Monday, March 19, 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2003. Mattie was a year old and visiting Great Falls with us. Mattie loved riding on Peter's back and it was one of his favorite forms of transportation!






Quote of the day: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~ Winston Churchill


Today was my last final push for tomorrow's Symposium. Frankly, I am not sure I could have handled another week of preparation. I am working over 12 hour days and as such not eating or sleeping well. This afternoon, Peter and I visited the Capitol Hill Visitor Center to drop off eight bags of materials, so that we do not have to carry all these heavy things tomorrow. As it is, tomorrow we have another six bags to carry. But that is more reasonable than bringing everything in total at one time. Keep in mind that entering the building involves scanning every bag and going through metal detectors! Typically the Capitol Hill Visitor Center will not hold materials overnight. But I suppose I can make a compelling case and those working with me realize it is just easier to say yes, than to have me continue to harp about certain issues.

After our drop off, Peter and I literally walked over two miles home. I needed the walk and to have some time away from a computer or blackberry. This evening, we are meeting up with our researchers who have come in from out of town to present at the Symposium tomorrow. So I am signing off for today and ask you to think good thoughts for us tomorrow from 8am to 4pm. In essence what we are trying to do is not only novel and unique, but challenging. Because we are asking for people to think of cancer not only as a medical disease but a psychological one.

I end tonight's posting with a message from my mom. My mom wrote, "You've done a terrific job and have an impressive March newsletter to show for it. We wish you good luck with your symposium and think it is a true "Mattie Miracle" to have gotten such an illustrious assemblage of professionals, political people and families of pediatric cancer patients together to achieve illumination on the subject of psychosocial issues that has often been treated as if we lived in the dark ages! Brava!!"