A Salad for Snail!

It has been a long couple of weeks since I have updated Team Snail, first of all Valerie is doing great and progressing towards her full recovery every day. Her doctors are thrilled with her progress and even let her have a salad last week! As you can see I did not post a picture of a snail with a salad, you don't even want to Google that! For anyone who knows how Valerie ate before you know that the almost vegetarian has had a hard time on a neutropenic diet with no fresh produce allowed. This leafy treat certainly lifted her spirits!

A short time ago I reported the great news that our little Snail was able to walk 4 blocks and then 1/2 a mile and now... 2 hours straight! Valerie is regaining her strength and soon will be bike riding again as soon as we are sure her balance is up to snuff!
In less than 3 weeks Valerie will be off of the steroids she was put on for her body's outspoken opinion about the other trillion drugs she was on and then finally the anti-rejection drugs will start to be tapered off.
Vanessa will be traveling to see Valerie for their 28th Birthday on Wednesday! The girls have never spent their birthday apart and this year will be no exception since obviously this birthday is even more special than usual!

Vanessa and I have been to see Valerie at least once in recent weeks sometimes for a visit and unfortunately this last time for our paternal Grandmother's memorial service. Valerie was given permission to go to the service and I am so grateful that we were all there. Our Uncle Wes wrote a beautiful summary of her life and delivered a similar version at the service. He did a wonderful job and we are grateful for his many gifts, only one of which is public speaking. In a strange way it was good to see family and old friends and we are looking forward to spending more time with our cousins next month when we spend a few days celebrating the life our grandparents made with photographs and souvenirs that have been so careful preserved for us.