Elaine,
This is close to my heart although, the cancer is different the description is all too familiar to me, honestly, I was brought to tears when I read about the "Little guys smiles". My prayers and all my heart and thoughts are with you Elaine and your husband and the children. (Much more than you know)
I'm happy for you and your family that your husband is healing and getting along well.
I can relate to the young children in your household. My son was 7 months old when I was hospitalized for my cancer treatment. I agree when you say the little guy's "smiles" help him. I remeber like it was yesterday, I was so scared for my young wife and moreso for my son. Would I see him walk would I hear his first words and how would my wife cope without me?
Well, I heard his first word, "stone", Dr. Robert Stone was my surgeon. I was there for his first step...in my hospital room...he learned to walk when I could not. I had sarcoma in my right leg and skin grafts from my left. That was all 10 years ago, August 22.
What an incredible journey.
I truly believe had it not been for Liam's, little smiles, coloring (scribbling with crayons) and falling asleep in my hospital bed and later on the fold out couch at home that I would have lost my will.
I, of course, pushed myself, sometimes to my detriment to do everything with him. I was not going to let cancer deprive me of every moment with my son.
Now, 10 years later, Liam is my best friend and he is 10. Wow! I've seen more first than I ever thought I would. My daughter, Kaitlynn, is eight and she owns my heart. My wife, I owe her my life!!
You sound like you have the same spirit as Janice... I'm sure she was scared, and at times wanted to kill me due to my stubbornness...but she supported me, laughed with me, cried with me...Loved me.

Ooops, I'm wandering here...what's my point....

If I beat it so can your husband.

Keep strong and love those "smiles"!!

E-mail me anytime.
I'll be checking in on you.

Mike