Change in Plans

We had a great Easter. I will post pictures later (too busy watching those Butler Bulldogs in the Nat'l Championship to do it tonight) We had a fun Easter morning at home with an egg hunt. Then we hopped in the car and drove all the way to Junction City (Jerad's hometown) to have Easter with his extended family. We didn't even tell Grandma and Grandpa we were coming...we pulled off the best surprise ever when Ally hopped out of the car. She hadn't been there in a full year...last Easter was the last time she had gone. Technically, we aren't supposed to take her more than an hour away. The reason being....if anything would go wrong and she would run a fever, she has to be hooked up to IV antiobiotics within an hour. I would NEVER EVER want her to go to another hospital...just transferring her records would be a giant task. So we don't venture very far. Ally had been doing so good and we knew her ANC has stayed high so we decided to take a risk. And our risk taking paid off...thank you God for protecting her during the trip. 7 of Jerad's aunts/uncles were there and I think they all loved getting to see Ally for real...not just on the blog.

We drove two hours back in the car...just in time to make it to my Dad's house and our extended family Easter. Dad has always been a champion egg hider and we have never missed an egg hunt. The weather was perfect and the kids set out for the meadow to overfill their baskets with eggs. We all pull together quite well, sharing the work, to have a tasty and plentiful Easter dinner. This used to be one of my Mom's strong points...she could cook up a feast for many, but we made due and got along fine. We are learning.

Today, in the midst of our last day of spring break we ran Ally to the outpatient center to get her blood tested. Turns out her ANC was plenty high at 1850, but her platelets were only 57. This means she is delayed and can't start treatment yet. We are gonna try again Wed with plans to admit her on Thursday to start day 1 of her last intense phase of chemo. A little disappointing, but there is not too much we can do about it. They also informed me that her hemoglobin was low (7.6 and they transfuse blood anything less than 8). They asked me if she was symptomatic with headaches or fast heartbeats, etc. I said to Robbie...let me tell you this...Tell Dr B that she rode her bike four miles the other day. I told her that Ally was doing great. Robbie said she could tell that Ally was rebounding as her monocytes were very high (the baby "good cells") and they we didn't have to transfuse but will need to check again on Wed morning. Come to think of it, she rode her bike about two miles again tonight. The exercise is just so good for her.

So we have a few more days until we start this last phase. It is going to be the hardest phase yet. It will definitely bring about low counts again (which we have been spared this for the last two months and we are now spoiled). She will become neutropenic and will almost certainly get another fever. I am guessing early May. We will be confined to our home again, except for our frequent trips to Cincinnati to get radiation. So it is gonna be one big last push but we can do it.

More pictures later and hopefully we will start on Thursday. Please continue to pray for all of our cancer family. Especially Lincoln and Maggie. And another little 4 year old girl Brynn who is nearing the end of her life.