Clinic Update

I apologize for not posting sooner...had a lot of people asking me what was going on and I have been neglectful with my blog! I have been busy getting ready for our neighborhood garage sale. For three years someone has been sick, first Mom then Ally...and I am continually amazed as to how much CRAP can accumulate when you are just struggling to get by. So it has been very therapeutic to get it out of my house now!

Anyway, we went down to the clinic on Friday and had a world-record two hour chemo appointment. That is super quick by our normal standards. Ally's ANC continued to be high...sitting at 2500 that day. Dr B seemed slightly hesitant about raising her chemo levels, but eventually he did. He raised her 6-MP for two days a week and is giving her another ml of methotrexate every Tuesday. (from 14 ml to 15 ml) He wants to look at her liver levels again in June when she gets her spinal. They are still high, but not out of control. It's funny how as a cancer parent we just accept so many things. High liver levels, ok, cataracts, sure, 20% chance of brain tumor, well...ok...brittle bones, no biggie....we just accept everything under the umbrella of please just save our daughter. We will deal with the rest later.

The scary thing is Dr B started to talk to me about being done with chemo. To which I promptly stopped him from discussing. I can't discuss it. I don't want to discuss it. Not yet. (I do believe the date is Sept 16th.) He just laughed at me and said ok. It is still months away. And I am a big believer in not jinxing anything.

We had a very busy Mother's Day. Church, up to Columbus, back to Dad's house for a fancy pasta dinner. Mother's Day is not so fun for me. I try. I do. But the void is still there and I am sorry I just can't pretend it is not, contrary to what most people would say to me...focus on your kids, yada yada yada. Well it is hard. But both my husband and my Dad tried to make the day special for me (and of course the kids too). And for that I am super grateful.

Back to the garage sale thing...Ally, in her infinite entrepreneurial ways (ie concession stand) has decided to sell nachos and hot dogs at our sale. Not to make money for herself, but wanting to help those tornado victims in Alabama. They are working on it both at school and via one of her swim coaches (who is from Alabama). I am proud of her for wanting to do something. One thing that these past two years has taught her is to give back. Not too many 9 year olds think about money in this regard.

I need to post some pictures from the Moms 4 Miracles event we attended on Saturday too...a great showing and hopefully more money raised for a good cause.

Thank you to Uncle Brad (Ally's Godfather) who ran a half marathon in Columbus with Team in Training on Saturday with Ally's name on his back. Thinking about all of her pain and suffering is what got him through...

Thank you to Aunt Melissa (Ally's Godmother) who tonight had 10 inches cut off her hair and donated to Locks of Love in Ally's name.

We couldn't be more blessed with a better Army. Thanks for all the prayers for our girl Ally.