Last week was Conner's 6th birthday! We worried his party would be a disappointment due to the rain spoiling some of our fun - or worse, that his party would have to be canceled all together because Katie was sick. Katie had an off and on fever for 48 hours, that hovered at 100 degrees - if her fever had gone up even slightly, she would have ended up in the hospital. We are glad to report that Katie's fever broke, and the rain stopped at just the right time, allowing us to put up the jump house. Conner had a fabulous birthday party, and it was a great day for us all!
Katie still has a bad cough, so we are watching her closely. And she is still having struggles with her blood sugars, so we are watching her closely on that as well... I wonder how all this "watching her closely" will effect her in the long run. Katie is timid and shy by nature anyway, and now she has this added "carefulness." She is always telling Conner and her friends to be gentle with her so she doesn't break any bones. She is correct in doing so, as her bones are fragile, due to all the chemo. I just wonder if all this carefulness will make her more cautious as her life goes on... Time will tell...
"A seed of faith is already planted in your heart. ... But, like a growing plant, it must be nurtured or it will wither. Frequent and heartfelt prayers of faith are crucial and needed nutrients. Obedience to the truth you have received will keep the testimony alive and strengthen it. Obedience to the commandments is part of the nourishment you must provide for your testimony." (Henry B. Eyring, "A Living Testimony")
Monday, November 25, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Day 739
Katie got her monthly dose of IV chemo this week (on Tuesday) - and things didn't exactly go smoothly. For some reason the nurses had a difficult time getting the IV in. It took 5 nurses and 4 pokes in different spots to finally get the IV in (with "fishing" each time trying to get the vein). Dr. Dana said, it might have something to do with all the steroids Katie is on... It was hard on Katie. Plus Scott wasn't there to help us, because he had to stay home with Conner, who was sick with a fever and the croup. So, not our best day.
Katie has been feeling the effects of the chemo and steroids. On the up side of things though, when Katie is on the heavy steroids she doesn't have to get up in the middle of the night to eat (for 5 nights) - and that has been nice for both of us! Katie is especially glad to have a 5 day break from taking the cornstarch (which she absolutely despises taking).
We are glad there are only 2 treatments left! One type of chemo Katie has been given has caused her to get "flat feet" - her feet are not only flat, they are actually starting to roll inward. (I know that sounds odd, but it is a side effect). Dr. Dana said we will need to make an appointment with an Orthopedic doctor, once the chemo is done. We also don't know what to expect with Katie's blood sugars once chemo is done... But we hope that will resolve itself. We hope.
"“When we follow Jesus Christ, we act as He would act and love as He would love."" (Russell M. Nelson, "The Work of Salvation: Parable of a Father at Bedtime")
Katie has been feeling the effects of the chemo and steroids. On the up side of things though, when Katie is on the heavy steroids she doesn't have to get up in the middle of the night to eat (for 5 nights) - and that has been nice for both of us! Katie is especially glad to have a 5 day break from taking the cornstarch (which she absolutely despises taking).
We are glad there are only 2 treatments left! One type of chemo Katie has been given has caused her to get "flat feet" - her feet are not only flat, they are actually starting to roll inward. (I know that sounds odd, but it is a side effect). Dr. Dana said we will need to make an appointment with an Orthopedic doctor, once the chemo is done. We also don't know what to expect with Katie's blood sugars once chemo is done... But we hope that will resolve itself. We hope.
"“When we follow Jesus Christ, we act as He would act and love as He would love."" (Russell M. Nelson, "The Work of Salvation: Parable of a Father at Bedtime")
"There is really no way we can know the heart, the intentions, or the circumstances of someone who might say or do something we find reason to criticize. Thus the commandment: 'Judge not.'" (Thomas S. Monson, "Charity Never Faileth")
"Coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not elevate your standing, nor does demeaning someone else improve your self-image. So be kind, and be grateful that God is kind. It is a happy way to live." (Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Laborers in the Vineyard", Ensign, May 2012)
Friday, November 8, 2013
Day 730 - 2 Years!
Well, that's interesting... Somehow I was off count by 39 days (my last post date was "Day 769" and today is supposed to be "Day 730"). My miscounting days on the blog is perhaps somewhat insightful of this past year. Last year, I managed to end the year exactly on "Day 365." ...Maybe the days have just seemed longer, or have multiplied as time has gone on... I don't know. (Maybe it is that I have been waking up at 3 a.m. to feed Katie her "middle of the night snack" for too long, and I am a little tired and fuzzy in my thinking.) But we are at 2 years today - 730 days of battling Leukemia!
My heart is tender and my mind and body are tired. I will not be able to write even a portion of what I feel. When this started, "2 years" seemed so long and terribly far away, and yet now here we are. Three more treatments to go, and then Katie will be done. It has been a long and difficult 2 years. Katie has been through so much - we all have - in our own way.
I love my husband. This morning I reminded him that today was the 2 year mark and he said, "It has been a good 2 years." My jaw dropped and I said, "Really?" To which he replied, "Yes, we have Katie, and we have been blessed, lots of good things have happened in the past 2 years." He is right. I am so thankful for Scott - his strength, his love, his support, his optimism. He always tends to see the good and I am so glad. Scott is constant, strong and steady. I am so grateful to be his wife, and to be able to walk hand in hand with him, sharing in the joys and the sorrows that life brings... He has helped pull me through!
I love Conner. That poor sweet boy has been through so much in his young life. So much trauma, conflict, confusion, and loss for such a little one (for anyone). Conner is strong, and he is rising above it all. He is loyal and his love runs deep. Conner loves his sissy Katie and I love him for that. He has held her hand and hugged her neck so many times during the past two years when Katie has needed her "Conner... Conner...Conner." He is a good boy. He lights up my life. His hugs can make anything better. He has a zest for life and a sense of adventure. He loves to know how things work and how they are made. He is all boy, but he is also incredibly sweet and sensitive. How I love that little man of mine!
I love Katie. She is full of strength and sunshine. She is always ready with a big smile, a tight hug, and kind loving words. She is nurturing and loving. She loves to laugh - and laugh heartily. She loves to learn and she loves to play. Katie is a helper - she likes to help cook, clean, fold clothes, and mop the floor. She loves to be good and do good. Katie is strong and courageous. She has endured much and she has endured it well. Her sweetness is beyond description, but oh, how sweet she is! She has filled our lives with love and laughter. She has been our sunshine through the rain. She has strengthened us and she has brought so much joy into our lives. Every day with her has been a gift. How blessed we are to have her!
I love my family for supporting and helping us through. My family came to my rescue when I was in need. I am grateful for all the many different ways they have shown love and support. I am so grateful that my mother is still alive and can listen - it has helped so much - to be able to talk to my mom. I have missed having my dad here to hold me - but I have felt his strength and love - helping us from the other side of the veil. I love friends, near and far, who have prayed for us and helped us. I love Scott's parents. I am so grateful to Marie (Scott's mom) for helping me, on a daily basis, when Katie was at her worst. We truly have been blessed and we are so grateful!
I love Heavenly Father. I am grateful for His promise, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." His promises are sure and true. He has blessed, watched over, and strengthened us. I am grateful for a living prophet who reminds us: "Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were - better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.
"Only the Master know the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'
"Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change.
"...May we have a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives...May we strive to be close to our Heavenly Father. To do so, we must pray to Him and listen to Him every day. We truly need Him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain. May His promise ever be our watchword: "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." ("I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee," Thomas S. Monson, Oct. 2013, Gen. Conference)
My heart is tender and my mind and body are tired. I will not be able to write even a portion of what I feel. When this started, "2 years" seemed so long and terribly far away, and yet now here we are. Three more treatments to go, and then Katie will be done. It has been a long and difficult 2 years. Katie has been through so much - we all have - in our own way.
I love my husband. This morning I reminded him that today was the 2 year mark and he said, "It has been a good 2 years." My jaw dropped and I said, "Really?" To which he replied, "Yes, we have Katie, and we have been blessed, lots of good things have happened in the past 2 years." He is right. I am so thankful for Scott - his strength, his love, his support, his optimism. He always tends to see the good and I am so glad. Scott is constant, strong and steady. I am so grateful to be his wife, and to be able to walk hand in hand with him, sharing in the joys and the sorrows that life brings... He has helped pull me through!
I love Conner. That poor sweet boy has been through so much in his young life. So much trauma, conflict, confusion, and loss for such a little one (for anyone). Conner is strong, and he is rising above it all. He is loyal and his love runs deep. Conner loves his sissy Katie and I love him for that. He has held her hand and hugged her neck so many times during the past two years when Katie has needed her "Conner... Conner...Conner." He is a good boy. He lights up my life. His hugs can make anything better. He has a zest for life and a sense of adventure. He loves to know how things work and how they are made. He is all boy, but he is also incredibly sweet and sensitive. How I love that little man of mine!
I love Katie. She is full of strength and sunshine. She is always ready with a big smile, a tight hug, and kind loving words. She is nurturing and loving. She loves to laugh - and laugh heartily. She loves to learn and she loves to play. Katie is a helper - she likes to help cook, clean, fold clothes, and mop the floor. She loves to be good and do good. Katie is strong and courageous. She has endured much and she has endured it well. Her sweetness is beyond description, but oh, how sweet she is! She has filled our lives with love and laughter. She has been our sunshine through the rain. She has strengthened us and she has brought so much joy into our lives. Every day with her has been a gift. How blessed we are to have her!
I love my family for supporting and helping us through. My family came to my rescue when I was in need. I am grateful for all the many different ways they have shown love and support. I am so grateful that my mother is still alive and can listen - it has helped so much - to be able to talk to my mom. I have missed having my dad here to hold me - but I have felt his strength and love - helping us from the other side of the veil. I love friends, near and far, who have prayed for us and helped us. I love Scott's parents. I am so grateful to Marie (Scott's mom) for helping me, on a daily basis, when Katie was at her worst. We truly have been blessed and we are so grateful!
I love Heavenly Father. I am grateful for His promise, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." His promises are sure and true. He has blessed, watched over, and strengthened us. I am grateful for a living prophet who reminds us: "Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were - better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.
"Only the Master know the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'
"Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change.
"...May we have a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives...May we strive to be close to our Heavenly Father. To do so, we must pray to Him and listen to Him every day. We truly need Him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain. May His promise ever be our watchword: "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." ("I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee," Thomas S. Monson, Oct. 2013, Gen. Conference)
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Day 769
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| Preschool "Parade" |
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| Lots of jewels |
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| Excited to "Trick or Treat" |
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| Bored with taking pictures |
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| Our knight in shining armor & our pretty little princess! |
We had a fun Halloween. Conner and Katie both had parties at their schools. Later that day we went to a ward party for "trunk or treat" and then to the hospital to see Grandma (so Grandma could see our sweet knight and pretty princess). Scott's mom is still in the hospital, but she is doing fine.
It appears that Katie's low blood sugar last week was due more to "randomness" that to anything I did or didn't do - as she has had 2 more low blood sugar episodes since then. We can't wait for this to be over with! And the end is in sight - and for the first time (this past week) I can feel the "relief" coming. I am glad!
Last night Katie asked her dad how many more days she had to take medicine, to which Scott replied, "90 days." Katie said, "Wow, that's still a lot!" Scott told her, "It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't." (It kind of does still sound like a lot - 3 months sounds better!) ....But we are getting there. I just hope this blood sugar issue goes away when the medications go away! Overall, we are doing well, and we are very hopeful for the future.
"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey and share our love with friends and family. One day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. Let us not put off what is most important." (Thomas S. Monson, "Love at Home--Counsel from Our Prophet")
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