Madeline Update

Madeline gets bigger every day. She is now babbling on a regular basis and discovering all sorts of amusing and annoying sounds that she can make. She has started eating Cheerios (you can see one stuck to her face below), mashed up bananas, avocados, and other new stuff.

She also is getting sick of sitting and likes to be lifted to her feet so she can either try to walk with assistance or grab hold of a table or chair. She only seems to push herself backwards on the floor when on her stomach, so we're not sure if she'll crawl (she may go directly to walking).

Alex and Sloane's Wedding

Alex and Sloane, the new Mr. and Mrs. LePage, got married just after the new year. It was a great wedding and a fabulous, fun party. We didn't really take any pictures at the wedding, as we were having too much fun. We did manage one shot before we left home since we don't seem to get dressed up all that often anymore. ;-)

Recovery Update, Part 2

I am recovering from the second operation well (completion / total thyroidectomy). Getting more and more energy back every day. The pathology report came back on this tissue and it was negative for cancer. That means that it did not spread within the thyroid from the left half and all indications are that it did not spread into the bloodstream.

Thus, my long-term prognosis is excellent which is a huge relief. A whole-body-scan and radioactive iodine treatment are scheduled for the end of March, to make sure we kill off any remnants of cancer and/or thyroid tissue.

The Big C

Got the word on New Year's Eve that my medical news was good and bad. Bad news is that they found a "minimally invasive follicular carcinoma" on the left lobe of my thyroid (cancer). Good news is that it is small and we caught it relatively early, so my long term prognosis should be good.

So, tomorrow (1/13/04), I go back in for surgery to remove the rest of my thyroid tissue. Then in another 6 weeks or so I get a radiation treatment - I ingest a radioactive iodine pill that is taken up by any remaining thyroid cells in an attempt to kill them. And, of course, I take a thyroid hormone pill for the rest of my life (no big deal).

Since I have been through the surgery once already, I know it is not all that bad and I'll get through it better. I'm feeling a lot more positive about things this time around, though it's a shame to go back in since my scar is healing so nicely. Oh well - nothing I can do but have a positive, fighting attitude.

Updates to come later this week.