Friday, March 20, 2009

Abbey Update


First of all, let me say thank you so much for giving your favorite recipes!  I printed them all out and can't wait to start making them!  I will be going grocery shopping within the next couple days (actually Jim will be going.... he's our grocery shopper :) and once we get the stuff, I will get cooking!  Hopefully you all got some new recipes too!  Thanks for participating :)

So things here have been pretty good overall.  We went to the clinic on Thursday and her numbers dropped significantly from the week before.  A week ago Thursday, her ANC was over 5,000 and yesterday it went all the way down to 400.  Since this is the last intense phase, they continue to give her the chemo no matter where her numbers are so even though she is very susceptible to infection right now, she was hit again with some strong medications.  They expect her numbers to fall even more this week from the chemo yesterday.  We are just praying for no fevers or infections and for her ANC to make a comeback soon. 

She also started up on the steroids again today and will be on them for the next seven days.  She handled the first round of steroids like a champ so we are praying that her body does as well this week.  The difference is that her numbers are so much lower this week and I still feel that she has some built up in her body from the first week so we don't really know what to expect.  We are just taking it one day at a time and knowing that once we get past this phase, things will get easier.

Next Thursday we will go back to the clinic, but not for chemo.  They will just check her numbers and see if she needs a blood or platelet transfusion.  It's been a while since her ANC has been so low or since they talked to us about transfusions so it's hard to be back in this boat.  We knew this phase would be tough, and overall she is acting normal and continues to play and be happy, but oh how we just want her body to be strong and healthy again.  She will get there and in the meantime we will continue to trust that God has a perfect plan in this and is carrying her and the rest of us through.

So in a nutshell, we are praising God that she continues to be active and happy.  She isn't complaining about much pain or feeling sick so overall you wouldn't be able to tell that her numbers are low and that she's on so much heavy medications.  We are praying that she has no infections or fevers.  That she handles the steroids as good as the first week.  That this week would go fast and that her bone marrow would recover quickly and her numbers would go up. Please pray that her ANC would be higher this coming Thursday than it was last Thursday.  And most importantly, that every last leukemia cell would be killed and would never come back.  Thanks for checking in.  We will keep you posted as this week goes on as to how she continues to do.


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praying Abbey has a good week...her numbers improve, minimal steroid side effects, no infections, and the chemo destroys any remaining cancer cells. Every calendar day that is crossed off, brings Abbey nearer to the end of her treatment!

Gail
Annapolis, MD

Heli gunner Tom said...

Sounds like you are a close knit family. I write a Christian based Journal that also deals with helping disabled combat Veterans 'swim with the sharks' -- the corrupt, disorganized VA system and gov't. Guess where obama will look to cut next... it's always the Veterans first.. lol.

Please consider my dear wife, Sharon, in your thoughts and prayers as she goes in for open heart surgery next Tuesday, 3-24-09 for aortic valve replacement, etc. We are worried, but we have some good things going for us: |Jesus Christ and HEAVEN.
Thanks.

Cordially,
Tom S
tschuckman@aol.com
Wisconsin

dana said...

Praying for Abbey's protection from fevers and such. I completely understand low ANC we were there just a week ago...praying for you all. May you have peace throughout this week. I also will be praying for the steriod affects to be non existant...that Abbey would have a wonderful week!

I love reading about your family and your journey...thank you for encouraging me throughout ours.

May the Lord give you His many blessings today.

~ Dana

Beth said...

What a blessing that Abbey is feeling good, playing with her brothers and does not seem to be to effected by the steroids/chemo!!

I agree with Gail, and that every day you can mark off the calendar is one day down and one day closer to your goal!!

Will continue to pray for your specific request!

:)

Bekky said...

Praise God Abbey is doing so well with this round of treatment so far! Will be praying for it to continue that way and for her little body to be completely healed! Stay strong God is carrying all of you through this.

~Bekky

Prayer Pals 4 Orphans said...

Sorry I am late, but I really wanted to share this delicious salad recipe with you...

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Dressing
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Mix vinegar and sugar together and let sit for 1 hr stirring frequently

In a seperate bowl mix the following:
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tablespoon sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon dry minced onion
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon worstershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika (I omit this)

Salad
fill a LARGE salad bowl with baby spinach
add fresh strawberries (and/or mandarin oranges) - we love it with the strawberries

Once the sugar has completely dissolved in the cider vinegar, mix it with the other dressing ingredients.
Do not pour the dressing over the salad until just before you serve it.

Prayer Pals 4 Orphans said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

We're praying that this week goes by as quickly as the first week of steroids did and for protection for all of you from illness, etc. during this phase. I feel like it was just yesterday that we were talking about this phase coming up and now you're several weeks in...praying that you feel like time is going faster than you anticipated it to!

The Kalivoda's said...

my family is praying for abbey!

Anonymous said...

We are praying for you, and check on your blog
more than you know...

God Bless,
Kathy