Avi's Web Page

Welcome to Avi's Web Page. We have put together this page to keep people updated about Avi's progress as he battles osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.

Thank you to everyone for sending their good wishes, prayers and offers of assistance. Thank you too to those who have sent food, presents, balloons.

Journal

Friday, November 17, 2006 1:47 PM CST

Hello Friends and Family! I know I said back in May I wasn’t going to update anymore but several people have been telling me they check the page and really want an update so, here it goes. We are now at the one-year mark post-treatment for Avi – major milestone. We spent this week having a whole battery of tests and scans to make sure everything is still ok. Avi checked out great – cancer-free, normal heart and kidney function, good blood counts, hearing stabilized. We are thrilled!

It has been quite a year. I had Avi’s teacher conference today at preschool and his teacher, Lorie, said she is just amazed with how little Avi’s leg holds him back. He does everything the other kids do – climbs, dances, jumps, runs, rides a tricycle – and you hardly notice the uneven gait. He even took a soccer class this fall. The best part for him was the trophy at the end! Avi’s function just continues to improve. We stopped PT for awhile then started up again to help him reach some age-appropriate milestones. Here’s some of Avi’s favorite things (in no particular order):

1. Playing hide and seek (sometimes he tells you where he’s hiding, so funny)
2. Swimming (he can jump in off one leg)
3. Watching Little Einsteins
4. Singing and dancing to Ellie’s High School Musical CD
5. Curious George books (wonder why?!?)
6. Orange juice – his absolute favorite drink
7. Snuggle time in Mommy and Daddy’s bed
8. Going on the swings
9. Playing at Chuck E. Cheese (the nanny takes him)
10. Pizza from Mama Lucia

He’s just the most adorable, sweet, incredible little boy. I try to treasure everyday with both him and Ellie. She is doing great too – growing by leaps and bounds and really excelling at school. She is big into soccer and gymnastics now. We’re so proud of her.

This year has been filled with a lot of happiness for us and return to normalcy. I went back to work in August to my dear friends at the FTC. Jeff started a new position at Sodexho, Inc. – a food service company – in Gaithersburg, MD in late June. He’s doing labor and employment law in their general counsel’s office like he did at MCI. It’s been an easy transition for him, nice people, good work, great commute.

It’s also been a year of emotional adjustment. Trying to put Avi’s cancer experience into context with our now, pretty normal, life is not always easy. Not to mention the challenge of juggling all of his continuing medical appointments with my new work schedule. I live in constant fear that the cancer will return and everything will just slip away in an instant, like before. Sometimes it feels like another lifetime that I was in the hospital daily with Avi all hooked up and other times it’s like yesterday. I try really hard not to dwell on all of this but use it as a reminder to cherish every moment, be more patient with my kids, be more loving to my husband. Several kids that were treated at the same time as Avi have relapsed and most devastatingly one passed away on November 4. I keep in touch with some of the Georgetown Hem/Onc families that I met and find it very therapeutic to talk with them and share our highs and lows.

We are very, very lucky to have Avi here, happy and doing so incredibly well and feel very blessed. We are thankful everyday for the amazing care we received from Dr. Shad and her incredible team at the clinic and from the wonderful nurses up on C53. And, we are in awe everyday of Dr. Weber, Avi’s surgeon, and the extraordinary job she did with Avi’s surgery.

We wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season. I am going to try to put up some new pictures too. I know you’re dying to see how big Avi has gotten. We’ll keep this page up for awhile longer and then see about taking it down. You’re always welcome to call or e-mail us if you want to hear our news!!

Our love to you all, Bobbi, Jeff, Ellie and, of course, Avi

Read Journal History

Hospital Information:

Home Sweet Home
5204 Locust Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814

Links:

E-mail Author: rjspector@rcn.com

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