Hello Team Sam —

We have been hunkered down over here because 3 out of 4 of us have had Covid :( :(. The good news is, Sam didn’t get it! The nurses at the Bass Center didn’t seem too worried about it for him but with 2 out of 3 of us now testing repeatedly negative, we are feeling much better.  We are also super grateful we have a basement and an upstairs so we can separate.  Zack tested positive first on Friday 9/8 and then John and I tested positive on 9/11.  I’m the only one that remains positive — it’s my first go round too. 

Sam has weekly appointments set up with his teachers and all of his classes are going well. He is taking AB Calculus at Fusion and AP Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology Honors, Communications and AP Chinese at Paly (his home high school).  He finished first semester of Calculus today!! And he’ll be finished with the entire course by November 15!! Wow.

He also finished his AP English Language class from last semester and got an A!  So all As for him for Junior Year **while going through chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant!** FU Leukemia!

He’s also applying to colleges and working on his essays. It’s a great time to reflect on life and all that he’s been able to do in his 18 years on Earth so far. Huge shout out to our friend Jen who has been helping him find and refine his voice.  

He’s been to 1 football game, a water polo match to watch his buddy swim, and then out to dinner with his BFF all in the last 10 days so his social life is doing ok too.

He had another mitogen test last Monday (9/11) so we should get that back next week. And he’ll have his 6 months (!!) bone marrow aspirate on Thursday so we are hopeful that will continue to show NGS = 0 .  Still planning on going back to in person school in January with some possibility of getting there earlier if the mitogen test shows immune system strength.

Oh and I joined in my friend Lisa’s Great Cycle Challenge to honor Childhood Cancer Awareness month which is happening right now, and to raise money for the Childhood Cancer Research My goal is to ride 200 miles by the end of September (even with Covid I’m at 78!)  I’m riding my Peloton for this challenge.

#FULeukemia

#LFGStemCells

#TeamSamStrong

#GoGold