Friday Things #470
Happy Friday, friends! I hope you are well and excited for a new Friday Things!
1. Dominic had a very busy couple of weeks! Two weeks ago, he had his “wish” granted through Make-a-Wish. His wish was to meet Sidney Crosby… he (and three other boys) was signed to a one-day contract with the Penguins, had breakfast in the team lounge with the team, watched practice, and then was able to take the ice with the team and spent a lot of time playing, passing, and shooting with the players. He was given his own locker stall, a custom jersey, and then a chance to sit and chat with Sidney Crosby.
He was on cloud nine for daysssssss. The following evening, the Penguins hosted our family and the other three families at the game and it was such a fun time!
I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about everyone that we met from Make-a-Wish, the Penguins, the Penguins Foundation… every single person, player, coach, manager, literally everyone was so incredibly nice, so kind to Dominic, so gracious, just a really, really wonderful experience for our entire family. You can see more photos and a video on my Instagram post 😊
2. Then last week, Dominic spent the week inpatient completing his fourth cycle of immunotherapy and low-dose chemo. Again, a lot of nausea was the biggest obstacle; by the end of the week the doctors found the combination of meds that finally worked. Unfortunately, the anti-nausea meds cause drowsiness and he needed so many that he slept a big chunk of each day. He was so happy to get home on Saturday! A couple of fevers Friday and Saturday, then he started his way back up. He was back to school on Tuesday, skating Tuesday night, and his counts looked great when he got labs done yesterday. We will head to NY for a short trip in a couple of weeks for a new set of scans; hopefully, things are continuing to move in the right direction 🙏🏻 Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the day they found Dominic’s tumor and all of the diseased lymph nodes and told us they suspected he had neuroblastoma, but would need a biopsy the following week to confirm. A full year… it feels so surreal.
3. Everyone has hockey fever at our house… this little lady begged to get signed back up for skating lessons (well, they all did!):
4. And Joseph couldn’t WAIT for the spring season of dek hockey to get started!
5. Let’s talk books! Last we chatted, I had just started The Great Alone… I finished it last week and oh my goodness, I LOVED it! Easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. Last year, I read The Four Winds and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and The Great Alone was easily my favorite of the three, though I loved them all. Highly recommend!
I’m just starting Daisy Jones and the Six, excited to finish, and then watch the Amazon Prime series!
6. Today is National Cheesesteak Day and I’ve been making these cheesy cheesesteaks since before Joseph was born; it’s an all-time favorite!!
7. Yesterday before school, the kids were doing a last-minute fill-up of their water bottles and Isabelle asked me something about when I was a kid and brought my water bottle to school. I chuckled and said no one brought water bottles to school when I was a kid. Jaws hit the floor… shock and awe. She said, “BUT WHAT DID YOU DO IF YOU GOT THIRSTY??!” I said, “You got a sip from the water fountain when you got a bathroom break”. I told them NO ONE had water bottles when we were kids; they were just stunned and I felt old lol.
8. Speaking of feeling old… last week at the hospital, I was talking to a nurse, and she said she knew someone with our last name in high school, but he was a few years younger, and then I learned she was from near where my husband grew up. I told her my brother-in-law was a couple of years younger than me, and I asked her when she graduated high school…. she said, “2011”. I almost died of a heart attack. That would be a full THIRTEEN YEARS after I graduated. I realized then that I am much older in real life than I am in my head 😆
9. How is everyone handling daylight savings time? For the first time ever, all of the kids have seemed pretty unaffected by both recent time changes. I still am in the standard time forever camp!
10. TGIF! I hope you have a weekend as relaxing as these two had last week ❤️
Michelle….I came across a story regarding the day Domenic skated with Crosby. It’s a CBS story about the family from Ontario. You can see Domenic in the video as well as you and your family! I didn’t know if you saw this, so here is the twitter link to the story!
https://twitter.com/CBCTheNational/status/1637053736907419652
Thankyou for the update Michelle, so wonderful how they give these special days to families and loved ones. Your Dominic is a true blessing and I pray for his continued health and strength, hope you were equally celebrated and loved on over the past weekend also, happy belated birthday 🎂 ❤️🙏😊
I am so proud of my fellow Canadian Sidney Crosby. To us he will always be “Sid the Kid.” Good to see him continuing to be a real hero to young kids.
Linda in Vancouver B.C. Canada
What a wonderful experience for Dominic and your family to spend time with the Penguins. I will keep Dominic and family in my prayers for continued progress. I always look forward to your updates. Take care and I hope that you have a Happy Birthday, too.
to make you feel younger….I graduated in 1984 and still function! :)
I look forward to your Friday Things every week. This one was especially heartwarming. What an amazing experience for Dominic and your entire family to be able to meet Dominic’s favorite hockey player and spend some very special time with the team. I know you will all cherish that experience forever. BONUS to keep receiving great updates on Dominic’s tests and scans is truly a blessing!
I groaned when I read #8 and did the math and I graduated 26 years before you did!!! LOL – Then I saw the photo of your sweet pups snoozing and realized I spend a little more time doing that myself these days!!! LOL :o) Have a great weekend, Michelle! Keep the positive vibes. Two thumbs up!!!
So happy to read that your little one is improving. God is good and has His arms around each of you. I pray daily for you and your family for strength and faith. Especially for you as a mother! You have such a wonderful strength within you and it shines through with your updates. Please remember to take care of ‘you’. God bless each of you.
What a wonderful experience for Dominic to spend the day with the Penguins. The poor guy has been through so much. Im praying that the next set of scans continue I the right direction.
I’m so thankful for the progress of Dominic, and thankful for you and your family for being so positive, loving and faithful to your son. I pray for God’s continue blessings for Dominic, you, your family and all the doctors in this life of your son. GOD BLESS YOU
Love the picture of Sid and Dominic. Continued prayers for everyone.
Love hearing all your news. What an awesome gift from Make a Wish and the Penguins. God bless them and you and your sweet family…Always in my prayers.
I always say I’m 17 in my head and heart and I am pushing 70. Time really flies doesn’t it. Thanks again for the update!
What a FUN Make A Wish!!
Love the photos and the smiles of ALL your children!! This is wonderful.
Praying for your next Ny trip! This YEAR must feel like a whirlwind!!
So funny about the water bottles!!
Uh yeah!! Water fountains!! When it was safe to put your mouth right in the spout!! Gross 😷!! I just don’t think I was that thirsty!! 🤷♀️
Skating/hockey is still on in the east coast?? We’re so ready for spring sports here in ND!! BUT..the 92+” of snow we’ve had this year is making outdoor activities a little bit tougher!!
Oh well…according to the calendar SPRING IS HERR!!
I LOVE daylight savings time too!! Sunlight longer in the day!!
Kristin Hannah…don’t think I’ve read any of her books.
I’m Reading ‘I’ll be your blue sky’ by Marisa DeLos Santos (new author for me), and ‘The light of Alina Park’ by Addison Armstrong (my first read of her writing as well!!)
Love the puppy photo!!
I truly enjoy your updates!! (AND RECIPES of course)
I’ve never met you but I feel like you’re a wonderful person that I’d be friends with …if you lived in Nd!!
Keep on keepin’ on!! You are a rockstar mom, and person. Praying for continued strength and energy for you and your family…AND continued good reports for Dominic!!
So happy to see Dominic enjoying such a special day. That memory will carry him to a special time each time he recalls it.
You comment about being much younger in your head than you are in real life really hit home.I seem to always be thinking of myself in my late thirties and lordy,, I am way beyond my late thirties. I had a godmother who, well into her 80’s, would flirt with the waiters when we went out to lunch. It was a bit embarassing but I knew she was just feeling, in her mind, that is was perfectly appropriate.
I hope you and oyur family have a wonderful weekend.
I am so glad Dominic got to have those experiences! He certainly deserves to have big reasons to smile. As always he remains on my prayer list……..and so do you.
Hi Michelle: Always enjoy reading your emails on Friday. What a year sweet Dominic has had. He’s been such a champ through all of this. Ten years back I had surgery and they offered a free service…Alternative Therapy. I asked to see them. The young man with such a quiet voice asked how I was feeling. Told him I was nauseous. He brought out a few essential oil vials out of his bag and put drops on cotton balls. As soon as he said Lavender, I knew that would be my choice. However, it turned out that peppermint had a profound effect on my nausea. He presented that cotton ball to me in a tiny screwtop container just big enough for the single cotton ball to fit. As soon as I would take a whiff of that cotton ball my nausea would totally go away for a few minutes. I kept it with me constantly and it was always with me for several days. It never failed. That odor seems to trick the brain and gives it something else to concentrate on. If that wasn’t enough, he then gave me the best ever foot massage, also with essential oil. Perhaps that cotton ball idea would help Dominic if he needs more chemo in the future. My heart goes out to the little fella. Best to your entire family.
Michelle …so, so happy to read your newsy email. Love all the wonderful happenings with your family & Make-A-Wish. Your kiddos’ smiles’ tell it all!! So great!
Remembering how old I really am? Wow! In my head, I still think I’m way younger than I am in real time….& I’m 73 hahaha!!
Love to all & continued prayers for Dominic & his upcoming scan….
I’m reading Daisy Jones and the Six right now, too. I’m enjoying it so far and can’t wait to watch the series!
So thankful you had such a great experience with Make a Wish. What a sweet gift for families!
EVERYBODY READ THIS REMINDER –
Have you sent Dominic a note that we’re pulling for him lately? Especially on this one-year anniversary. Dominic Lettrich. PO Box 597, Wexford, PA 15090
I too have trouble realizing that I’m OLD! I was remembering something that happened “a few years ago” and realized it was 40 years ago! Time flies.
Glad Dominic is doing well. He’s like the Energizer Bunny – keeps going!
Michelle, I so loved seeing the kids skating with the Penguins team and especially happy Dominic got his wish fulfilled❤️ Such sweet children all 3 of them.
Enjoy all your post and what you are reading. This is in the nonfiction but you might enjoy “First Friends” about all of the President’s best friends by Gary Ginsburg. So fascinating!
Always enjoy your post & recipes and always enjoy the children and of course Duke & Alice!
Love to the whole family 😘❤️
Jean Spangenberg
Hi, so glad to hear that Dominic is continuing to do well with his treatments. It always amazed me how fast children could bounce back between procedures. I worked in an area when we did heart surgery on children, and saw this everyday. What a wonderful experience with the Penguins. Here in Canada we are very proud of Sidney Crosby, and all his accomplishments, I am sure you know he came from New Brunswick. He seems like such a wonderful guy with a great smile. Make a wish is a fabulous organization, and I saw them in action with our cardiac paediatric patients. Have a wonderful Easter and spring. Take care. Hugs❤️
So great to see Dominic have an amazing time at the game!
What’s ‘old’? I still haven’t figured that out yet!! Daisy Jones & the Six is a great read!
I have been following you for years and was devastated to hear about Dominic. I’m sure you’ve had so many suggestions for handling nausea, but I wanted to make sure that you know about Tummy Drops. I order them off Amazon and lived on them during chemo. They do have ginger, but the ginger is mixed with different flavors. Peach and blackberry are my favorites.
Sending tons of love to you and your entire family!
Oh, I love your comment that you “are much older in real life than in your head”! I am definitely using that one…and I am a whole lot older than you.😲
Thank you for once again sharing the happy pics for the children. So glad you had this special time to share. Still keeping Dominic in my prayers for good news on his progress.
I do believe your pups are most effected by time change! 💤
My family and I were watching that Penguins game and saw Dominic!! Was so exciting to see him there! Sound like an amazing experience. Makes me love the Pens even more!!
oh sweetpea……you don’t even know old! I graduated in ’75!! Still very young at heart and mind. That hockey experience looked awesome! Bravo to everyone that made that happen. Here’s praying that sweet D’s numbers continue to head in the right way…..and oh….I’m right there with you in the “standard time forever” camp :)
HA! I graduated in ’99- I have those “oh, I’m older than I pretend I am” moments more and more frequently these days! I also recently had that conversation about water bottles with my kids, except they laughed and wanted me to tell them again about rotary phones LOL