Wishing You A Great Thanksgiving Weekend!

It's Day 77 post transplant. Can you believe it? I have to say I am so thankful time has passed quickly. And it feels really good to be closer to the end of the 100 days then closer to the beginning of them.

Adam has been doing really well. He responded nicely to his treatment for GVHD and is currently being weaned from the steroids!! We cannot express enough jubilation about that. Adam has also had his NG Tube removed which brings mixed emotions. It is so wonderful to see our boy without the tube in his nose. It's one step closer to the end. However, it was the handiest thing for giving him his medicine. I really miss it for that one reason. Adam has managed to take his meds by mouth, but it's not without a fight. Oh, and to add a cherry on top of it all, he is potty training!!!!!! Started yesterday morning and has done GREAT. Who saw that coming?

Russell and Adam walk together on the path that encircles the main house at Monticello.

A couple of weeks ago, our family managed a little break and went down to Monticello for a day out of the house. It has been a tradition we have loved ever since Mark and I were married. We missed the last two years for obvious reasons, so it felt really nice to celebrate Adam's successful transplant by resuming our visits. Because of Adam's restrictions (going inside crowed places), we didn't tour the house, but that's okay because our favorite part of Monticello is the Vegetable Garden Terrace anyway. Mark and I could spend hours walking up and down that fantastic garden. Needless to say, the boys loved it too. They could run and play at will and it just felt so good to be outside!

Adam is playing on one of several stair cases that lead from Monticello's vegetable garden down to the orchard and vineyards. Here he is pretending to be "Darth Vader" from Star Wars.

Adam has become quite the chef. He prefers to be in the kitchen whenever we are cooking. He has actually learned to make his own "scrambled eggies". Here, you see him doing just that. The only thing he doesn't do is actually scramble them because that would be getting way to close to the stove!

As for Thanksgiving, we enjoyed the day here at home all by ourselves. I think that has to be the most peaceful holiday I've experienced. Not to say that we don't love spending the holidays with family and friends, but it was kind of nice to have the pressure to be ready at a certain time relieved. The boys enjoyed helping make the rolls and the ice cream (which I think was their favorite part), and Mark and I enjoyed making a fantastic meal and christening our dining room by eating our first meal in there since we moved in two and a half years ago.

It was a remarkable feeling sitting around the table with all of our little family together. We hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends as well. The people we love really are one of the most important blessings we've been given!

With all our love and best wishes for a happy holiday season,

The Henshaws

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love every bit of this update!!! I am so happy to hear that the steroids are being weaned and that we are still on a happy track!! The pics of the boys look great too! YAY for potty training!!! I knew he could do it! Miss y'all tons but glad you are home! Enjoy the holidays ... Miss Holly

Susan said...

Holey Chunky Monkey! That pic doesn't even look like Adam. He'll have fun looking back at that someday. I'm so glad you're on your way to being done and glad that you could have Thanksgiving in your own house together. We love you guys and look forward to visiting you sometime during the holiday.

The Autens

GoodReason said...

Sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving! Many happy returns in the future!

Janna said...

Holly!!!! It's good to hear from you. I told Adam that you wrote him a "letter" and he said with a gasp, "she did?". We are supposed to be getting his line out at Fairfax and I am hoping it will be before the end of the year. I hope we get to see you!

Susan--You are not kidding. I have to nibble those cute cheeks cause I know they won't be around forever.

Val-Thanks for your well wishes. We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too!

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