It's strange the things that make you sit back and think. This morning it was a TV show I was watching on my iPod on the bus ride in to work. In it the characters were dealing with one of their team that had a disease that had no cure. The first part of the show dealt with the emotional issues that each of them felt knowing there was nothing they could do and they were saying their good-byes. In the second half of the show, they were given a long shot chance at a treatment that might give them more time to be with their friend but which comes at great risk to themselves. Of course, with this being a TV show, they end up finding a way to treat the character and in the end, save him.

What I found myself thinking about was how close this story line was to our time with Hannah after she was diagnosed. We had the devestating news of the diagnosis itself, the emotional and physical issues with treatment, recovery and progression, and the desperate hope for a treatment that would give us more time, or a cure. We didn't have the same ending but up to a point there were many similarities. The emotions, the struggle to accept what was happening and that you have no power to change it. And given a sliver of hope, how you cling to it and will do anything to try to make it happen.

I did identify with many of the issues that were brought up in the show and I suppose that is what makes for good television, it makes you think and it can have an emotional impact. Yeah, I can hear you what you're saying, or at least I can imagine what you're thinking. "You got that from a TV show?" Good entertainment, whether it be a book, movie or TV show, can have an emotional impact. Don't people cry at sad points in a movie such as when a beloved character dies, or cheer (silently) when the hero triumphs over his challenges at the end of the book.

It had particular impact on me becuase I've been feeling a little down and melancholy the last few weeks. I miss Hannah. It's that simple. August was a busy month and we did a lot of things and went to some fun places. All of it Hannah would have loved and had fun doing. Camping over at Gambier island, surfing the waves Long Beach and shopping in Seattle. Plus school is starting next week and Hannah loved school. Allie will be starting school in the next couple of weeks at the same pre-school that Hannah did. That in itself is kind of sad but at the same time, exciting. Allie is looking forward to going and it will fun to hear all her stories. Hannah would be starting in Grade 2 next week and it's going to be hard to see the kids heading back to school. That's never going to change but will be tempered when Allie herself starts at Beach Grove school and is one of those kids.

I suppose that this is one of a few milestones left that Allie will be hitting that Hannah first established. After this will be kindergarden and then Allie will be on her own and so will Kathie and I. We'll have no previous experience to guide us, Allie will be blazing her own trail. Not that I'd want to think that Hannah's experiences would dictate what we did with Allie, we've had some previous experience to look back on.

I wanted to mention the passing of Joshua Spoosltra. He is another of the DIPG kids and was diagnosed just about a year ago. Please stop by and perhaps leave a note for the family.

Well, that's about it for now. Hope everyone has the kind of labour day weekend that they want to have. Be it relaxing, camping, doing yardwork, school supply shopping, or just hanging out.

Lots of Love,
Tore, Kathie, Allie and Beautiful Angel Hannah