Whew. Time flies when you're so focused on raising kids that you forget one of them was so very sick! Every now and again something will trigger a response in Tanya or I and we're reminded of how different things could be. Last night we rented the movie "Arrival." It's quite good, a fantasy and a thinkers film. We were unprepared for the wrenching opening scene where the main character's daughter dies, abruptly, of childhood cancer. There were tears on and off screen. I suspect there always will be.
Most days, Browyn is just a happy, normal girl. She's a bit smaller than her peers, and she eats poorly, even for a kid. These two are subjects of concern for her team at CHOP, and we do still have periodic visits with them. In order to help her grow, Browyn is taking hormone replacement therapy under the care of an endocrinologist, and we're on a program to increase her weight. Should that program not work in the next 3 months or so, we'll go back to the belly tube. So far, things are looking good. It is normal for childhood cancer survivors to have lifelong, chronic health issues and we're thankful Browyn's have had such a minor impact on her quality of life. Time will tell, and we appreciate your continued prayers. Specifically, please pray that the hormone therapies would work and that she'd start to grow before needing surgery and a belly tube.
She does very well in school and is playing basketball in a local Upward! league. It's pitifully cute, as she can barely get the ball within a foot of the rim, let alone score. She plays a mean defensive guard, however. Attitude... Tough as Browyn!
As a conclusion to this update, you'll remember that I started running again during Browyn's treatment. That's where #ToughAsBrowyn came from. Glad to say that it's now become a habit, and I've joined a team of runners in the local area, the Hatboro Running Club. We're doing a 200-mile team relay run in May from just south of Boston to the tip of Cape Cod, and we've decided to raise funds for Alex's Lemonade Stand and JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Another member of the team's little girl suffers from this disease.
I would like to ask Browyn's Army to consider making a donation to our team. Browyn has made it so far, and that's in part to the funds and resources provided to organizations like CHOP and other research hospitals by Alex's Lemonade and JDRF. 100% of the funds we raise will go to these charities.
Here are the links to our sites. I'll also post them directly to Facebook. Thank you! - Ryan.
