Dinner with Regina in Memphis

Our trip wasn't so bumpy this time.

True to form, I did get singled out for secondary search at the airport in San Diego, where they gave my bra a thorough going-over with the wand and they gave my carry-on luggage some extra time and attention. But the important thing is that they didn't unpack my overstuffed suitcase 10 minutes before our flight was due to take off like they did last November.

We arrived on time despite bad weather. No appointments today, but they ordered Steven's hefty dose of ativan that we'll give him later today before the IV goes in.

Regina is a 5-year old girl that lives not too far from us in Laguna Niguel who has the same sort of tumor as Steven. I was introduced to her family through a friend of mine living in Huntington Beach who lost his 10-year old daughter Nikki to a brainstem glioma in 2001. He put Regina's family in touch with me so that we could offer them support.

After speaking with us, they decided to enroll Regina in the same clinical trial that Steven is enrolled in. They've temporarily relocated to Memphis and Regina is living in Target House and has just completed bone marrow transplant #2 with two to go.

We ate a delicious home-cooked meal with them last night at Target House and Regina and Steven compared their identical incision scars, similar except on opposite sides of their heads.

Today we head to the hospital and begin preparations for that MRI ...

- Kathleen