Weekend Update Sunday June 12

Family Update:  This was all graduation celebration all  the time week at the Staudt house.  Emma graduated 8th grade along with 51 students from St Michael school in North Andover, MA this past Thursday June 9th.  In addition to the social outings, this past week included an awards day, spirit show and graduation dinner.  At the graduation dinner each student read a letter to their parents.  The letters were beautiful, touching  and quite funny.  Emma's letter was very clever and heart warming.  I only cried once (or twice).  the kids left with a sweatshirt designed by one of the Moms, a Memory Book that was beautifully put together and a DVD with hundreds (thousands?) of photos of the kids and their families.  Every event and gift was lovingly put together and reminds me how lucky we were for Emma's 11 years with St Mikes and the lasting friendships that came from those years.  Jim's sister Mary Anne (husband Pat), brother Tom (wife Susan) and niece Siobhan (husband Nick) joined us over the weekend for a family celebration.  We had a GREAT time and thank them all so  much for making the trip.  What a great way to top off the two weeks of celebration.  Emma was also busy with friends throughout the weekend.  Oh and many of the older siblings of Emma's classmates were in Joseph's class so he had a lot of fun catching up with old St Mike's pals.  We are all appropriately exhausted today.  Except, of course, Joseph who has headed to a friends home at Rye Beach.  Poor kid had his wisdom teeth out admist all this but luckily there were no complications and he recovered pretty quickly.

Medical Updates:  Well one benefit of being zonked out from low blood and platelets these last several weeks is that I get to spend time with my friends and family who have been driving me to/from Beth Israel.  Thanks to all of you - especially those on deck during these busy weeks (Annie, Anne Marie, Bob, Lorainne, Joseph, Jim, Robert...)  If I haven't shamelessly tapped you for a ride and you are local look out for a call.

I continue to get stronger physically and build my stamina.  I stopped taking an antibiotic a couple weeks ago which is the likely culprit for my low blood counts and subsequent fatigue.  Sooo hopefully I won't be as tired in the upcoming weeks and will be able to dial back on the clinic visits.

Jim and I will see Dr. Avigan this week and hopefully get a sense of next steps in my treatment (as well as the timing).  My disease is under control but not eradicated so some type of treatment is in my near future.  Luckily I am going into it with better energy and a little meat on my bones.  Will keep you posted on next steps in my journey.

Thanks for checking in!  Love - Maureen