May 12th

Today was Seth's last day of chemo for session #5 and still no blood transfusions needed! His next round will start on June 8th with a 3 day admitting to the hospital. Today the doctor said that it looks like Seth's walking has been getting worse and he thinks it is time to reduce the Vanchristine dosage. Vanchristine is the chemo drug that is causes the foot drop. Reducing the dosage will hopefully help his walking to improve. I told the doctor that Seth's goal is to be able to run on his 13th birthday (Feb. 15th). The doctor just looked at me with doubt and told me it takes close to a year to run. We are still believing for a miracle! Until then Seth will be wearing braces on his feet to prevent him from tripping over his toes. He was fitted for them yesterday and we should have the braces by the end of the month. Seth seems to be fine with wearing the braces even though a year ago that would have been the worst thing you could have done to him. I think it is harder for me to watch him have to rely on braces to help him walk (because I know how bad he wants to be back to normal) then it is on him. I guess that is normal for a mom :). I would like to leave you with a poem Seth wrote for school it is called "Just Because".

(The top photo is of Seth getting the cast made to fit his braces

The bottom photo is of him and his brother canoeing)

Just Because

Just because I have cancer

I'm not weird

I'm not dumb

Just because I have cancer

I'm not scared

I'm not embarrassed

Just because I have cancer

I'm not bad

I'm not mean

Just because I have cancer-treat me like a

normal kid.

by Seth Good