Monday, December 27th

Today was a slower day.  David and Michelle definitely felt the effects of the last 2 weeks, as they slept in again, and then slowly worked their way through the day.  There was another nap for David and a doubling of vitamins for Michelle.  We are grateful for this extremely quiet apartment, the private time, and then the opportunity to head back to the Krochko's for more wonderful food and fun for the evening.

Michellie slept in and then read quietly in bed.  For those of you who know Michellie well enough, she hardly ever takes time to read.  If the book can draw her in, she can steal away the day with it.  This was a good diversion for her today.  Michellie was moving a little slower today, but without any pain killers or nausea drugs. She even felt well enough to put her jeans on for the first time since having the bone marrow taken out (there was a bit of bruising on her hip bones), she got out the perfume she received for Christmas and the smell was not overpowering for her, and then she did her hair in clips and let it hang so nicely around her shoulders, (usually she would have it in a ponytail).

We have to thank the Krochko's for their incredible friendship, hospitality, care, concern and love.  This evening we laughed and laughed and laughed with all the kids as they came and went with their various antics and activities.  Kamryn, their granddaughter, was a lot of fun at 20 months, and so were the animals as they worked around this little going concern. Our teenagers were ready for a night on the town, and we enjoyed all the hoopla that goes with getting ready to go out.  It brought back memories of our college days, although we are told that we really do not know what partying means - we will continue to let them think they are right!

Michellie had a chance to go out for a bit without her parents hanging around, and she got to watch her brother shop for clothes.  She enjoyed the opportunity to be a teenager again with all the independence that she had acquired before last week.  We were happy parents to see her going out with buddies and not needing us.  Tomorrow is our last day in Halifax as a family.  MacKenzie will fly back to Alberta on Wednesday morning, and Michellie will have her last chemo for round 1.  Michellie's blood count is predicted to drop over the next week, and sometime in the next week she will see her hair begin to drop.  This will be a tough time we know, so we are embracing the moments we have right now to be as normal as possible with the energy Michellie has gained back.

Oh, the appetite is gaining again, and pizza is being called for. We will embrace the opportunities in Halifax to get pizza at any hour in the evening and within walking distance.  Back on the island this will be a distant memory.