Keep Jamie Smiling

Well we have moved to New Jersey, across the bridge and are staying in another beautiful house! This time we have the attic rooms upstairs and Jamie has a double bed to himself which he loves!!!
We are in the heart of the Cranberry and Blueberry growing region although any crops beginning to grow will probably be washed or blown away today, the weather is hideous! Really strong winds and torrential rain, come on Spring!!!

Okay, so this blog has been set up because of Jamie and the fact that he has Neuroblastoma. We learned today that 4 children this week, became angels and were taken away by this awful disease, including Sophie Atay. Honestly if it wasn't for us seeing her appeal on TV, we would not have pursued this for Jamie. So Sophie, thank you for inspiring us and know that you are helping Jamie.

Jamie's settings for radiotherapy went well yesterday. He charmed all the nurses immediately and enjoyed being pushed on his bed to the scan room ready for anaesthesia. No kidding when I say there were 10 people in the room, all attending to Jamie! Incredible! Jamie pushed the anaesthetic into his line and was out in seconds!!! No pre med, just instant knock out!!! Give us some please!!!

The whole thing took about 30 minutes and when he came back and started to wake, he was very angry! Still, he piled on the charm and after 30 mins we were free to go. He has a plastic pice of tubing stuck over his scar on his abdomen with sticky tabs coming off and then ink marks to show the area being radiated. It takes about a week for the images from this scan to be fed into another to provide 3D/4D images [I think] so that's why he doesn't start until a week Monday. You can see now, the desperate situation we were in to get him over here.

Then Mummy and Daddy went to med school, well not quite! Here in America, the broviac lines have to be flushed and cleaned daily as opposed to 3 times a week in Germany and who has to do this job? John and I. We had our training in the family suite so are ready to flush! When we were up there, Jamie said to me "So does this mean you will be my Nurse or my Mummy?" That set me off then!!!

In the family suite they have tea and coffee making facilities, free internet access a children's library and play area, brilliant!

The couple we are staying with kindly took us all out to an American Diner. The Diners were all impressed with Jamie as he walked in and wiped his feet on the doormat!!!!

Today, the weather is awful so we are chilling. A friend of the couple who is married to a police officer dropped by offering support. She has 3 children under the age of 5 and knows how difficult our situation is. However as we have had so much help its not as bad as we anticipated!