August 7, 2008 

Hello Malenafans, 

Summer is just moving right along!  I guess that’s good because that gets  us closer to the end date!   

Malena and Tony are finishing up their week at Camp Good Days Jr.  They have gone on different adventures with CGD all week.  Tomorrow’s adventure is Darien Lake.  We are praying for great weather!  They are loving every minute of it! 

Malena’s counts are doing ok.  Her ANC is at 650.  They want to keep it between 500-1500.  I am always more comfortable when it is toward the higher end but as I tell myself every time I get nervous:  the Chemo is doing its job. Ugh! 

Malena received her teacher for Kindergarten.  We were very happy to see that she will be in Mrs. McAtee’s afternoon Kindergarten. Her friend Julia, who also has leukemia, will be in her class.  It is unbelievable that the lightning struck twice here in East Aurora in so short a time span but we are glad to have each other as we travel this road.  We were hoping that both girls would be in the same class.  The school nurse has already sent a note home telling parents that their kids will be in class with immune suppressed children.  So hopefully we will have an uneventful, healthy year! 

We had some exciting news!  Malena was asked to be the celebrity child for the Variety Club 2009!  We will have events that the whole family will be a part of in the months leading up to the telethon and then the weekend of we will help out and be part of the show.  A lot of the money raised goes toward Children’s Hospital.  The rest of the money goes to other organizations such as Camp Good Days.  It sounds like a lot of fun!  We’ll keep you posted!  

Enjoy the rest of the summer! 

Sincerely, Suzanne