5 years for Mati, 10 for BSW and triple whammy for Bella

Matilde hit the ripe old age of 5 and she has celebrated in style today at school. She trotted off with donuts to share with her class, including her friend Marina - born on the same day in the same hospital!!

At school the much anticipated 10th anniversary celebrations took place. There were various activities including the almost simultaneous release of nearly 500 balloons into the air. The singing of Celebration and Happy Birthday by Key Stage One was very cool. Well done to all.

Isabella and Gregorio have just watched the video of the singing in their hospital suite where they have been all afternoon. Yep this morning's visit revealed a triple whammy - fever, neutropenic and her central line is not working. After numerous attempts to draw blood an x-ray with dye revealed a leaking line. So antibiotics for the virus, two nights as an in-patient for the neutropenia and we're in discussions with surgeon about the timing to replace the line. ...it could be as early as tomorrow, Friday.....

Not exactly how we envisaged Mati's birthday. She has been a trooper I guess all the sugar during the day helped and now she, Bella and Gregorio are watching a movie while eating a packet of crisps. What more could she want?!

Bella does seem better than this morning and will hopefully be home on Saturday. Obviously no chemo today and they have decided to ommit this round and so once she recovers from this virus she is fighting and the surgery to insert a new central line she'll be able to enjoy 3 weeks without chemo.

Gregorio has opted for the hospital sofa tonight, for which I am extremely grateful. Thankfully we have a long weekend ahead of us, and the girls have the whole week off from school.

Love
Emma and Gregorio xxx

Egg and spoon racers

End of another week full of activities. On Sunday Gregorio and the girls spoilt me with adorable mother's day cards and a cup of tea in bed (not quite breakfast but still gratefully received) followed by a lovely family walk in the park. This week Isabella has been busy with the end of year 'quizzes' (don't even get me started on the British educational need to test 7 year olds) and today both girls gave it their all in the school sports day. Verdict: the Impavido girls are good at balance and coordination - egg and spoon race was a doddle, but when it comes to pure running, it seems to be more about unique style rather than speed. Gregorio refused to join me in the parent's 3-legged race. As we now know, he's a serious runner!

Given all this excitement we are having treatment today, on Friday afternoon, so that Isabella could join in all the fun with her friends. The girls are in the art room now, eating cherries and brownies left over from the picnic while we wait for the chemo to be ready. The blood counts are a little low, but not drastically, probably related to the small cold she has. We are still proceeding with chemo. We're hoping there'll be no fever this week-end and all will proceed as 'normal'. We are at round 3 of cycle 3, one more week and then another break. Isabella does seem to be getting stronger and stronger with each week, even her hair is starting to grow back, despite being on treatment. This has pleased her greatly.

We'll take it easy this week-end and hopefully Isabella will be up to all the fun things going on, especially her first piano recital on Sunday. We have been practicing religiously and the stuffed toys, Matilde, Gregorio and I have been duly attending the practice rehearsals in the study.

And next week there seems to be even more going on what with the school's 10th anniversary celebrations and Matilde's 5th birthday. The girls have been learning a celebration song for the school festivities. Isabella insisted on looking something up on the computer, I was having difficulty understanding what she needed, and she certainly put me in my technological place "Oh mother, you don't understand anything about YouTube!" and proceeded to find what she was looking for.

And Gregorio is gearing Isabella up for her Italian end of year test. I think we'll be happy to reach half term at the end of the week. The parent's of Isabella and Matilde's future cousin are coming to stay. Matilde has all the baby stuff ready for it (it isn't due till September). But what we are really looking forward to is the pool opening at the end of next week. So, Mr Weatherman, summer can officially begin please, enough rain.

Love,

Emma & Gregorio. xxx

We did it!

Despite the pouring rain, Gregorio and I ran 5K on Sunday morning in the Race for Hope fundraising event. This is us at the end of the race. Neither of us are runners and apart from one miserable attempt about a month ago, I don't think I have run since the Gosport Fun Run along Stokes Bay in 1982! Some of you will remember that.

As we crossed the start line on Pennsylvania Avenue at 9 am, the rain was beginning, Gregorio's knees started to rise and he was off and out of site in a flash. At that point I thought I am going to run this all the way. 5K is nothing for many of you but it was an achievement for both of us. It was a pretty good feeling on hearing "Emma from Washington, YOU DID IT!" I can begin to understand what it must be like to run a marathon - maybe that's next!!

The rain got heavier as we went round the course, which only added to the emotion of the morning. There were about 10,000 people participating in the run/walk and prior to setting off all those taking part who were brain cancer survivors paraded past.

We started the race with Federica and Maddalena, pictured here. Later we met up with Team Ecuador. There were also some other people who ran and walked the course, who we didn't find and a number of you who braved the wet weather to cheer us on. We are sorry we missed you but thank you very much for the support.

The kids completed their Fun Run in the pouring rain also and are now the proud wearers of their medals.

Most importantly we have raised a significant amount for the Children's Hospital Team. To date Team Impavido has raised a total of:

$4,860.

Thank you very much for your generosity.

And here's the final picture of the day with Ale and Gigi, without whose support before and after the event we would not have managed.

Emma and Gregorio. xxx

PS yes we are hobbling around today :)

Forza Impavido

We are overwhelmed by your support at us taking a Sunday morning jog! In case you missed the news, Gregorio and I are taking part in th 5K run to raise money for brain cancer research on Sunday May 3rd. A number of you are joining the run with us here in DC, many will be lining the route to cheer us on, others are doing their own run in others parts of the world. At 10 am there is also a Kids Fun run which the girls and some friends will participate in.


And your donations have been rolling in. Thank you. The power of the internet and the ability to reach you all so quickly. Just in case you haven't donated yet and you have a few spare dollars lying under your mattress, loosing value in this economy, consider this cause, your generosity will greatly benefit the lives of others. It is not too late to donate, even if you are reading this after May 3rd. You can donate up to September 30th 2009. Please log onto the website http://www.curebraintumors.org/ and search for Gregorio or I, let me know if you have any difficulty donating. No donation is too small. So far we have raised approx $4,000. Fantastic.

Today we are at the hospital for the first round of cycle 3. The doctors reiterated the good news from the MRI and showed us the visual evidence. There has been significant reduction up to 50% in some areas. It is really good to see and hear this news. We will continue with the current regime as she is tolerating it well and it is having a significant effect on those weeds. Another 6 cycles will take us to early 2010. We will get there.

Go Team Impavido

Lots of love,
Emma and Gregorio xxx

Race for Hope

On Sunday May 3, Gregorio and I are donning our running (well maybe walking shoes) and joining thousands of others in a fundraising 5K Run/Walk for a world without brain tumors. We will be part of the Children's National Medical Center team aka Dr Bear's Brain Buster team. If you would like to support our effort you can either sponsor us individually or our team. Please go to the website and follow the instructions.

www.curebraintumors.org

We are grateful for all your support. If you want a laugh come down to the Freedom Plaza, 13th and Penn Ave NW and cheer us on!

Many thanks,
Emma and Gregorio xxx

Shrinking

I know many of you have been waiting with bated breathe for the MRI results, this morning we finally received the good news. The chemo is working, the tumors are shrinking.

Last measurements of the main tumor: 29 x 25 x 32 mm
New measurements: 26 x 22 x 31 mm

They also looked at the spine, part of it seems to be the same and another part seems to have disappeared. The two smaller tumors in brain are unchanged.

Great news. Enjoy spring.

Will write more soon.

Lots of love,
Emma and Gregorio xxx

Happy Easter

This week has whizzed by. We have been enjoying the first week of the spring break, bike rides, ice creams, visits to the Natural History Museum, enjoying the new playroom and more. Having been without chemo for two weeks there were very few side effects this past week.

We're at the hospital today with Matilde. She is having a great old time and won't leave the art room. But I think she is more excited about this evening - her first sleepover! Everyone at the hospital has been told.

Today we completed the end of cycle number 2. We are a quarter of the way there!

The MRI will now be on Friday April 17th. This is not unlucky for the British. We are confident that those weeds are shrinking but do keep those prayers going.

Our basement is complete, after 10 weeks of chaos we are much relieved. Spring is in the air, the forsythia and cherry blossoms have peeked, the daffs are still out and the tulips are begining to show their colorful heads and now the dogwoods and azaleas are beginning to bloom. This week-end we've got an Easter Brunch with friends, egg hunts and Papa's birthday (not to mention tennis, playdates and a ikea visits) so lots of things to keep us busy.

No chemo for the next two weeks but we'll update you when we have the results of the MRI. Next week Isabella will meet the people from the Make a Wish Foundation and will let them know her wish.

Happy Easter/Buona Pasqua,

Emma & Gregorio. xxx