An Update from Jacksonville!

17 Proton Beam Radiation sessions done only 11 to go! Dr. Danny Indelicato says he is thrilled with Taylor and how he is doing with the radiation. The UF Proton Institute is truly amazing and is helping so many people! 

The Jacksonville Ronald McDonald House has been so wonderful to us. Most nights the 30 room house is full. Many are like us traveling to Jacksonville to receive Proton therapy. There are quite a few families from Europe. The house is lucky...volunteers and businesses provide dinner each night. There is a playroom, playground, laundry room and community kitchen that is open 24hrs a day.  

Spencer, Sammy and Brad were here this weekend to visit! Spencer and Sammy made friends with a very special little boy named Bradlee. He is 3-1/2 and has a brain tumor, and he's here getting the Proton Radiation too. He wore out Spencer and Sammy with tricycle races, basketball and sliding down the playground slide!! (You can keep up with Bradlee and his story on Facebook at "Fighting for Bradlee".

We took the boys to Dave and Busters to watch the Gator Game on Saturday night. Most of the tables were a little too tall for Taylor!! I guess we could have just shoveled the food right in his mouth! 

The Jacksonville Zoo was a MUST for Sammy. If you did not already know....Sammy wants to "own his own Zoo someday". The Zoo was really fun.  Taylor decided to take Ya-Ya and Pop-Pop for the UF Proton Center tour and lunch...he is not much of a Zoo guy.

Hope everybody has a great weekend!

Jackson's Family Birthday Party!

Jackson, the youngest cousin in the family, has been Taylor's a shining star along his road to recovery. As I've mentioned in earlier posts, Jackson's way of showing his love and support for Taylor has been through constant gift giving. He has built Taylor a Lego church, a Legoman in a wheel chair (complete with a Lego knit cap just like Taylor's), and a picture of Jackson at Christmas with the Chick-fil-A Cow. He has drawn pictures and cards and Valentines and even gave him some Gator themed Duct tape for Christmas! Jackson knows Taylor is a huge Gator and Tebow fan, so he too has become one, dressing the part almost every day. So it didn't surprise us when Jackson decided he wanted to have a "Gator/Broncos" Birthday party at the Becorests for his 7th birthday. Everyone happily obliged (even me, the lone Seminole fan!).

The whole family helped decorate!

Everyone wore Orange and Blue.

 Jackson loved his Tim Tebow Jersey from Taylor, Spencer and Sammy.

 I bet Jackson wished for Taylor to get well!

 Taylor took a stroll!

Spencer built some Police legos for Jackson!

Ya-Ya read the boys one of their favorite books from when they were little.

Needless to say, Jackson had a fabulous birthday!

Taylor made a special trip home from Jacksonville to celebrate Jackson's birthday. He wasn't feeling all that great after his latest chemo treatment last week, but he was really looking forward to spending the weekend at home. Early Sunday morning Taylor started running a fever so Melissa and Brad took him to the ER. His blood counts were really low and he was admitted. He's staying over night or until they can get his fever down and his blood counts up again. They are due back to Jacksonville Monday to continue radiation. We'll keep you posted on when they are able to leave.

Feel better Taylor! We're all praying for ya!