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WE DID IT!!! 
Welcome to Noah's Page. Noah (aka "thumper the clown") was diagnosed with Leukemia on December 11, 2003, just 2 months before his 3rd birthday. You can read about our journey into the world of Cancer in the past and current journal entries below.
Journal
Thursday, May 14, 2009 10:44 AM CDT I think about writing so often, and then I don't.
And today, I came (after hearing that we can now publish a "caringbook" of all of our entries) and realized it has been over a year since my last post.
Wow.
A year.
Who knew? All I can say is that the Hurleys no longer think about Cancer every day. We no longer plan our days around treatment. We no longer jump every time Noah coughs. We no longer plan meals and bedtime rituals around any given medication. We no longer receive 3-5 medical bills a week. And I am happy to say that I only have to navigate that dreadful parking garage at Children's hospital 2 times a year now!! Woo hoo.
Are we back to normal? Hardly.
I don't know what normal is anymore. All I know is that we are no longer defined by the unwelcomed monster called Leukemia which invaded my home over 5 years ago! Are we still impacted by it? You bet.
Our finances and long term plans all were depleted while we were struggling to stay afloat. Our marriage has been tested and taxed in ways that only other pediatric Cancer parents can understand (and statistics suggest that 90 f those marriages end in divorce during treatment or shortly thereafter.) Our other two children missed out on having the kind of parents that Mark and I had always committed to be. (And let me not mention that Mark's and my own bodies have become flabby, wrinkled and bigger than they were 5 years ago!):o) In fact, in a strange, merciful, ironic way, the one who has probably fared the best is Noah.
Noah's life is GREAT! He knows that the last 5 years were something important and distressful, but it's all a faint memory for the boy who learned how to talk, was potty trained and, for all practical purposes, was raised with the Cancer, until it was just no more. He never knew any different, so I think he's done the best of all of us.
He is healthy, strong, smart, and a really compassionate, kind and sensitive kid. I'll admit that there is still fear which lurks deep within me, and that I am moved to tears more readily than ever before, but I give thanks to God every day that the worst is behind us. I felt reassured in my prayers that things would be fine, and the Lord kept his word.
Now we're putting the rest of our lives back together. It took them 5 years to fall apart, so I am trying to be patient with myself as we attend to everything we neglected during that time. :o)
Since the drama in our lives is now Hurley-induced, rather than Cancer-induced, I don't know that I will continue to broadcast our shenanigans here on Caringbridge, as there are so many other families whose lives are still in the thick of their illnesses who thrive on the love and prayers of readers, like we once did.
If you are reading now, thank you for being on our journey with us.
If you prayed for us, thank you... It worked!
If you signed in, letting me know we weren't alone, thank you... I couldn't have done this without YOU.
Until I write again...
May the Lord bless you with everything you need (even if it isn't what you want).
All my love,
Lori
Read Journal History
Hospital Information: There is no place like home!!!
PO Box 9311
North St Paul MN 55109
651-748-9442 ext. 3 (it's our business line, but it's us...really!)
Links: http://www.caringbridge.org/ga/kendrie The most profoundly honest website about Leukemia (and really funny too!) I highly recommend it!!
http://www.caringbridge.com/oh/finnrooney Another humorous perspective on cancer and parenting!
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