Christmas

Paige had three Christmases - one with Grandpa and Grandma M, one with the whole Maxwell clan (sans Keith's family) and one with all the Hansens in Connecticut.

Blah blah medical stuff: she's started her second round of chemo a few days ago, and was sick some from it, which she wasn't her first round. But she tolerates doctors and nurses a lot better, and doesn't automatically scream and wail when anyone with a stethoscope (sp?) appears in her doorway.

She is still eating well, and now that she is feeling so much better, she runs around and climbs, and it's a challenge to keep her from tangling up her IV cords. Poor Lukey had to go up do Dartmouth today to get vaccinations (I, not a fan of vaccinations, had only let him get a few up till now) - so after today's shots, he can't see Paige for three weeks, in case something he gets from the shots would make her sick, like the chickenpox. Just the other day he said, "If I not see Paigey for a long long time, I would cry." :(

Learning more about the transplant and it's after effects has left us feeling pretty down. In essence, a year of isolation for our family and my mom. No one can come to our house, and Paige can't go to anyone's house, and Ben Mom and I will have to avoid any crowded places. At that time, with her immune system pretty much destroyed, and Luke's marrow not yet functioning in her at full capacity, Paige could die from something as simple as pink eye. So we feel a little daunted. Yesterday, however, Paige's oncologist mentioned another option; go the chemo route (50% success rate) and if it isn't working, change gears, and go for the bone marrow transplant. (sucess rate about 75%)

Please pray that God will show us what to do, as it is a difficult decision to make.