1-12-11

So here I am watching NFL Live, and they are talking about the Green Bay Packer’s O-Coordinator’s son who passed away.  The advice that came out of the discussion was to make sure that you hug your kids a little more, because you never know.  True Dat, yo.

Now don’t get alarmed, Cole is doing well.  He came out of this last round of therapy in better shape than any other round, at least that I can remember.  He continues to respond to treatment beautifully, and he will soon need a haircut (although I don’t think that I will ever push him too hard to get it cut.  I think that he has earned some shagginess, don’t you?).

We still have a couple of issues that need to be resolved.  First is that his T-Cells have not resumed function (thus his immune system is still compromised).  As a result, he has not been cleared to start back at school.  This is causing some consternation here at Casa San Miguel as I am rapidly running out of FMLA days, and we can only maintain for so long with me only working two days per week.  It is likely to get a little dicey around here between now and March 1^st. 

Cole does not go back to UCSF to get his T-Cell function tested until February 15^th, and we don’t get the results until 2-3 weeks after that.  The insanity of that is further compounded by the fact that California Baker Boy #3 (Don’t have a name yet.  I am willing to sell naming rights though, just like major sports stadiums do.  Think about it.  Oracle Baker, Adobe Baker, Geico Baker, KB Homes Baker.  If you want to have a chance, send money to the Cole fund and whoever sends the most will be considered) is set to arrive on March 1^st.

The other issue is that there is still some cancer cells that show up in the imaging.  These cells were so close to the aorta that the surgeon did not want to risk trying to cut them out.  The problem with the imaging is that the results do not tell us if the cells are active.  They could be dead cells, they could be live cells.  They could be mature cells that will not multiply any more.  We just don’t know.  The not knowing is killing us. 

Kaiser is in contact with UCSF regarding the next steps.  My most recent understanding (which often ends up being woefully incomplete) is that there are two likely next step scenarios.  First, and mo betta, is that we don’t have to do any more treatments.  We just monitor to make sure that there is no spread.  This is referred to as the stable disease plan.  Second is something called MIBG therapy.  Basically this is a form of radiation therapy.

Now on to more interesting news.  This coming Friday, Cole and I are going to his first photo shoot.  That’s right, he has been accepted to be on America’s Next Top Model.  No wait, that’s not right.  Actually, he is going to be in a calendar that the Make A Wish Foundation is putting together for a big fundraiser event that is coming up in February (If you are looking for a tax deductible donation location, I cannot recommend Make A Wish any higher.  They gave us an amazing gift.  Made us feel like VIPs.) called Wine and Wishes, or something like that.  My understanding (see supra re: my understandings) is that it is a dinner that has multiple chefs busting out some yummy grub (yummy grub is chef talk for good food), and that this calendar will, in some way, be part of the event.  The photo shoot subposebly will have wish kids as well as some of the chefs.   Should be cool.  I am hoping for two things to come out of this shoot, well actually three.  First is that “They” recognize the greatness and give us a million dollars (I keep waiting for “Them” to do this, but “They” continually fail to do so).  Second is that we get a free calendar (love the swag).  Third is that the chefs are uber famous chefs and/or Top Chef contestants and/or Padma.  We will see.  For now; however, please raise your glasses and toast Cole, franchise quarterback.