Thanks to Everyone

Today was a good day. Joe experienced a little bit of a fussier day but I think it was due to the fact that he is still not eating the best and his neck hurts. He finally got to take a bath tonight and loved it. He kicked and kicked. He was super disappointed when I took him out so we could pick Joey up from work.
Our family would like to thank everyone for their posts, love, and concerns. We feel so much love and support and are grateful for the wonderful people we get to associate and be friends with on a regular basis. This blog thing is pretty fun. I enjoy reading the extra posts.
Feel free to stop by anytime. Joe loves visitors!
Until next time, Tootles. :)

HOME!!!

Well the Di Regolo family is finally all home!!! This afternoon Joe was released from the hospital and Sophie got to return home too. Joe is doing really well from what I hear and Michelle and Joey were thrilled. I am sure they will be posting more details soon but I thought I would let you all know.

:)
Rachael

Bright Eyes Finally

After days of heavy sleeping Joe has woken up. He goes from deep sleep to wide awake. When Joey and I got back this morning Joe gave us a wonderful welcome, he smiled at us for the first time since his surgery. We were so excited. We took him on a walk in the wheelchair and except for the bouncy pavers in the parking lot he loved it. We are still waiting for him to clap his hands in glee, and as soon as he does we will post it. Joe is also off of his oxygen. It took him awhile but as soon as he finally woke up from all of his sedations and anesthesia he has breathed really good on his own. We may be able to go home tomorrow, Joe needs to keep liquids down, keep his potassium down, be able to manage his pain, and maybe something else. We are so thrilled but only want him to go home when he is ready.
Sophie came home with Joey and I last night and we played, sang and had a good time. She loves being with Aunt Nannie and Uncle Zak but I think (maybe I am hoping) but even when you are 1 years old there is no place like home. Sophie is learning a lot from Taylor and MaKaylee, such as singing, and how to play with other children. We sure enjoy her.
Joey has been the strength of our family. He is a rock. I am grateful for him. Joey has been getting ansy to get home and be able to go to work. He loves his new job and loves to provide for his family.
I am doing ok. I have really relyed on Joey. Not being able to hold and love both my children whenever I want has been so hard. I cried with glee the first time I could hold Joe after his surgery. I loved holding Sophie after not being able to see her after a couple days.

Home for a breather

Well, Sophie gets a night with her mommy and daddy tonight. Grandma lori is going to stay with Joe so that they can get some rest and so Sophie gets some good attention. From what Michelle and Joey say...Joe is doing good and he must be if they are leaving his side for a night! Taylor and MaKaylee were so sad to hear that their adopted sister wasn't coming to our home tonight...but I think MaKaylee was relieved to know she could play in peace in her bedroom tomorrow morning. Well I need to spend time with them. Great Grandpa and Grandma B stopped to say hi and send their love to all of you and told me to tell you that cousin Nicole will watch Sophie any time you need especially while Joe is in chemo and radiation over the next little while. But from what I hear she is welcome pretty much everywhere!

:) Rachael

Sophie

Well Sophie is doing good at Aunt Nannies house so far. She is becoming a bit more clingy when I am heir but she has done fine so far alone with Aunt Heather and Uncle Zak. I don't know who likes it more Taylor and MaKaylee or Sophie. The 3 of them play constantly...I think it's been good for them. We are slowly getting a good routine going. I think the hardest thing for Sophie besides her lack of seeing her parents and brother is the decrease in sleep. The kids can't wait for her to wake up in the morning and during naps. We sure have loved having her in our family...the kids seem to think of her as a little sister and keep expressing that wish. Here are a few pics from this week so far. I think that my favorite is that if Zak or I go to the computer she wants up to play too. She has also taken a liking to MaKaylee's bear camping chair and Taylor's Winnie the Pooh. We had a few other pics so far but they didn't turn out. I'll post more later.

:)
Rachael

Out of ICU!!!

Well Michelle just called and told me that Joe has been moved from ICU to the Neuro-Trauma area. He is allowed all visitors now and is doing good. I have the room numbe, phone number and securty code to visit him if any family members or family friends want to go visit him...just give me or Mom a call. They think that he is handling the pain better because he isn't crying as much when he wakes up. I can't remember anything else...other than Michelle and Joey send their love and thanks to you all.

Surgury update!

Well last night around 7:30 Michelle called Aunt Nannie, aka Rachael, to let me know that all went well with Joe's surgury. He is in ICU and was asleep wheneve I have spoken with her. Everyone is feeling a lot better just knowing that the surgury is over. Joe and his mommy and daddy will be at the hospital for at leat 5 days...during which time Sophie is staying with Aunt Nannie and Grandma Lori. Now we just have chemo and radiation to make it through. I will post more when I hear it.

PS---Sophie is doing well after a day and a half with Auntie but today she is a bit more clingy. By the end of all this I sure hope she still loves being with me! :) Rachael

Hospital Registration

Pre-registering for Joe's surgury. It was a hard outing but we made it through it. Both kids got stuffed animals there...Sophie got a purple bunny and Joe got a dark purple bear and a mandril. The hospital he is at is one of the best for children...at least in our state.

A fun day before surgury!

The day before Joe was scheduled for brain surgury we spent the entire day having fun together. We went to the zoo and took Joe to ride on bumper cars. Grandma Lori and Aunt Nannie came with us. We had a blast together.

Meet our family!

Family picture taken by our friend Natalie to make sure we had a current one before Joe's brain surgury. Aren't they beautiful!











Family Picture taken July 8, 2008
Joey aka-Daddy
Michelle aka-Mommy
Joe our 3 year old son.
Sophie our 1 year old daughter.

Much requested

Welcome to the Di Regolo Family blogspot! After much request due to recent events we have created this blogspot to help others keep updated on our family and Joe's condition.

Monday, July 7, 2008 our 3 year old son Joe went in for an MRI to check if he's been having seizures and we discovered that he has a golfball sized cancerous brain tumor. The hospital scheduled surgury for July 10th but an emergency surgury made it postpone until yesterday.

Read more in future posts!

---PS The first few post are from Aunt Nannie who is setting up this blogspot while Joe, Joey and Michelle are at the hospital. Then either Michelle or Joe will take over this site to keep you informed and give better info.