Port Removal Surgery Dec 28

I wanted to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to all our followers in the blogosphere.  2011 proved be a much better Christmas for our family.  We continue to be very aware of all those still fighting the disease and will never forget our Christmas in the hospital two years ago.  These memories continue to define who we are and make us very grateful for being in the place we are in now.  I thought I would share the Christmas card we sent out this year.  

We have a very big (HUGE) day coming up tomorrow.  Ally is scheduled to go into surgery to have her port removed!  This port has resided in her chest for 2 years and 7 months!  A lot of kids end up having two or three ports due to infections, but her trusty port ended up lasting the entire time.  So tomorrow is the big day...Dr Christian, who put her port in and is a fellow board member with Jerad, will take her port out at 12:30pm.  At the same time, while she is asleep, Dr Broxson will come into the OR and do a bone marrow aspiration on Ally's hip.  He injects a large hollow needle into her hip bone and pulls some marrow out . This marrow is then tested for any trace of leukemic cells.  I am thankful they are doing it while she is asleep because it hurts!  I am more concerned about this part of it than the actual surgery part.  Her marrow has not been tested in about 2 years.  I am not sure if we will find out any results tomorrow or if we will have to wait.  Please say a special prayer for her and I will post the results ASAP.  All along, this has been in my mind as the end of her journey.  I know it is not really the end with all of the follow ups etc.  The poor girl still suffers every day from side effects such as weak and painful ankles and feet and insomnia, but after all we have been through we just have to learn to live with it.  Every headache, belly ache, and pain still cause us heightened alarm.  But if her marrow tests out good tomorrow I do think it will be a huge sense of relief for Jerad and I.  (She is, of course, not nervous at all...and she says it.  I even told her she has to get an IV, because they can't use the port they are taking out, and she just says "OK") We are not allowed to be with her tomorrow, but she is allowed to take her Bobo.  She will be in good hands though.  

One more time...my brave Ally girl....one more big thing.  And then you will be well on your way to being the  "normal kid" you so desire to be.