Day 1, done...day 2 coming up.

After a very long day at the hospital, Ally got home about 6pm. Everything went pretty well....she was a bit tearful during the spinal and yelling that it hurt. But then about two minutes later she asked if they had given her the shot in her back yet. She just doesn't remember. That is some good medicine that makes her forget the whole thing. Wish I could take some sometimes. She pretty much took a nap right after the procedure, which really helped her to stay down and avoid the spinal headache. Dr French actually inverted her (feet higher than her head) to let the chemo go straight to her brain and also to prevent the spinal headaches. I was only there for about half the day and then set off in the snowstorm to collect my other two children. We got six inches of snow while Ally was doing all her stuff. Thanks to my sister for coming thru in a pinch for us and watching Evan.

While we were there, and before her spinal, Ally passed out some Valentines to some of her friends. We went over to the inpatient unit and caught up with a few friends. While we were there, we found out about a little boy Ethan who had ALL four years ago and it has relapsed. I actually think I met him recently at an event. There was also another little girl there...same thing-- ALL relapsed. This bothers me so much I can't even incorporate the words to describe it. It is our biggest fear...if it relapses you have to do all kinds of stuff including a bone marrow transplant and chances of survival go down. So I have had a pit in my stomach all day about all of this. And another one of her friends, Davey, is having a bone marrow to see what is going on with him...which has me worried. What happened to all the good statistics on ALL that we heard about?...it doesn't seem like it is holding true for our hospital family. I guess we just have to keep praying and praying and try not worry. It is ultimately in God's hands and her path is already chosen.

She goes back in tomorrow at 10am for the double shots in the legs. I do not know why they can't do it all in the same day....but there is some research/reason behind it so I do not ask. Whatever they say, we do.

A funny story...Jerad took Ally to a communion meeting at church a couple weeks ago (she gets her first communion in May). Everyone had to go around the room and say someone/something they are thankful for. Most of the kids said the pat answers: Mom, Dad, Grandma, God, etc. But our girl was different. She said she was thankful for her doctors. And yes, that is what I am thankful for too. Our doctors are amazingly smart men who are also very caring and empathetic and also have a love for kids....always joking around with the kids about this or that. I seriously feel like I owe my life to these men...how can you ever express your gratitude to someone like them?