20 Nov - Some Good News

Here's a new family picture that we had to take for one of Sam's pre-school projects that came out nice. Also, you can see Sam as an indian when he had a pow wow at school.

Now for the good news! Sarah just got a PET scan and the results came back showing no new metastases and notably no liver lesions. Those SIR spheres really did the trick and we're so glad we kept fighting to get the insurance approval instead of going the easier route and getting the chemo-embolization done. The scan did show numerous bone mets in her spine but those have been there since the beginning and are categorized as "sclerotic" lesions, which means they are growing slowly enough that the bone has time to regrow at the boundaries of the spots. That, together with Sarah's very low tumor markers, puts us in a pretty good place right now and Sarah is really enjoying not being on constant chemotherapy.

We also went to Houston for homecoming and Sarah's 15yr college reunion. After catching up with old friends, Sarah went up to Dallas to greet Nicole at the finish line of the 3-day Walk For Breast Cancer. Thank you so much to all who have given generously in sponsoring Nicole's walk -- she has raised almost $6,000!

Halloween

Quite a crew, huh? Halloween was fairly warm this year and everyone seemed to be trick-or-treating early, so we joined in. Ben might as well have been dressed as a pirate -- there was a lot of candy loot. I just hope we finish it (or "lose" it) before Christmas rolls in. :)

The Indian Guides Fall Campout

Ben and I went to the Indian Guides Fall campout again this year just before Halloween and it was a great trip. He loves the activities, hanging out by the camp fire and staying up late... Who wouldn't? The weather was perfect and we even had a "haunted cabin" event in the evening where the kids dress up in costume and trick-or-treat to the cabins which are decorated for Halloween.

3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer

My best friend, Nicole, is walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer this weekend in my honor. She has been a huge moral support to me over the last two and a half years, and now she has committed herself to raise funds for a cure by walking in this event. I'm writing to ask you to consider supporting her efforts by making a donation. She has set a goal of raising $4000*, and with your help, I know she will surpass that goal!

Please visit her fundraising page:
http://www.the3day.org/goto/Nicole.Smith
to make a donation of any size to help find a cure for breast cancer!

*EDITED: She has raised her goal to $5000, and she's almost there! Thank you so much to everyone who has donated!!