Spinal Chemo Done!!

Abbey's last spinal is OVER :)!!! The day went as good as can be expected. It was an emotional day for me as my mind was flooded with thoughts and memories over all that she has gone through these past 2 years, but most of what I was feeling was thankfulness for how far we have come and where we are now. Jacob came with us (we let him stay home from school that day) and it was so good to have him there for Abbey to play with and just for us to be together that day as it was a huge milestone for all of us. We blasted some of our favorite worship songs on the way and watching them sing to the music filled my heart to overflowing. They are neat kids and I truly am thankful that God has given me the job of being their mommy!

Abbey and Dr. B at clinic before her IV chemo was given

Abbey and Jacob painting and killing time while waiting for her medicine

I took lots of pictures (below) in the sedation unit. I rarely take my camera out there as there is so much about it that I want to forget, but I know when Abbey is older I will want to be able to show her pictures of everything.

One thing I have noticed about pictures though is that every time I take them and go back and look at them there is something about them that so evidently shows God's goodness and faithfulness to us. Her face always looks so peaceful and calm. Even the pictures from the very beginning when things were so unknown and scary and she was so sick. It is such a reminder to me of how God has carried us through this time and has been so real in our lives through this trial.

The sedation unit is across the hospital from clinic. It's a beautiful unit, but a sad place to be as the faces in each room usually tell a sad story.

These two are best buds!

Getting hooked up to everything before she's sedated

Abbey sleeping peacefully.

It's over! Abbey sipping some hot chocolate as she's always starving when she wakes up!

They always give the kids a special treat when it's done :)

Thank you for praying for her and us last Friday. It felt amazing to walk out of there and know that I will never again have to wait in the hall and stare at the door of her room, waiting for the doctor to come out and say that it's over.

Abbey always starts her steroid pulse for 5 days after her monthly IV chemo. They upped her dose this month because of how much she has grown. It was a rough week for her as she had a horrible headache for three days and felt pretty miserable. They don't know if the headache was from the spinal or the increase in her steroids, but she was on the couch with a blanket over her eyes for those days as the light was really bothering her. It was heartbreaking to watch her feel so crummy. Thankfully, it has passed and the steroids were over as of yesterday so she is starting to feel more like herself. We are getting there and truly cannot wait for it all to be done! For now, we can say goodbye to spinals and soon... goodbye to it all :)!!

Last Spinal!!!

Tomorrow is a big day for us! Abbey has had countless spinal taps and chemo injections in her spine since she was diagnosed. At first it was weekly, then there were parts of her treatment where it was monthly, and since Maintenance Cycle it has been every three months. Needless to say, she has had many. Well, tomorrow is her last one!! We're pretty excited to say the least :)!!

We will have a long day tomorrow as we will have to be there from about 10:30am till after 3:00pm. She won't be able to eat till it's all over, which is never fun. We will start at clinic where she will get her monthly chemo in her port. We then will head over to sedation where she will be sedated and get her LAST spinal tap and spinal chemo. There are no words to tell you how awesome it's going to feel to walk out of there with her tomorrow, knowing that she has finished that part of her treatment. We still have a few more months of chemo, but to know that we can check spinals off our list FOREVER feels pretty amazing :)!

And there truly are no words to tell you how very much I love this kid and how proud and amazed I am that she has endured so much and has shown strength beyond what I can even comprehend. Tomorrow night can't come quick enough. Being able to look her in the eyes and tell her that she has made it through this part of her treatment is going to be an amazing thing.

Would you please pray for her tomorrow? Pray for her blood to look good and for there to be no issues. Please pray for all to go smoothly and for strength for Abbey as it never gets easy going through this.

Abbey has a book of paraphrased Psalms for kids that we have been reading every night and they encourage both of our hearts as we snuggle up and read them together. One of our favorites is ...

Psalm 91

When I trust in God, It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket.

With God on my side, I am not scared of anything -

not during the day, not during the night.

I hope this verse encourages you today as it did Abbey and I before she went to bed tonight. Thank you for your continued love, prayers and support. We are forever grateful :)!

Caleb John :)

Just wanted to share his dimples with you :)

2 Years - Journeying Through Leukemia

October 2nd, 2008 is a day that will be etched in our minds forever. 2 years ago today, we found out that our precious Abbey has Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

This journey that we have been on has been the hardest of our lives, yet I know and see everyday that God is using it for good. I would never want to go back even a day, but to know and see where we've come from is an amazing thing. We aren't quite done with this journey, but we are confident that come January 8th, 2011, Abbey will be done for good with cancer and that she will lead a normal, healthy life. I also know that this story will never be forgotten, both in our families lives and the lives around us.

2 years... Journeying Through Leukemia

Abbey, just days before we found out she had leukemia

Again, just days before she was diagnosed

A few days after she was diagnosed. At this point she had already had surgery for her metaport to be placed in her chest, several doses of chemo, platelet and blood transfusions, spinal taps, bone marrow biopsies, heavy duty steroids and lots of other medications.

One month into treatment. Abbey was so sick, swollen and miserable. Hardest 4 weeks of our lives.

Her hair starting to thin and fall out

Praying for healing

Smiling through it all (well most of it :)

Lots of blood draws

Oreos and milk whenever her little heart desired :)!

Trying to do "normal" things

Our bald princess

Protecting her from germs while going to and from clinic

Hospital admission when we found out she had a blood clot in her brain

I've always loved this picture of her. I think she's so beautiful :)

Her hair coming back in :)!!!

It came back sooo fast :)! We were thrilled!

Our sunshine

And today, so close to being done :)!

God is so good! We could've never gotten through these past 2 years without Him. It hasn't been easy, but His faithfulness, provision, protection, love and care for our Abbey and our family has been nothing short of amazing. He has been intimately involved in this situation and seeing His hand at work in our lives and the lives around us has carried us through each day. Our prayer is that He would continue to use this story for His glory. That our kids would tell the world about God's great love. That we would never forget how He has walked us through this and that we would continue to have opportunities to share our story. Would you join us in praying for those things? As well as for Abbey's complete healing from cancer. That she would never relapse or get any other form of cancer as a result from her therapy. Thank you to all of you who have loved, encouraged and walked these past 2 years with us. We are forever thankful and grateful for you!

Blessings to you!

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.