One Tough Chick: Counts, Chemo, and Surgery...Oh My!

Well a lot has happened since my last entry, so Im going to divide what would be one really long post into two medium sized posts.

First of all it has been almost 3 weeks since you had chemo! What a difference 3 weeks can make! You look and act like your feeling better every day. Your color is good. Your spirits are up, and you are riding your bike!! Woo Hoo! I love that! It makes me so happy when I get glimpses of the old WeeMee. You definitely still tire easily, and you still have a good size appetite, but thats easy stuff!

Lunch outside with sissys...what a good day!

Your last chemo was on Sept. 30th. You were supposed to have the 7th off and then get chemo again on the 14th, but (to my complete shock) your counts had dropped!! They were 300 on the 7th (anything under 500 is considered extremely high risk for infection.), which was not surprising because the docs had warned us that that would happen. However, they expected them to recover between the 7th and 13th so you could get chemo on the 14th. They needed to be 750. Your home health nurse, Scott, came and drew blood and said he'd fax the report once he got it. When he did I was totally surprised to see your counts had dropped to only 100!! When we broke the news that you werent going to have to go to clinic the next day... I dont think you could have been happier. I was disappointed though. I am so anxious to get this intense phase over with and behind us. I hate always worrying if someone comes over that they are bringing in germs. I just found out Alyssas friend Abby is really sick with the pukies. She spends a lot of time over here. In fact she was here on Saturday, and at church with Alyssa on Sunday. Im making myself sick worrying that your gonna catch it and have to go in to the hospital. If you get even just a cold with a fever...its an automatic few days in the hospital with your counts as low as they are. I dont want you, or I, to have to do that again.

Recently, daddy's cousin Lacey told me about a family that just found out their 9 year old has AML. Her chances arent so good as yours, and her cancer is a lot more aggressive. I keep thinking about this poor family and cant help but cry. How terrible a thing to have to face with a good prognosis like yours, but to have to face this knowing the odds are not in your favor...I dont think I could do it. It says a lot about the strength of this family. The Lord knows they can do it. Whenever Im having a hard time I always think about how the Lord has promised us that we will face no trial we cannot overcome. I take great comfort in that... knowing that the Lord thinks I can do this. I hope the family of that little girl knows that too. They have a long hard road ahead and my heart goes out to them. I will remember them in my prayers.

It turned out good that you didnt get chemo for one reason. We found out on the 12th that Alyssa had to get surgery on her foot! We took her into the dr because she had a bump on her foot that wouldnt go away and was hurting her. Turns out it was a lipoma (a fatty tissue cyst) that had to be removed....on Thursday. The same day you were scheduled for chemo. Me and daddy decided he would go with you and I would stay with Alyssa. Weird to think he'd be at a surgery for you (another back poke) while I was at a surgery with Alyssa. Amazing how everything works out. Alyssa was a trooper and has bounced back with little to no pain. I have such brave, tough kiddos.