DAY 6

From Jim: October 8 @ 11:05 PM

We're gonna change things up a little and I (Jim) am going to write today's post. I'm not as great of a writer as Shelley is, so bear with me if this is choppy.

Just a quick side-note... I haven't been able to read all of Shelley's posts, but tonight I sat down and read them. And I am just amazed at the strength and faith of my beautiful wife. She inspires me and shows me all of the reasons why I married her and I love her with my whole heart. God has truly been glorified through Shelley.

Today was another good day. Abbey did not have to go through any chemo treatment today. She was a little cranky this morning and we had a difficult time getting her to take her daily medicines (she is normally a great medicine taker, but 8 different medications a day are a getting to be a lot for her to willingly take). She has to take a steroid and one other medicine twice a day. She takes one medicine three times per day. She also has to take prevacid once a day. She was being stubborn and refused to take the medicine in the morning. So, our wonderful nurse came up with the idea of taking the medications with ice cream. The doctors and nurses have said that it doesn't really matter how Abbey gets the medication down, but just that she gets them down. Even though it seems like a simple thing to do, it is extremely important that Abbey takes this medication and that she takes it at the specific times. So, after much coercion and prayer, she thought the ice cream idea was great and she took her medication. So, for now, Abbey gets to have ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... I think this will be the only time in her life that this happens! But this is still going to be one of our big prayers as our journey goes forward. Abbey will be changing medications as time goes on and she will have to adapt to them, so we are anticipating that she won't always be willing to take her medications. So, please continue to pray for her and Shelley and I as we try and get her to take her medications.

We had a few visitors today as well. Shelley's mom and step-dad who also brought Micah with them, my parents (who are in from Philly), Jacob stopped by with Samua Cherry and her son Isaac. Samua has told us that Isaac has had Abbey on his mind lately and is praying for her and he has said that he loves her. Abbey really enjoyed her time with Jacob and Isaac. We got to see some of Abbey's usual antics and her beautiful smile. She brings joy to my heart just thinking about her!

We also wanted to praise God for protecting our friends, Todd and Hilary Gorrell. They were involved in an accident last night on their way to see us at the hospital. God protected them and allowed them to walk away from what could have been a devastating crash. Satan is trying to attack us one by one yet our faith is unshaken. We serve a limitless God!

We know that He is using our daughter to do His work and to bring glory to Himself. We told Abbey this and we hope that somehow in that little mind of her's that she understands this. She knows that her Savior loves her and we know that if He can conquer death, then He can conquer leukemia in my little girl's body!