We are having a fundraiser at Papa's Pizza Parlor in Eugene, Oregon. Print a copy of this flyer (download flyer here) Bring it into Papa's Pizza on W. 11th ave at Chambers st on June 30th. 50% of your order total will go into the Zoe fund. Feel free to print extra copies and hand them out to all of your friends.

Thank You for all of your help
Henry, Colleen, and of course Zoe.

A Day in The Life of Zoe....

Hi All!

Wow! I can't believe we've already been here for 3 weeks! Zoe just started treatment last Wednesday, and so far she is doing great with it. She is starting with photon therapy, and will begin proton this Wednesday. A day in the life of Zoe goes something like this:

Wake up at 9 and harass mom and dad until we wake up (we're still running on Oregon time, so she's actually waking up around 6....so don't give us a hard time about sleeping in).

We all share a bedroom on the third floor of the RMH (Ronald McDonald House). We trek down to the 1st floor for coffee, breakfast, and cartoons, and then we're off running. We hike about a 1/4 mile to the T station (Boston's subway), and catch the green line to wherever we're headed. Today we went straight to MGH (Mass General Hospital), and did radiation first, and then we headed home for lunch, and then out to a movie. Our radiation schedule is always fluctuating, there is no set appt. time every day. Now we're home doing laundry, and making dinner.

We live on Kent street in Brookline (a Boston suburb) which runs right between Beacon St. and Harvard St. Both of which are peppered with little stores, restaurants, and parks. We've been exploring our little neighborhood quite a bit. So far we've become regulars at the local Trader Joes, Stop N' Shop, Pete's Coffee, The Upper Crust pizza joint, and CVS Pharmacy (It's like Rite Aid). Not too exciting, but we gotta eat.

Outside of Brookline we've explored a little bit of Boston...the pics are from The Public Gardens which is very beautiful with a big lake and swan boats. We've also been out to Cambridge a couple of times, and visited The Harvard Museum of Natural Science.

Most of our time is spent commuting (via subway, bus, and foot) wherever we want to go. Mass transit is a beautiful thing, but can be quite exhausting!

In other news we are expecting Zoe to have aprox. 36 radiation treatments total, and they are once a day, 5 days a week, and last about 5-10-15 minutes per treatment. Zoe has a special mask that was made to fit only her that she wears, and is hooked to the table that she lays on to immobilize her head. Then she just lays still for the treatment, and listens to music ( so far it's been the Lion King soundtrack) until she's done. She's in there all by herself, and it's with the lights dimmed, but she is SO brave and comes out smiling every time. She doesn't like her mask because it's tight, but it's better than having an iv port, and going to sleep every day for treatment like the little kids do! Fridays are very special here because it's toy day at the proton center! Zoe gets to choose a toy from the toy closet to keep, and they are all cool toys! Not cheesey dollar store toys, but fun ones that she would choose from the store if given the chance. We are resolved to the fact that we'll have to buy another suitcase when it's time to go home just for all the toys, and stuffed animals that Zoe is accumulating!

We're all doing really good for the most part. It has been a somewhat difficult adjustment living in a very crowded house, not having a car, and learning to cope with the doctor visits etc., and homesickness. I think we're over the hump though. It's been hard for Zoe to be without her friends, and sister....especially because there are any kids her age in the house right now. The side effects of the radiation will probably creep up on us in the next couple of weeks, so we are trying to enjoy this "feel good" time.

We'll keep you posted...thanks for all your well wishes!!!!
Colleen

I like Boston

Zoe: I love dogs in boston

Zoe

So that everyone knows

We are still receiving mail at P.O. Box 2042 Eugene, Oregon 97402.

If you want to send something to Zoe you can for the time being send it to 229 Kent st.
Brookline, Ma 02446

We are not sure how long we will be here at Ronald McDonald House, but we will post any new info if we move.

We Made It!

We arrived in Boston on Sunday morning 4:45am Boston time....2:45 Boulder time. Zoe slept for almost the entire flight from Pheonix to Boston, Henry stayed awake to spare everyone of his snoring (poor guy), and I was tortured with the task of trying to be a good bed for Zoe to lay on, and attempt to find a way to get a little sleep myself. This turned out to be the impossible dream!

After arriving we took a shuttle to the Holiday Inn a few blocks away from the Ronald Mcdonald house (which we were told we could not check into until 9am). We stowed our luggage there, and attempted to get some food at their restaurant...btw I don't recommend trying to find breakfast at 6am at Holiday Inn. Then we decided to walk over to Ronald Mcdonald and check it out because, well, it was either that or fall asleep in the Holiday Inn Restaurant (which we almost did). So we started our stroll through the early morning streets of the "Brookline" neighborhood of Boston. It was sunny, the birds were singing, people were out walking their beautifully manicured dogs, and EVERY house we saw was of mansion status, and stunning! We were staggering, still half asleep, and I literally felt like I was dreaming. We found Ronald Mcdonald house at around 7am (also a mansion, and stunning), drug ourselves up onto the front porch, and fell asleep on their patio furniture...which was really quite comfortable. Henry was the ever diligent hero, and walked back over to the Holiday Inn, and brought our luggage back to the house via taxi right on time for us to ring the doorbell at 9am. We checked in, slept, and then checked out a little of the neighborhood. Found a super fun park already, and a Trader Joe's too! Woohoo!



This morning after all of us having a good 10-12 hrs of sleep, we got up, got ready, and headed off to find the shuttle that would take us to Mass General (MGH). We headed for the Proton Center, not really knowing what to expect, and we were very pleasantly surprised! There was a music therapist in the lobby that Zoe hung out with, and sang with while playing the drums. Then we met with nurse Kathy that hooked Zoe up with stickers, crayons, paper, a little piano book, and much more to keep her happy. Then Dr. Liebsch came in smiling, and proceeded to talk with Zoe almost exclusively for about 15+ minutes. She was attentive, responsive, perfectly poised, and mature beyond her years! He was kind, spoke to her on her level without being demeaning, and truly AMAZING! He set up a rapport with her that has just set the foundation for this entire experience! Truly priceless! We could not have started out on a better foot!

Dr. Liebsch then proceeded to take Zoe to a procedure room, and made a "immobilization device" (a mask) that she will wear to keep her still during treatment. The making of this could have been anxiety producing for her, but with the rapport established between her and Dr. Leibsch, it ended up being fun. Henry and I just sat there in stunned silence. This was probably the most positive experience we have ever witnessed between Zoe and a doctor!

I am feeling so grateful for this day, and for all the days that will come! Zoe has grown so much this past year, both physically, and emotionally, and I am so proud of her.

Will keep you updated,
Colleen