Leary

Leary. That is just how I feel all the time. I never know how I should feel about something... I think good and then things go downhill...I think bad and then things are ok. For example, I was very leary of sending Ally to school today. I don't know why, but she just got blood and I just wasn't sure. I asked Jerad, my trusty sidekick, and he said without a doubt we must send her. His reasoning was that there was nothing outwardly wrong, and we have to set a precedent. She didn't ask to stay home or anything like that. So if we let her stay home just for no reason, than we won't have anything to stand on. I think I was just feeling tired so I thought she must be too.

So I sent her and sat here with knots in my stomach yet again. I waited until about 8:30 and called her school nurse, who has been doing an amazing job at keeping me updated. I wanted to tell her about Ally's port remaining accessed until Friday, just in case. She said she thought all was fine. A little later Mrs Hamilton sent me a quick note that Ally was having her best day yet. And then several friends told me the same thing. She had a GREAT day. She came home all happy and full of energy and told me she made a new friend named Rachel. And then she said "Mom, everybody knows my name at school. Everybody" I said, what do you mean, all the teachers? And she said "yes...all the teachers, but all the kids too." I told her well it is just because you are so special....and everybody is rooting for you. Ally's army now has a whole bunch of kids from Valley in it. I see all of the bracelets! Evan and I decided to make her a brownie cake to celebrate the fact that she made it a whole day, without calling or breaking down. She is such a trooper.

Speaking of Evan, today was his last day off. He only had school on Tuesday due to the way they stagger start the kindergarteners. So while Ally and Carly were at school, we had some time together. With three kids, one sick and the other one only two years old, he doesn't get all that much attention. So we went shopping and picked out some new shoes for school. Then I decided to take him Putt-Putting, which is pretty much his favorite thing to do.
We had fun....oh yea, and then we made the cake. Anyone that knows me well...I am not a baker. I love to cook but I don't like to make desserts and I really don't even much like eating them. Weird I know, but I would rather just have popcorn or something. So this really was a huge thing for me.
Ally had such a good day that she wanted to do her homework right as soon as she walked in the door. I was trying to talk her into a break or a snack, but oh no. She even had enough energy to play....here she is with Carly and the play-dough. Man they are cute together. They absolutely never fight and they both just love each other so much. (I can't say the same thing about either of them with Evan)
I just saw all three kids shoes laying on the kitchen floor (UGH) ...And I just noticed that the shoes I bought for Evan are surprisingly similar to the ones I got for the girls. I didn't even plan it but all three have similar shoes. They are even from three different stores and Dad picked out and bought the ones for Ally. And I am very proud to say we got them all for the average price of less than $30 each. (my mom would be so proud of my bargain hunting skills)
Sorry for the tangent. So after the great day, she gets ready for bed and now she has a rash! Man, it is just always something. Now I am leary again. What is it? Maybe it is just a bug bite...no other mom would think anything of it, but with her...I just never know. Should I start researching rashes? I just went in and inspected her with a flashlight and I believe it is gone. My nerves are so frayed and I am only three days into school. I truly have to live by the motto of taking each day as it comes.

Speaking of that, tomorrow, Friday, our typical treatment day but Ally's appointment is not until 3:30. She is already accessed (we just kept it in from the blood yesterday and saved her a poke) and she just needs a push of Vincristin. That shouldn't take long. So the plan is just to take her down to the clinic after school. Starting in September, we have some seriously long rounds of chemo coming up. I will write more when I know the plans, but we are looking at 4 different inpatient hospital stays of 3-4 days each between now and mid-October. That is quite depressing to look forward to. So I will just look to tomorrow.

Last, but not least, some very generous people from St Lukes are hosting a lemonade stand/garage sale on Saturday in honor of Ally and another ALL patient we know named Lincoln. It is from 9-1. All of the proceeds will go towards Ally's walk and the L&L society. It is right off Dayton Xenia Rd in Cape Cod Colony right by the high school in Beavercreek. I would love to send some people their way. Stop by for a drink after your sporting event. And tell them you know Ally. We will be stopping by and also giving blood that day in Ally's name.


Tonights prayer is that nothing changes in the middle of the night and we just have a normal day tomorrow.