I always know when we haven't done an update in a while. I start hearing from folks who have so diligently followed along on Andrew's journey. I am happy to report that Andrew is doing remarkably well at this time. The real reason we haven't updated is life is kind of boring right now. In our world, boring is good.

The little guy had a great time hunting Easter eggs with his cousins. He also had a big day at Greenfield Village recently when he got to meet Thomas the Tank Engine (his favorite) and Sir Topham Hat. He has also celebrated the return of spring with some ice cream cones. That boy loves his ice cream.

Andrew continues to attend the Early Childhood Preschool program 4 days a week and he gets to ride the bus home 2 of those days. Big stuff for the little guy. He looks forward to going to school and he has really blossomed socially because of it.

He still goes to physical therapy (therapeutic horseback riding) and swimming once a week. This has allowed him to make great strides in his gross motor skills. He can now jump and pedal his tricycle due to his improved balance. His language continues to grow, sometimes more than his parents can take. He is still compromised with his soft voice due to the paralyzed vocal cord. They are hoping to be able to do the summer language program similar to the program they did last fall. They are still hoping for improved articulation. His hair has come back and it is thicker than it was before. He takes great pride in telling everyone that he now has more hair than I do.

Medically, Andrew had a check up with the oncologist and all seems to be going well. He continues to take tamoxifen, an experimental prophylactic to prevent a reocurrence and also continues with his daily breathing treatments to protect his lungs. His next MRI is scheduled for June so the clock starts ticking again. He will have a kidney ultrasound in May along with monthly labs. My daughter-in-law reports that they are considering having his port removed as well as maybe even the Ommaya reservoir. THAT is the definition of hope....

He recently underwent a significant amount of dental work under anesthesia. He had to have a root canal, a couple of fillings and 4 teeth capped. The combination of chemo/radiation and having to drink thickened liquids did a number on his teeth. He should have been in pain but never complained so his tolerance of pain must be rather high. I am glad that they were able to get this corrected.

Like most of the updates, with the good comes the bad. Since my last update, four more children have died from AT/RT. That brings the total for 2009 to eight so far. Gut wrenching to say the least. We continue to pray for the families that have lost a precious child.

I again thank you all for following along on Andrew's journey. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we continue to Believe, Hope and Dream. I am convinced miracles do happen! Hope to see you at the races.