Bonus

Well, the second cycle is proving to not be quite as crippling as the first. We're not exactly sure why, but starting out with a full compliment of anti-nausea meads seems to be a possibility. During the first cycle we delayed using one of the drugs because of a risk of side effects (which never came), and catching up with a cycle of the icky-tummy isn't really possible. In contrast, this time has been roughly smooth sailing -- although the coming days will bring the standard fever, low blood levels and breakthrough nausea that are at the heart of Vampbaby's treatment regimen, although the added days of healthy toddler were a bonus we gladly take.

In addition, we have taken time from our "OH MY GOD OUR SON HAS CANCER" phase to continue to marvel at how freakin' cool our son is. Of course, the scars he will now sport on his head and chest from his surgeries will up his rough-and-tumble appearance points to ladies in the future (or perhaps guys -- who are we to assume?). But his continued, persistent cuteness has rubbed off on the hospital nursing staff, who have started a waiting list of sorts to determine who gets to have him as a patient while on duty. The list keeps growing every time we walk by the patient board, and while he's too young (and too focused on his new push car) to understand, Vampmommy and I take it as a compliment -- particularly because I think we can assume that they must think we're okay people as well.

In another show of his unmitigated cool-factor, while traveling to the hospital on Friday with the radio blaring, my little guy went absolutely nuts when a song by Stone Temple Pilots came on. I can't recall that he'd heard them before, but he flailed about, clapping and singing with all of the energy and enthusiasm of their biggest fan. Not bad.