We had a lovely, long two-week winter break that was sandwiched between two MRIs. I love being at home with the kids and am maybe the only parent in Saint Paul who was not ready for everyone to go back to school. Towards the end of the two weeks, I noticed that there were only four toothbrushes in our little toothbrush holder. After a brief meeting with our entire family of five people, it was determined that all the teeth in our house were being brushed, but that two of us were using the same toothbrush. Though likely unrelated to that particular incident, it should come as no surprise that we all have covid. The kids and I have had mild symptoms but, as we expected, Hunter has had some neurological symptoms such as increased seizure auras and fatigue. All of us seem to be on the upswing now. I’m so thankful for vaccines and overall mild symptoms. 

Hunter had his run of the mill, planned MRI on 11/13/23, which was a Monday, in the late afternoon, followed by an even later appointment with his neuro-oncologist. It was just a week after the time change, which meant that we spent the better part of the afternoon in windowless spaces and were discombobulated when we left because all of a sudden it was dark but yet we had to get back across the river to St Paul in a hurry, collect our kids, and get them something to eat, and get them to wherever they are scheduled to be that evening. Our kids are little joiners and they keep me running over town in my minivan every day of the week. The speed of life has lately made MRI/neuro-oncology appointments feel like an errand. One more box to check. They used to be the reference point for which all of the rest of our engagements existed. Our whole universe, really. When we met with Dr. Neil on Monday, November 13, in the late afternoon, she gave Hunter and I good news and a report of a scan that, once again, presented nothing concerning. So we picked up the boys from our friends’, went home and waited for Scout to get home from her first day of Nordic ski practice, and then I gave them some kind of dinner, and I took Grady to swimming lessons. 

The following Monday, Dr. Neil called us back because at their brain tumor conference–brain tumor conference happens every Monday over the lunch hour, something we have been well aware of since Hunter’s surgery and diagnosis–the radiation oncologist saw something concerning-ish on the MRI from his appointment on the thirteenth. Dr. Neil called Hunter and told him some symptoms to look out for based on where the spot was located, but we otherwise had to wait it out. We looked out for symptoms and made many a mountain out of mole hills as any rational person would in that situation. She bumped the next MRI up a couple of months to take another look and see if it had grown. Truthfully though, not much changed with Hunter and somehow the possible spot didn’t take over our lives, mostly because we have two little boys who took over our lives with their obsession with the Minnesota Timberwolves and their pretty great season thus far and it is literally all we talk about. 

Fast forward to January 12th, where we had the follow up MRI and appointment and all is well! The spot on the MRI from November was an artifact from the MRI machine. This means that even though we live in a world where science makes it possible to develop vaccines that will save a whole bunch of people and where we can create robots that can seem real enough that they try to break up a marriage, still an MRI may cause an atom to keep spinning after it’s supposed to stop spinning and send the pulse back to the machine itself and create an artifact that is hard to distinguish from pathology. Or something like that. 

The holidays were wonderful, and as I said we had a great break despite it not being very wintery. It’s been a crummy winter for Scout’s first Nordic ski season, but she’s having a great time. She’s had a couple of orchestra concerts as well. Without meaningful snowfall, it’s been hard to convince the kids to go out and play because it’s just cold and pretty uninspiring. Finn is playing futsal (like indoor soccer on a basketball court with a smaller, heavier ball and where you, the spectator, have to pay really close attention lest you get nailed in the face with a smaller, heavier ball from close range). He’s also playing basketball and Hunter is coaching his team with another friend of ours. Grady is gonna Grady all day long. He takes swimming lessons and he also pontificates about anything and everything on his mind such as the Timberwolves, Harry Potter (specifically Voldemort), what constitutes a travel in basketball, and putting on chapstick. Grady will also play “Carol of the Bells” faster than you’ve ever heard on any piano he can get his little fingers on. 

Hunter’s next MRI is scheduled for May. We are so thankful for your continued love and support. We wish you and yours a wonderful, healthy 2024! 

love always,

kristin