The last we spoke, Nate had just completed his important one year-post transplant tests and he passed them with flying colors.  His immune system has remained all donor, extracted from an anonymous child's discarded umbilical cord.  His immune function is normal, and he is able to fight off serious and not-so-serious germs like an average child.  There, undoubtedly, will be sequelae from his leukemia and transplant, but they hopefully will remain minimal.   Currently the only deficit that is evident in him is pretty poor and uncorrectable vision, including a wandering left eye.  Apparently, the world will always be somewhat foggy to him.  But again, all things considered, it's pretty minimal.

As for the rest of us, life has also been great.  We have, in no particular order, started a business (Parry Physical Therapy), started another business (Ingrid's Creative Memories), did some remodeling (amateur roofer for hire), started another business (don't ask), and oh yeah, added a third child.  A boy, of course, named Clark James, which wasn't to be his name at all, until he was born at the moment that a song entitled Superman was being played on the radio of the delivery room.   We figured it was destiny, even if we had never considered the name before.   Needless to say, our regard for destiny would have been entirely different had something like "Mack the Knife" been playing.  The middle name of James is in honor of an uncle on Ingrid's side.  Jim Estep was lost to Lou Gehrig's Disease this past year, and he was a man that we admired in a relationship that we hope to emulate.  We pray that some of his spirit will live on in Clark.

If we can be so bold, we would ask one more thing from any of you so willing: please pray for a friend of Nate's who was transplanted just before him yet continues to struggle with leukemia.  Her name is Alex, she's a beautiful child and she's just relapsed once again.  You could also provide further help, if you happen to shop on-line.  There is a website (www.alexscoupons.com) that in addition to providing discounts for all sorts of items, donates a portion of their proceeds to Alex's medical care.  Three or four years of healthcare, as we all know, can be hard to handle financially.

Where we go from here is anybody's guess, of course.   We do know that Nate will be monitored once a year at Duke University until he turns 18.  He will be considered "cured," however, should he make it another two and a half years without evidence of relapse.  We do plan to update the website (really!) a few times a year, if for no other reason than to update the family photo album.  And we remain immensely thankful for all that we have, foremost of which are three healthy boys in a happy family.  What more could you want out of life, after all?

A tradition passed on.....

Nate's two year post-transplant studies were passed with flying colors.  Nate eating Dr. Martin's stethoscope is a testament to his restored immune function.

Welcome, Clark!