Thank you!

Thank you everyone for making yesterday even if the weather wasn’t very nice. Thankfully it stopped raining right before the walk started. Melanie crashed in the car before we even started to driving, took Allison a little longer. It means so much to see the amount of support that we have. My Aunt and Uncle took some pictures when we get some copies I will post them. Thank you again it really means a lot to us.

I got my wigs today (well they came yesterday…. We don’t check the mail everyday) and they aren’t really what I was expecting… so I am a little disappointed.

Vince and I are going on a date tonight. I got him tickets to the Counting Crows concert for our anniversary. We are going to be going to the concert with Reece and Kendra who are also celebrating an anniversary. Will be nice to go out with out the kids… going to be a late night though.

Well time to convince Melanie that it is nap time and get ready for Auntie Jessica and Erik to come over and babysit.

9 to go!!

Well had chemo yesterday. Meet with the doctor also. He clarified a few things for us. My next PET scan will be after 4 cycles (4 cycles = 1 month = 2 treatments). We may do a chest x-ray in about a month. The doctor is very confidant that the cancer is responding well to the chemo and that the mass as gone down. My iron levels are going up which is good. I ordered my wigs and they should be here soon. Well it is about nap time here at our house and then we will be heading to the light the night walk. I hope to see everyone there.

WALK UPDATE PLEASE PASS ONTO EVERYONE YOU KNOW WALKING FOR MELISSA

Okay, here is the final walk update, please pass this information onto anyone that you know that may need the update.

We hope to end the sale of the items - charms, bracelets and socks so anyone that has not purchased one that would like to we will have them at the walk for sale. If you are not sure what I am referring to see the fundraiser link on the blog.

Parking is limited, please carpool if possible. Don’t plan to park near Evans pool. There are shuttles -
Shuttle stop the Park and Ride at 65th: 6601 8th Ave NE, NE 65th & I-5
Bathhouse Theater & Aqua Theater parking lots, please use them as the Green Lake Park parking lot is open to the public at all times & parking in there can get sticky.

We have 100 signs that we made to represent the 100 people we wanted to recruit to walk for Melissa, as it turns out we may have underestimated the power of friendship and family and not made enough so we may need to share amongst family members walking together. You can pick yours up at the walk. I am also going to have one sign for everyone to sign that is walking for Melissa to give to her to show our support. So please be sure to find it and sign it at the walk.

Wanted to let everyone know that is interested in meeting up with the group that we will be meeting by the playground by Evans pool starting at 5:30. I believe this is the same place as the registration. It is my understanding that you can register at the walk if you have not already done so. Be sure to mention that you are part of the Seattle Children’s team walking in honor of Melissa Powell.

To get a balloon or T-shirt I believe that $50.00 must be donated.

Everyone is welcome to bring beverages and snack type foods for a snack potluck before the walk if they would like.

It will be really awesome to see the size of our group! Friends, family and co-workers have all signed up to walk in her honor and I think it will really give her the boost of support to go into the next few months of treatment and the courage to stand up to whatever it is that it all brings.

Here is a recent letter from our Campaign manager -
Hello Walkers!
Less than one week to go...keep up the fundraising. If you have not raised any money yet, it is NOT too late, start now. Fundraising goes on through October 31st to apply to your incentives and usually the fundraising deadline is extended through November with some sort of promotion to win a prize. Right now there is the chance to win a BlackBerry this week, get your online fundraising going, remember every dollar raised goes toward the mission: to cure blood cancers & improve the quality of life of patients & their families. Please help us make that possible.
Some things to expect at the walk...good weather? We hope. Other than that, when you arrive please go to registration/check-in first (unless your team captain has collected your envelope-then please find your captain). When you go to check in you will be asked various questions by the greeters: have you pre-registered, are you on a team, do you have funds to turn in tonight, etc. Depending on how you answer you will be directed to fill out some paperwork (walker envelope, team captain envelope or waiver form). Then you will be directed to the registration table to hand in your sealed envelope, they will then ask you some questions: are a survivor, if you have pre-registered for a gold balloon (remember only one gold balloon per memorial), etc. and then they will give you wrist bands that are color coded according to your balloon as long as the minimum encouraged amount has been met. From there they will direct you to the incentive tents (balloons & tee shirts). I hope this clarifies some questions that may be looming in your head. We are trying to streamline registration/check-in, but no matter how much we try there will still be questions to answer & paperwork to fill out. Please have patience with our volunteers.
WOW, thank you for your incredible efforts! Everyone, please keep fundraising.
Teams with the most members:
#1- Seattle Genetics (corporate)- 116 people
#2- Seattle Children's Hospital (corporate)- 113 people AND STILL INCREASING!!!!
#3- J Team (friends & family team)- 60 people
Just to note, the national average fundraising person raises $150.00. Please keep fundraising these 3 teams could potentially donate as a whole $43,350 towards finding a cure.

If you have any questions, will not be attending, need to change from a team to an individual walker or vice versa please email or call. We are here to help you be the most successful you can be.
Seattle's budget $301,500- our goal $320,000. How much is fundraised currently $142,720.07! Keep fundraising!!! As my national manager says: "Raise big bucks!!!" Thank you for your support, we look forward to seeing you at the walk on Saturday.
Jo McNeal
Campaign Manager ~ Light The Night
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Washington/Alaska Chapter
530 Dexter Avenue N., Suite 300
Seattle WA 98109
EMAIL: jo.mcneal@lls.org
Direct Line: 206-957-4594
Toll Free: 888-345-4572 x 134
Main: 206-628-0777
Fax: 206-292-9791
Light The Night! www.lightthenight.org/wa

3 of a kind

I got a nice surprise in the mail today one of the receptionist at my primary care doctors office sent us a present.

Well I took some picture of my hair well the lack of. I still haven’t gotten the pictures that were taken but when I get them I will post them


Feel good, I had labs drawn today nothing too exciting. I don’t know what my counts are yet but when I find out I will post them. I had to stop taking my Allopurinol (taking it for my uric acid) it started to make me feel really weird and I couldn’t focus. Well time to get ready for dinner I will check in again soon.

“It’s beautiful mommy”

Yesterday we were given tickets to the Mariner’s game. When we arrived to our seats we noticed that HairMasters was there doing $5 hair cuts with the proceeds going to the Mariner’s Charity Care. I decided that since my hair was falling out anyways and the money was going to a good cause I would go ahead and shave my head. Definitely a change and something that I need to get used to. Melanie likes to rub my head. I was putting Melanie to bed and she asked to rub my head and said “its beautiful mommy”. There was someone there that took some pictures for us he is going to email them to me and once I get them I will post them.

Well I am still feeling good. I get labs on Friday.

2 down and 10 to go!

Everything went well today, long but well. They said that my counts looked "excellent."

I just started to get a little nauseated but I just took my zofran so that should be kicking in soon.

The girls are with my sister this weekend so we get to sleep in.

The answer to the poll about pokes was 15.

I want to say thank you for everyone’s support it truly helps to know that we have so many people behind us.

Well I am going to get some rest and go to sleep.

Wear your charm in support of Melissa ! Get one today!

Order by emailing Valerie (Melissa's mom) at mcjenms@msn.com


Available for $1 - proceeds to go towards her added expenses of her treatment, parking, gas and insurance deductibles.

All items available listed below

HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY MELISSA!!!