A perfect end to a perfect vacation

Our vacation is over, but the Campbell's are still smiling.  I consider this past week a "practice" vacation of sorts because it was so spontanious, we didn't know how Ty would react, and because we still traveled into the city every morning for radiation.  Our time in Long Beach this past week was great, Ty adapted to being away from home so well, and we are looking forward to celebrating his final radiation trip with yet another vacation.  Next weekend we will be heading upstate to spend a week at Schroon Lake with my parents and my sister's family.  If there is any summer when a family deserves to take two vacations, it's this one.  Ty was diagnosed just eight days after we returned from our annual vacation at the lake last summer.  There were so many times that we doubted whether or not Ty would make it up to there again, and now it is right around the corner and Ty is doing just great.  We told him about going up there the other day and he said "I'm gonna take my fishing pole!"  Last year we bought him one and I couldn't believe he remembered. 

I haven't been able to post for a few days, so I want to share a quick medical update and then some fun photos from the past week.  Ty will be back tomorrow to kick off his last week of radiation treatment to the Cerebellum.  We expect the hair on the back of his head to fall out any day now, which totally stinks because he doesn't look sick anymore to the average stranger, but he has taken to wearing summer baseball caps so I don't think it will bother him too much. See?

After we complete the next five radiation treatments, we will go off to the lake for one whole week free of hospital visits and medication before we return for another round of Avastin, the chemotherapy that Ty is currently on.  At that time we will also have some very serious discussions around next steps.  Lou and I want to try a more aggressive treatment regimen while his disease is microscopic, but Ty's doctors probably won't want to move forward with anything too strong given his weak bone marrow.  It's such a tough discussion to make because Ty is doing so well and we don't want to risk another serious infection or worse... but at the same time Lou and I feel like now is the time to go for it - even if it means going against some of his doctor's ideas.  We'll see.  We haven't had these discussions yet and there are so many factors that will guide our next steps, but right now that is where our minds are at.

The last few days have continued to be some of the happiest days we have had in almost a year.  On Thursday we went down to the beach again, and Ty was really enjoying himself down at the ocean.  It was so hot so it didn't last long, but I will never forget this face down by the water (or those perpetual blue lollipop lips)!  Lou and I snuck out after bedtime that night to meet up with our friends for a twilight ride on their boat and a delicious dinner at a restaurant on the water.  Jeanine and Mike have done SO much for us and especially for Ty, I'm so glad we got to catch up.  Thanks guys, for such a nice night :)

Friday we packed up and went to my Mom's house for the day.  Grandma and Pop-Pop spent the day bending over backwards to feed Ty whatever he craved, and my mom also prepared a delicious dinner for us.  My brother and niece, Ashley, also joined us for dinner which was such a nice surprise, and I got to see my beautiful young cousin Juliette who was in town from Puerto Rico visiting with her Grandma (my Aunt who lives around the block).  Juliette, thank you for the amazing "flip flop" cookies.  The cookies were as delicious as they were meaningful.  Her mom, Rosalyn, often posts to the blog about how soon our lives will turn around and we will be wearing flip flops in the sand instead of the awful, ugly shoes we are stuck with right now... and I believe her!  I can't wait :) 

We spent the rest of the weekend back home in Pawling.  Ty was happy to be back on his favorite couch and we were all happy to have a couple more days to unwind at home.  We had a birthday party Saturday afternoon (happy birthday to Johnny and our Godson Luke!) and Ty was such a trooper.  It was hot outside and he stayed for a pretty long time while Gavin had a great time on the playground and swimming in the lake.  I mentioned how important it is that Ty wears a hat to keep his head from sun exposure, so I had Gavin in a cute baseball cap, too.  Gavin prefers to wear his sideways :)  Ty fell fast asleep on the way home.

We closed out the week with an AMAZING day today.  The Iron Riders held their annual fund raiser today, and this year they selected to honor Ty!  This is a large group of bikers who get together in support of great causes.  What a nice group of people.  They followed the ride with a delicious barbeque event in the park, and I felt so much love from everyone it was really wonderful.  Here is Lou and his Dad on their bikes earlier today, and a nice picture of the whole family at the event.  Thank you so much to everyone who attended, and especially to all of those who helped to plan and who volunteered at the event.  So much planning went into today, and all of that hard work resulted in a very fun day for everyone.  Ty, too, of course.  Thanks again, Iron Riders! :)  See you next year!  With all of our love, the Campbell Family.