Update From Dad

Hi to all

We are truly blessed!! Hillary came home from Dana Farber in Boston On Thursday evening in an ice storm. We made it home without incident in Nancy's 4 wheel drive Subaru. Thursday evening we had the biggest ice storm. Some of our neighbors have lost power for 4 days. We never lost power at all!!

Hillary can keep busy Typing away on her blog and stay warm. 450,000 services in NH were out and out in the woods we had power. Maybe we will have some very good fortune. We should play the lottery this week!!

Hillary has appointments in Boston once a week. Last week she was in tremendous pain.She has not been able to eat much and what she does eat goes right through or comes back up. Monday she was in Dartmouth for fluids I.V. Tuesday Dana Farber said you have to stay for a while and we will work on the bowel and internal plumbing that was causing unbearable pain no matter how much medication she took. They could not pin point the problem but by Thursday she was feeling like herself again.

I know that she is getting new Bone Marrow from an unknown donor but we are seeing multiple personalities in Hillary already. That must mean the Cells are taking. When her meds are right she is talkative, creative bubbly Hillary. In a split second she changes!! She will want it completely quite and regather herself. Then she comes out of that after a short time and start typing in her blog or start something else (FYI this occurs because my meds WEAR OFF and I'm again, in PAIN. I do not want to subject people to my misery. I'd rather hide and get it together).

The toughest part that we see is that she doesn't remember much. We are not sure if it is Chemo brain or all the medication she is taking. We have figured out that she is using her Blog so that she can remember what she did.

The last 4-5 weeks have been very painful for all of us. To watch her in such pain is a terrible feeling. Nothing we can do. I think we may have turned the corner this weekend. She went out to help us get our Christmas tree in the very cold weather. Vermont Christmas tree is right along the Connecticut River in Springfield VT. The ice storm did not affect the low elevation. She was able to watch as Xander jumped up onto Santa's Lap. She even got into a picture with Santa. She did not join us for the hay ride and to pick out the tree but she got to see what she wanted. Xander was a big help getting the perfect tree. That cup of Hot Chocolate and 3 candy canes gave him way to much energy for us and Hillary so we brought him back to Jon to burn some energy!! It is great to see them still able to do the important things in life!!

We were lucky enough to meet Captain Dave of the cruise ship Mt Sunapee. His wife is a temp at Nancy's Office and has been a godsend to make Nancy's schedule more flexible.Captain Dave had a bone marrow transplant 4 years ago. He told me he got back to "normal" after 3 years. He has the same doctors and nurses as Hillary. He also has a GREAT attitude.

It is amazing just how small the world is. We have so much in common. He says the memory will come back. That is a good thing. Missing the memories of the last 2-1/2 months is probably a good thing also.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. We have used them for strength , healing and vision. We could not be as positive without all of you.

Happy Holidays Vic Nancy, Patrick and Grace, Pierce, Allen and Heather, Jon Xander > and Hillary>