

Here is a quick video of her playing catch with Brian last night- so full of cheer!

Monterey

We have been waiting for this week for so long. The first part of April has meant a break from chemo and enough time after surgery where Millie could get around comfortably.

We were treated by my wonderful colleagues in the Northern California chapter of Site (The Society of Incentive and Travel Executies) with a weekend in Monterey to celebrate this milestone, and stayed at the luxurious Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa for 3 nights in a room right over the water. Each morning and evening we'd watch the sea otters floating and playing in the water below our windows. We were also treated to a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium with host Scott. Millie asked a lot of questions and enjoyed the jellyfish and large sharks most of all.

The weather was beautiful, and we even ran into my sister-in-law Andrea's parents at a restaurant in Pacific Grove! Such serendipity.

Attached are some video highlights of our weekend.

We have one more week without chemo, and we're hoping Millie can go back to school. She misses her teacher and classmates very much.

NEWSFLASH!!

Celebration is in order! While Millie was getting her checkup with her mama in Oakland, our oncologist Dr. Sharma called home to report that they had analyzed the specimen (ie, the tissue and bone removed during surgery last week) and had determined that THERE IS NO MORE TUMOR!!! Now, I went on to discuss the regimen, and if there'd be any change as a result of that discovery (always hopeful to lessen the impact of chemotherapy) and Dr. Sharma replied no, that as a result of 30+ years of data it would be in our best interest to stick with the eight more treatments we have scheduled to prevent relapse. Okay... I can accept that - Millie came through with flying colors after the first six, so I have confidence she can do this.

So I called Laura's cellphone to give her the news but she'd already heard from Dr. Phil, the surgeon, who again confirmed the pathologist's report: NO LIVING CANCER CELLS REMAIN in the tissue removed. Relief is an understatement... we have reached a new milestone... and SUCCESS. Dr. Phil calls her a "superstar", and that "this is the best case scenario we wished for."

Just wanted to share that with you kind people and I'm right now raising a glass to spring break, and hoping everyone can spend as much time with their families as possible - we'll be doing the same.