dancing abbie

I LOVE watching Abigail when she is passionately and completely engaged in her activities. I delight in moments when she is in her own world singing songs. Sometimes, As my gaze is fix upon her, I will catch her eye and she will respond with a smile. Other moments I witness Abbie using her fertile imagination as she plays with toys. I am always amazed at her focus and concentration when she creates art. She is the most gifted artist her age. Also, as a father, I love seeing Abbie dribble the soccer ball around the yard and if I am able physically, I enjoy joining her. And in my completely biased opinion, she it really skilled soccer player.

Today I enjoyed observing her in dance class. She attends dance class every Tuesday and today parents were invited to watch. There are probably 20 other little girls in the room, but only one catches my eye and has my absolute attention. All of the other little dancers might be more gifted but only one captures my heart. Somehow as I watch everyone else just fades away.

I hope you enjoy these video clips as much as I do...

james' health

This is my second week of physical therapy and I have some noticeable improvements. I was unable to lift my leg from all positions and I have regained some strength-I am pretty happy about this! My leg remains really weak but small improvements have made a huge difference. My range of motion in my hip joint remains limited and stiff. We are unsure of what is going on inside my joint but I do know it doesn’t move normally, which has made walking and moving around really awkward. I am waiting for an X-ray to help guide us in my rehabilitation. If the doctor who specializes in bones and cancer concludes that I have no major issues, the therapist and I will really work on moving this hip. I am fantasizing of a day when I can walk and maybe even run around and play with children again.
I have noticed another small lump that hurts on my throat. Painful bumps, lumps, spots or anything unusual always concern me. I have scheduled a CT scan so I can receive a more accurate diagnosis. On the one hand I always hope that it’s no big deal, but on the other hand, my history tells me, “You have a problem, sir.” The tumors in my lungs have been consistently larger this year and I still have a cancerous area on my head. It is clear that this disease is progressing and there is no definitive treatment. I am considering visiting MD Anderson again in Houston, TX. They are on the cutting edge of cancer research and perform several clinical trials. A clinical trial may be an option for me in the future however I would have to live in Houston while I was using the drug.
For the most part I am feeling well and more mobile so long as I sleep enough!!

happy new year

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We celebrated and ushered in the new year with friends, food and Wii Nintendo, which equals lots of fun. This year was a monumental year because we thought it would be fun to have Abbie join in on the festivities. Abbie loved staying up late and had lots of fun doing it. And by-the-way, she is really good at Wii bowling!