Hi all! Well, I'm still sore from Saturday's 20-mile run, but with everything that Hunter has been going through recently, my pain is nothing. It's all a matter of perspective. I do have to say I am in awe that my body is strong enough to endure all of this & that I'm thankful to be injury-free, thus far. As you can see, I have no updated pics & I forgot to have my brother post something! Oh well, I will try to get some pics in the near future. It would be nice to have some of the 3 of us together, so I'll see what I can do. I have lots of pics of Abby! :) Ben & I both ran Saturday & Brad is still under order from his physical therapist not to run until Oct 12th. She'll re-evaluate at that time. He's frustrated with things the way they are, but there's not much he can do about it. He goes to physical therapy 3 times a week and does his exercises at home, so I hope he just gets healthy again soon. We did have some news about some upcoming training he's required to attend ... he has to be in place for it the same weekend as the marathon. Ugh. So, now he says he'll run it next year. I'll be his water girl! :) I'm excited that the date is rapidly approaching -- a bit freaked out, but I'm ready to do it! I'm not sure what that last 6.2 miles will make my body feel like, but I'm sure I'll never forget the experience! Bye for now, Brooke

I want to attach the latest update from Hunter's CarePage (authored by Heather):

DAY +135: PREFACE....NO FREAKING OUT PLEASE! Well, last night, Hunter's stools got very dark, signifying bleeding somewhere in the upper GI system. He has petichiae in his mouth and bleeding lips. His platelets were still 10,000 this am which is a tad better. His Hgb is dropping from the bleeding. Dr. Cook called Dr. Quinones who wants to continue on with what we are doing and not go back to IVIG. Hmmmm. Transfusing every day and active bleeding seems pretty yucky to me. He got platelets today and they went up to 24,000(a whole 14,000) Dr. Cook said if his Hgb is ANY lower tomorrow, he will transfuse him with red cells. Also, we are to call him at home at ANY time if we worry bleeding has increased and he will check him into the PICU here for blood immediately. We go in tomorrow at 9am for blood work and more platelets. Then, we are supposed to return to Denver for an 8am apppointment on Wed(can you hear my groan of displeasure?????) Hunter is understandably anxious and taking more ativan. He fell asleep in the car on the way home from his appointment just now. He is laying on the couch crying over something insignificant...which I am sure is REALLY about what is going on. Spending every day in clinic and getting meds and not getting to DO anything is taking its toll on him. I got 6 math lessons out of him today befre meds....but that was it. We are now discussing our options for help at home. We have been directed to a few places that place women from, say, the Phillipines who want to see the US. Maybe that would work? We are at the point where we do need help, so I will work on that this week. We are never here and cannot keep up with the house and laundry and tend to the needs of 3 young kids. Can you tell I am still working on justifying the decision??? Hopefully it will only be a 'short time'(it is all relative of course). So, that is the news for now. PLEASE be praying the bleeding he is having will not get any worse and that any further bleeding would be easy to spot so we can treat him early.